THE ALAMEDA TRAGEDY.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 6835, 20 August 1887, Page 5

THE ALAMEDA TRAGEDY.

Following are additional particulars of the murder :—A woman, tall, portly, and over-dressed, lingered about the Oceanic Dock on the morning of July Ist, from which the steamer Alameda "was advertised to sail at 2 p.m. Capt. Kentgill, of the_ police force, noticed her when lie lirst arrived, which was nine o'clock, and workmen about the wharf remember seeing her as early as eight o'clock. She explained to the police and ship's officers whom she accosted that she was waiting for a friend who intended to leave by the steamer. A suggestion that the steamer would not depart until the afternoon ro ceived this answer — that she would be " sure to see my friend." She ransacked the state rooms of the whole ship in search of the friend, and the search being unrewarded she would walk on the wharf and look anxiously up the street. Passengers began to arrive, and finally a little old man, carrying a lot. of luggage and bundles, waddled up the gang-plank and made his way down the steerage quarters. The woman who had been waiting suddenly grew animated with excitement, and followed the little man down the hatchway—she had found her friend. A moment or so later persons in the steerage were startled by the report of a pistol in their midst. The little man, who had just slung his luggage in a bunk, turned round, and was now pressing his hands to his abdomen convulsively, while he bent himself nearly double, with every expression of pain. A few feet in front of him stood the woman, a smoking revolver in her hand, which she still pointed at the man. Ex-officer Patrick Coxle, who was standing near, sprang aboard, knocked down her arm, and took away the weapon. Captain Kentgill next appeared and took | the woman into custody, while Officer Clindon called a hack and conveyed the woman and her victim to the old City Hall. Police Surgeon Martineaux examined the wound, and discovered a bullet in the back of the left side near the ribs. It had entered near the centre of the body, just below the point of the breast bone. The surgeon cut out the bullet, as'it had lodged near the surface, He considered the wound dangerous, but thought, with proper care, the man might recover. Whilst in the City Receiving Hospital, where he was taken, Bishop became troublesome, and refused to take medicine. He insisted on leaving the hospital, and the doctors, thinking it best to accede to bis request, permitted his removal. Bishop was taken to a lodginghouse, where he died on July 3rd. At. the inquest a verdict of "Wilful murder" was returned against Mrs Mary Van. Just as the steamship Alameda was about to leave San Francisco for New Zealand and Sydney on July Ist, she was boarded by a woman known as Mrs Mary Hammersmith, and more recently as Mrs Mary Van, who after a few words with George Vesley Bishop, an intending passengers, shot him so that he died next day. The affair took place in the afterpart of the steerage. Bishop was an elderly person, and said to be a druggist and chemist by profession, to have been born in America, and doing business in Christchurch or Canterbury. He arrived here on March 20th last, and during his stay in the city became acquainted with Mrs Van through the medium of a sheet called the Matrimonial Gazette, and according to the woman's evidence they lived together as man and wife. The unfortunate man was induced to furnish a house for the adventuress, and trouble arose when she failed to pay the rent according to agreement. He brought a suit for the rent, and also to recover 299-90 dols. the price of the furniture. The plaintiff denied during the trial that he had sought Mrs Van on matrimonial business, because he already had a wife in New Zealand. He confessed, however, that they were "affectionate," and that he had made her numerous presents. When Bishop applied for an interview with the " beautiful creature" as she was represented in the Gazette, he described himself as from London, aged 4f>, a chemist retired from business, and travelling. He got judgment in the case, as the Justice could find neither tbe marriage noragiftof the furniture proved, but, at the same time, he recommended that he provide himself with a guardian as he evidently needed one. Blades and Hughes are two bf the names Mrs Van has also been known by, and the trial revealed further that she had served a term in the State prison for an ttempt to murder.