THE WIFE MURDER AT HOWICK.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3559, 5 December 1882, Page 3

THE WIFE MURDER AT HOWICK.

Full Pabticulaes,

(by telegraph.)

Auckland, December 5

A terrible tragedy occurred at Howick, fifteen miles from here, in which a farm laborer on Mr David Nathan's estate, named James Crowley, murdered his wife, Ellen Crowley, with a box iron. Crowley and his wife lived in a four or five-roomed house about one hundred yards from the residence of Mr Nathan's manager, Mr Frater, and the latter was alarmed about 8 o'clock a.m. by seeing Crowley's daughter, a girl of 14 years, running out of her father's house screaming that her father was killing Mrs Crowley, her step-mother. On going up to the house Frater saw Mrs Crowley lying on the floor dead, with her face battered in. Frater did not arrest Crowjley, but, directing two of the men on the to keep him in eight, rode off to apprise Special Constable M'Gill in the village. On the road back, at about half way, the constable and Frater met Crowley, apparently going on to Howick, with two men from the estate dogging his footsteps yat some little distance. M'Gill, who had ; been well acquainted with Crowley for * .some years past, at once accosted bim, <--fljQd said, "I'm sorry to hear of this bad business Crowley, and I must now arrest you on the charge of murdering your wife," cautioning him at the same time in the usual manner as to any statements he might make. Crowley replied, "I could not help it; she kept nagging at me all night." The whole party returned to Frater'e residence. The prisoner was subsequently conveyed to Auckland and lodged in the police cell?. Crowley had been eight years in Mr Nathan's service altogether. Ellen Crowley was his second wife, and the little girl was Crowley's child by his first wife. There was eorne disparity of years between the couple, Mrs Crowley being about 29 and Orowley about 47. Tnere was no issue of the second marriage. For years past the ill-mated couple have led a wretched life, the husband taking a glass occasionally, but never to excess, and the wife having a reputation (which was tolerably well known in the district) of bavins an agYgravating way of"nagging" her husband, and being somewhat of a termagant. A great source of trouble was the step-daughter, and it is said that the girl was harshly treated by Mrs Crowley. One of the party who visited the house on Sunday says that the apartment wbich did duty for the girl's bedroom was partly filled with lumber. There was a

blanker, coverlet, and something on the floor, which appeared to be an apology for a mattrass, indeed the whole bouse had an air of discomfort and slovenliness. Crowley, through such treatment, cluDg closer to his child, and his affection for the little girl seems to have been a prominent trait in bis character, and his action on behalf of the child led to continual broils between the husband and wife. The "cat and dog" life reached such a pass that Crowley was advised to get a separation from his wife, and it would have been well for both if the suggestion had been carried out. Crowley and his wife were Roman Catholics, and it is not known that either party has any relatives in this province or in the colony. Crowley bears the reputation among his neighbors of being a quiet steady man, and was regarded by Frater as a faithful and trustworthy servant. It seems that latterly Crowley has been moody, melancholic, and somewhat eccentric, and among other freaks it is alleged that he was ploughing the other day in a suit of black clothes, and had committed other acts equally singular. According to Crowley's statement his wife had been " nagging" all the previous night. They had had breakfast, as the remains of the meal still lay on the table when Constable Gill entered the room. Mr and Mrs Crowley were accustomed occasionally to walk into Howick to attend morning Mass at the chapel there, and there ia reason to believe that she was about to set out for Howick to attend Mass when the tragic affair took place. It Is stated that he also intended to go, as he had on his black cloth suit, but Mrs Crowley had not iroßed a shirt for him, and refused to do so. Crowley thereupon got the steam iron to iron a shirt for himself, and it was wbile he had it in his hand, frenzied with her refusal and her " nagging," he lost all control of himself, and committed the horrible deed. The tragedy had been committed in the dining room. The unfortunate woman was found lying on her back, the features and front part of the head being pounded into an unrecognisable mass of pulp, and the brains and blood were bespattered on the floor, table, and walls. She was fully dressed as if to go out, and her shawl and umberalla lay upon the table, and the bonnet at her foot, where it had fallen in the struggle. On searching for the weapon with which the murder had been effected a patent steam box iron was found splashed with blood, and much battered and bent. Dr. Fitzgerald was of opinion from the dreadful character of the wounds that the woman must have died almost immediately. Mary Crowley, aged 16, the daughter of the Howick murderer, has made the following statement: —Father went to the shelf where his shirt was, and put it on the table ; it was clean, but not starched or ironed, and he began to iron it with a cold iron. He seemed very quiet when ironing the shirt, and when he came into the kitchen all he said was that I must not go to Howick. I went into the front room to go through it to the bedroom to get a necktie. I went in for it. He was still ironing the shirt, and mother and father were not talking. I went into the kitchen, and heard no quarreling between them, but I then heard her ask him why he did not put on the white shirt that was ironed. This was a new shirt that bad never been worn, and he said, "No, I will not put it on." She made no remark then. I heard no more quarreling, but about ten minutes after that I heard blowsmore than one. I heard her screaming before I heard the blows, but heard no quarreling or " nagging." She was not scolding him that morning. When he brought in the iron he said, "No matter, here's your iron, you can put it away," but she did not reply. I did not hear either of them speak again after that until I heard the ecreara five minutes after, and from the sound I could tell that he had knocked her down. I ran into the room. Mother was then stretched on the floor near the window. I saw father standing up alongside her with the iron in bis hand. I noticed blood nn her face, and when I saw it I ran. I saw him strike a blow before I ran. When I ran from the kitchen on hearing the scream I could see into the front room, for the kitchen door opened on the front room. I only heard the first blow, for I did not see him knock her down, but she lay with her head towards the bedroom, and when I got in he was standing near her head, and I saw father strike her with the iron on the face. I only saw one blow, and then ran out. She was making no noise at that time, and did not after she screamed. I ran out when I Baw the blow struck and went to Frater's, the manager, and told him I believed that father had killed my mother. He was queer in his manner, and wore his Sunday clothes to work. It is not true that she was constantly jawing and nagging at father ; it was he who was constantly jawing her. She used to say that he spent his money when he went to Howick, but he used to answer her back. He used to go to Howick sometimes, but seldom got drunk. He had no drink lately, and had none that morning. My stepmother used to treat me very well. Father had no reason to complain of her conduct to me. She scolded me sometimes, but on the whole treated me kindly. I have no cause to complain of her treatment.