THE BOY MURDER NEAR BALLARAT.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 40, 16 August 1881, Page 3

THE BOY MURDER NEAR BALLARAT.

At the Geelong Assize Court, before his Honor Mr. Jnstioe Williams, William Henry Hall, aged t?n years, was charged with having, on tho 16th June, murdered a b">y named Tommy Win Hock, near Ballarat ; and Jameß Hall, fourteen years of age, was charged with being an accessory after tho fact. Tho prisoners pleaded not gailty, and were defended by Mr. Fink. The principal witn* ss was Constable John M'Crackon, who deposed to arresting tho prisoner after tho adjourned inquest on the 19th. The two brothers were brought face to face, and Constable Crampton was present. In answer to a question put by the latter, Willy said James had cut the boy's throat, but he had shot him previously, and they then put him into the watorhole. James paid in reply, " May God Btrike me dead if I ever touched little Tommy. It was you," speaking to Willy. James had also, the witness deposed, stated in writing that on Thursday Willy met him and informed him that he had accidentally Bhot Tommy ; that they had bandaged up the wound, and that he (Willy) had afterwards cut Tommy's throat. James further stated that they then dragged the body and put it in the waterhole. Willy admitted that the statement was true. His Honor, in summing up, stated that tho law required that malice Bhould be proved in the case of criminals between 7 and 14 years of ago, the law presuming that they had not a guilty knowledge between those yoars. The jnry retired at 5 o'clock, and returned at 7 with a verdict of not guilty, and both prisoners were discharged. The prisoners seemed quite unconcerned

Sentiment for the Young Ladies' Society for the Improvement of Broomstick and Washtnb Etiquette: — "There's a time to laugh and a tnie we cans' sweep." An American youth, who was trying to master a bicycle, when asked his age, said he had seen 15 summers, and about 115 falls.