[BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Christchurch. 29th April.

Evening Post, Volume LIII, Issue 101, 30 April 1897, Page 5

[BY TELEGRAPH — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Christchurch. 29th April.

The spot where the body of Miss Lawcock was found is hardly more than half a mile from the township, and beside one of the main roads leading to Rangiora. There is a long plantation of pine trees devoid of undergrowth next to the road, and there is an open wire fence about half a chain long. Inside this there is a gorso fence, which had been recently trimmed. Between the. pines there is a footpath, and it is likely that the girl was walking along this when attacked. The girl was tall and delicate, and it is supposed that when she was attacked by the murderer, whose object was evidently outrage, she fainted and was completely at his mercy. This supposition was borne out by the fact that there was no blood on her hands when the body was found. Her clothes were disarranged, and the upper part of them was covered with gorse whioh had been trimmed from the fence. A young man named William Dwan, who was working 300 yards from the spotVt the time the crime was supposed to have been committed, heard no sound. This morning Inspector Broham and Detectives Benjamin, Maddern, and Marsack, and Constables Roche and Johnston made a thorough search, in the hope of finding evidence, but were not able to discover anything of importance. Constable Roche, hearing that the man whom he had met in the afternoon near Glasnevin had been seen near the scene of the crime at the time it was supposed to have been committed, started for Waikari, where the man had gone immediately after the body had been taken to the Railway Hotel. He reached the township about halfpast 9, aud found the man he was in search, of in the Star and Garter Hotel, where he had obtained a shakedown for the night. He at once arrested him. The man remarked that he had made a mistake. The man, who gave his name as Hugh Fraser, was dfressed in a dark coat aud vest, blue serge trousers, aud soft felt hat, all his garments being the worse for wear. He is 22 years of age, smooth faced, and has an enlargement of the throat, which is very prominent. He stated he was a native of the AVest Coast. This morning he was subjected to a thorough examination by Dr. Fitzhenry for any traces of the struggle upon his body or limbs. It is known that he called at R. Parsons's place near the plantation and obtained some sugar just before 11 o'clock, and he was seen at the plantation a little later. The girl would from the time she left her mother's house, a quarter of a mile away, have been at this spot at the same hour. These facts are all that are known at present to connect the man with the crime. In his pocket was found a white-handled knife with which the crime might have been committed. The blade and handle showed clean under the microscope, but inside the handle there was a clot of something very much like blood. At noon to-day Dr. Fitzhenry made an examination of the body of the victim, and the injuries showed that the murder had been fiendish and determined. Eight wounds were found, four being in the throat. There was a deep punctured wound on the right side of the mouth, and a contused wouud on the left side. There were several incisions on the left and right ear. There was a stab three-quarters of an inch in width over the region of the heart. The front of the girl's dress must have been opeu when this stab was made, as the cut was only through the corset and underlinen. There were clear evidences that the victim had been outraged. The inquest has been fixed for 10 o'clock to-morrow morning, and Fraser has been remanded to 10 o'clock on Saturday.