A Ferocious Husband.

Evening Star, Issue 7752, 25 October 1888, Page 4

A Ferocious Husband.

In a sequestered spot in Yarra Park, near the Richmond Oieket ground, between five and six o'clock on the 15th inst., in broad daylight, a fearful crime was committed. James Wilson Carr, aged about sixty years, who followed the occupation of a groom in former years, but who had for about six months past been a prisoner of the Crown, attacked his wife, Harriet Carr, aged about forty-eight years, with a keen-edged butcher's knife, and inflicted two shocking wounds on her neck. Had not some young men chanced to come along, detect Carr in his murderous work, and secure him, there is no doubt he might have slaughtered the woman on the spot. The couple have been married for twenty-three years. About their early history little seems to be known, but during later years the aid of the police was invoked, and about six months ago Carr was sent to the Melbourne (iaol for six months for threatening to murder his wife. He was liberated only two weeks ago, and since then the woman says he has been following her about with a knife seeking an opportunity to carry into execution his murderous intention. She latterly lived in Type street, Riehmoud, but the conduct of herself and some of her female associates was of such a nature that her absence was insisted on, and for a couple of weeks or so she has found shelter at different places. The exact particulars of how she came to be in the company of her husband yesterday afternoon have not been ascertained, but it is stated

that he met her in Bridge road; that he was, as usual, in a threatening mood ; that she (unaware he had the formidable weapon concealed on his person) assumed a pacific attitude, and allowed herself to be enticed to the quiet spot in the Yarra Park where the deed was committed. Her dying depositions were taken at the Melbourne Hospital, but the information obtained from the wounded woman was meagre. The young men who witnessed the affair were Frederick M'Farland, of Richmond ; George Clothworthy, of Richmond ; Alexander Smithers, of Richmond; Walter Steward, of Princes street; and James Dinnock, of Richmond. Carr and his wife were first seen at twenty minutes to five on the grass speaking to one another, and a few moments after Carr was observed to attack the woman, who struggled hard against him; but he overpowered her, and, as he knelt on her, plunged the knife into her neek. The young men rushed up, and Smithers caught hold of Carr, whilst_ Dinnock wrested the knife from hi% grasp. Its blade, fully six inches long, had been recently sharpened, and had much blood on it. In reply to a question as to what was the matter, Carr replied : " I cut her throat," and added " Mind your own business." Subsequently he told Dinnock that he had found his wife with a strange man, and had taken her to the park to take her life and then his own ; also that he had " done " six months' " laggiug " for her, and that he was determined to "fit" her. He was given into the custody of Constable Nelson, and placed in the Little Bourke street watch house. He betrayed no concern then, nor did he when he was brought to the Melbourne Hospital later on to be present when the woman's dying depositions were taken. As he stood in. the hall in the custody of a constable, waiting to be taken to the ward in which the woman lay, his demeanor was quiet, but yet strange. He repeatedly undid a small, soft belt that he was wearing, and brushed some imaginary object off it. He is y man of medium "build and height, with iron gray moustache and hair. When he appeared at the woman's bedside, and she heard his voice, her energy returned, and motioning with one of her hands, she begged that he might be removed. Her statement was briefly to the effect that she had not cohabited with him for about three years ; that since he had been out of gaol the two weeks he had been following her about with the knife ; that she was sure it wa3 he who wounded her ; and that she had not been living with another man. The last answer was made in reply to a question from Carr, and he then muttered something to the effect that it was useless asking for anything more, and relapsed into silence. The woman has one wound on the right side of the neck, and another fearful wound on the left side. The windpipe is cut.—' Telegraph.'