THE MERGER MYSTERY

Evening Star, Issue 12401, 14 January 1905, Page 12

THE MERGER MYSTERY

MRS DDLLON'S DEATH. The charge against William Murton of murdering Mary Dillon at Mercer on January 3 was proceeded with at the Pukekohe Police Court yesterday, before Mr H. W. Northcroft, S.M. The case was only partly heard, and was adjourned until this morning for the medical evidence. The evidence, which was similar to that given at the inquest, was to the effect that while a flaxmifl hand named Ogilvie was at Mrs Dillon's house at Mercer she collapsed. A noto was at once despatched to Mrs Robinson, living a quarter of a mile away, for assistance, and she sent her daughter. During the interval a man named Gillies and the accused, who were passing Mrs Dillon's, were called in, the accused remaining outs : de. Mrs Robinson sent over her thirteen-year-old daughter to Mrs Dillon's assistance, and when she arrived the men left, leaving the deceased lying upon the sofa. At the deceased's request the girl tidied up the place and gave her a pillow and a rug, with which latter the deceased covered herself. The girl then left. She stated that on returning three hours later she found the blinds down. They were up when she left, and she saw a horse standing outside. She and her sister, who accompanied her, remained outside, and while there they'heaxd sounds of a scuffle inside, and five minutes after the accused emerged, and went away on horseback. Before he did ?o the girl Robinson asked him where Mrs Dillon was. He said: "Asleep inside; don't knock when you go in." When the girl entered, the deceased, whose clothes were disarranged, the rug being tucked in tightly about her, would not speak. The girl went away, but returned in two hours, and went away again. As the deceased stdl showed no signs of life, she informed her father, who, with a friend, made an investigation, with the result that they found the woman was cold and stiff. The vow was in a state of disorder. The girl Chid she tidied everything up before she 'eft en the first occasion.