ROBBED AND KILLED

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 September 1924, Page 5

ROBBED AND KILLED

LATEST VICTORIAN CRIME.

OLD WOMAN’S DOOM.

(Australian and N r Z. Cable Association.

MELBOURNE, Sept. 9.

The body of Miss Bridget Enwright aged 69, missing from her home near Benalla, since July 27, has been found partially buried, in circumstances indicating foul play. She lived alone on her farm, and the last time she was seen she was talking to a young . man near her home, which showed evidences of having been robbed, though there were no signs of a struggle. Search parties have been out since her disappearance. The body was discovered a short distance from the house. LATER. The body of Miss Enwright was found in a crevice among the rocks, about two hundred yards from the residence. An examination of the body showed the nose broken, a small hole in the top of the head, with the lower limbs badly bruised. A shovel found 250 yards from the body has been identified as the property of a neighbouring fanner, who says it had been stolen.

ADELAIDE DOUBLE TRAGEDY

ADELAIDE, September 9.

The Barrowclift tragedy was enacted on Sunday morning, but .was not discovered till early on Monday, when a neighbour entered the house. Mrs. Barrowcliff’s head was then battered, while Barrowcliff was still alive, lying beside her ’body, bleeding from a deep cut in the throat. He said that he had hit her on the head once, and she never moved. i The couple had just sold the house they lived in for £lOOO.

It is stated that Barrowcliff was a prominent figure in the Glenrowan district in the Kelly Gang days.

BATTERSEA SENSATION.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.

LONDON, September 9.

At the inquest into the Battersea tragedy, a verdict was returned that Joshua met his death at the hands of Peggy Mercer, who then committed suicide, while of unsound mind, owing to Joshua’s action towards her.

The Coroner’s Court was crowded, mounted police preserving order in the crowd outside. The first witness was Mrs Joshua, who heavily veiled and in a voice scarcely audible, said that she married •Joshua® in 1896. She last saw her husband on August 13, when she left him to go to Scotland. There had never been any unhappiness between herself and husband, and no talk of divorce, but her husband drove a motor car himself, and was often away at week-ends.

Witness added that she had never heard of the dead woman. Miss Mercer, sister of the deceased woman, identified the body of Joshua as that of Basil Montagu, whom her sister had introduced under that name.

The Coroner read a letter from the deceased to her sister. The letter, which was found in the flat and enclosed a marriage ring, isaid: “Forgive the cowardly act, but I have decided to end it. I married Joshua in June. He said then that he had divorced his wife, and only lived with her for his daughters’ sake. He deceived'me, and destroyed my marriage lines so nobody should know, but I still love him and he loves me; otherwise I would not have taken this great risk. I am afraid every day someone is coming for mb.”

The sistei- broke down and was led sobbing from the Court. The Coroner said that the dead girl’s diary showed that she had been with Joshua every Sunday and Tuesday from January to August, going to theatres, playing golf,and motoring. /fhe doctors gave evidence that the girl was not with child. The Coroner added that if the girl’s last letter was true, Joshua’s conduct was most discreditable. He had overcome a virtuous woman by a bigamous marriage, but the letter might be an invention. Women did extraordinary things.”