MURDER OF A SCIENTIST.

Hastings Standard, Issue 124, 18 September 1896, Page 3

MURDER OF A SCIENTIST.

AT THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. OTHERS WOUNDED. Sydney, This day. News has reached Cooktown of the murder of Baron Foullone von Norbeck at the Solomon Islands. The noted scientist, with a party of blue jackets from the Austrian man-of-war Albatross, were exploring the centre of the island of Guadalcanar when they attacked and speared the party, the Baron being fatally wounded. An expedition secured the wounded, but were unable to recover the body of the scientist. The Albatross had been placed at the disposal of the party for scientific research, and had been cruising about the islands since May. H.M.S. Plyades has gone to the scene of the massacre. Later. A captain of a schooner brought sealed despatches from the Commander of the Albatross addressed to the Austrian Consul at Sydney. He was also ordered to maintain the strictest secrecy, hence the difficulty of learning details of the massacre. The dispatches will reach the Consul on Friday. The schooner made a longer passage than was expected, and the Albatross arrived at Cooktown simultaneously. On arrival at Brisbane, Petty-officer Maras, of the warship, was admitted to the hospital suffering from a fracture of the skull, but died shortly afterwards. One story is that the expedition was followed by a large party of natives and when some distance inland the latter armed with axes made an attack on the members of the expedition, and forced them to retire. The captain of the Albatross denies this, but declines to supply any information. The object of maintaining secrecy is not apparent.