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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5293, 29 January 1879, Page 2

We regret to state that Drill Instructor Kelsall, who was Avounded at the butts on Saturday afternoon, died at a late hour on Monday night, leaving a widow and large family to mourn their loss. An inquest was held on the body yesterday afternoon, a report of which appears in another column. The funeral of deceased will take place to-day, with military honors. The Artillery, Engineers and Cadets are ordered to parade at 2. 30 p.m. for the purpose of attending it. We are requested to state, in reference to the rider attached to the verdict at the inquest on the body of the late Drill Instructor Kelsall yesterday, that the jury distinctly Avished it to be understood that it Avas at private rifle practice that they considered more care should be taken in signalling. The accommodation house at Woodville, which Avas formerly occupied by the murdered man Ollandt and his partner Thompson, Avas burnt to the ground last Monday evening, together Avith the bakehouse at the rear. Every effort Avas made by Constable Ironson and tho neighbors to extinguish the fire, but without success. Some feAV things that Avere on tho promises Avere saved, but their value scarcely exceeds £5. The fire is believed to have been caused by a spark alighting on the roof from the blazing bush, Avhich had been on fire all the previous tAvo days. Messrs Neal and Close wore the OAvners of the house, and it Avas insured in the HaAvke's Bay office for £200. The Napier Harbor Board held their ordinary monthly meeting yesterday. Present — The Chairman (J. G. Kinross, Esq.), Captain NcAvman, Messrs Orniond, Kennedy, Vautier, and Smith. The minutes of the previous meeting Avere read and confirmed. A letter was read from the Marine Department at Wellington, giving further instructions respecting the election of members of the new board by the several local bodies. Several telegrams respecting the late action against the board were also read. The board adjourned to Tuesday next. Yockum Scott, who was charged Avith stealing a number of sheep, the property of Mr Daniel M'Master, Avas brought up before the Bench at Waipawa last Monday, and was remanded until to-morrow. Telegraphic communication Avith the South was interrupted about 10 o'clock last night, the lines being [down in the Wairarapa district. It is said that Mr Sheridan, of the Queensland Government service, is about to publish a book on the Sounds of the West Coast of Otago. Mr Sheridan accompanied the Rotorua on her late trij), and has qualifications for tho work. A manual in the hands of excursionists to those grand and beautiful inlets Avould be of great service. Perhaps, hoAvevor, if the account Avritten many years ago by that able journalist and genial gentleman, the late Mr Alexander Reid, Avere reprinted by some enterprising publisher, it Avould form as good a guide as is requisite for the West Coast Sounds. —N. Z. Times. The Now York papers contain an account of a ferocious attack, made in a church in that city during Divine Service, upon a young woman whom the assailant mistook for his own Avife. On I \ Sunday, October 6th, an early Mass was, '

being performed in 'the Jesuits' Church, West Sixteenth-street. About 300 persons Avere present. Suddenly the congre~ gation was startled by tho screams of a woman, who seemed to be at the church door. The priest turned round and stilled the incipient disturbance by soniQ cautionary gestures, suggested, doiibtloss, by the recollection of a panic Avhich had occurred in the same building not long ago. Immediately a Ayoman was seen to enter hurriedly, but Avith so little noise that only a few near the entrance observed her evident terror. She Avas folloAved by a strong-built, coarse-featured man, avlio, however, moved so deliberately that no one could have suspected his murderous purpose. The Avoruan hastened uj) the central passage, entered a peAV about the middle of tho church, and thrcAV herself on her knees, clasping her hands in an attitude of prayer. Her bont head had scarcely touched tho prayer-desk in front, when it Avas rudely clutched and pxiHod back by the ruffian, Avho held her firmly in a sitting position. He then lifted his right hand, which held a long-bladed knife, and made three slashes upon his victim. The Avhole proceeding occupied hardly tAvo seconds, and it Avas all over before the people in the next pew Avere avcll aware of the assassin's presence. A smothered groan escaped from the wounded Avoman, and as ho loosened his grasp she fell forward on one knee, her head resting on the praycr-bonch. The ruffian coolly shifted his weapon to the left hand, scoAvled menacingly around, and sloAvly Avalked doAvn the passage to the door. He had actually quitted the building before anyone moved. One of the very few who actually saAV tho deed roso from his kneeling attitude and went out after the assassin. The latter, finding himself followed, threAv away the knife and commenced to run ; but after a short chase was captured, and, no policeman being visible, Avas taken back to the church. Meantime some ladies and a clergyman had gone to the Avounded woman, Avho was able to rise and walk to the door of the church Avhere she encountered her assailant. A policeman had by this time come up and asked her Avhether she knew j the man. She ansAvered that she did not ; she had never seen him" until a feAV minutes before, when she had noticed him following her. He Avas asked Avhether he knOAV the woman. He ansAvered very coolly, " No. It's a mistake ; it ain't the right party." Upon examination at the hospital it Avas found that, although throe slashes of the knife had been made, there Avas only one Avound, Avhich, though by no means slight, is not likely to have a fatal result. The knife entered the side, just above the hip, and passed out close to the spine. On his way to the police-station Carpenter, the assassin, told the officer in charge that he had attacked the Avrong woman; but Avhen he was being formally charged Avith the crime he denied having used a knife or having struck anyone. Tavo young mechanics, lioavecter, saAV the Hoav struck, and a female companion of the wounded woman identified. Carpenter as the man Avho had followed them to the church door, and there sprang towards one of them, which caused the scream that Avas heard in the congregation just before the attack. Carpenter is well known to the police. Some years ago he shot a man, and has been frequently ■ in prison for braAvls. His Avife has had several times to appeal to the magistrates for protection. Sho was in service lately, and used to attend the service in the Jesuits' Church. Carpenter had threatened to take her life, and the universal belief is that Avhen he plunged the knife into Mary Lyons he thought he Avas slaying his oavti Avife. The Singapore Times of 3rd September gives an account of the sinking of the dry dock which Avas being completed by a GlasgOAV contractor at Amsterdam Island, near Batavia. It has sunk in deep Avater, OAving, it is said, to defective materials being used in the construction. The calamity causos a loss of probably half a million.