MURDER OF A GOVERNESS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 440, 5 November 1908, Page 3

MURDER OF A GOVERNESS.

Brisbane, November 2

William Wilson, an aboriginal station hand, giving evidence in the Police Court with regard to the murder of Miss Nellie Duffy, a governess at a Carpentaria Downs station —for which crime Mrs Wilson, wife of the manager of the station, had been arrested —stated that Mrs Wilson asked him to come up in the morning as she wanted to kill Miss Duffy. He went up to the house before it was light, and together with Mrs Wilson, entered Miss Duffy’s room. She was asleep. Mrs Wilson had a pocket-knife. He stood at the foot of the bed, and accused walked past him to Miss Duffy’s head, and told him to hold deceased’s hands. He did so.

Mrs Wilson then put a handkerchief to Miss Duffy’s mouth and stuck a knife into the side of her neck. Deceased struggled a little. Accused held the handkerchief to deceased’s mouth all the time, and then took the knife out. Witness went through the whole proceeding graphically in Court. Miss Duffy, he said, only groaned a little. Accused, when she stabbed deceased, had her left knee on the bed.

Witness, at accused’s request, washed the blood off deceased’s hands. She told him to wash also the bloodstained clothes.

Accused was remanded for eight days.