THE MELBOURNE MURDER. DETAILS OF THE TRAGEDY.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8797, 25 January 1897, Page 3

THE MELBOURNE MURDER. DETAILS OF THE TRAGEDY.

The following details in connection with the above case are taken from the account of the tragedy appearing in the Melbourne Anrus :

BRNDY'S EI'TORYAND HABITS Brady (the victim) was thirty-two years of age. Fifteen years ago ho bec.ime acquainted with Mr Cooper of the firm of Cooper ,md Sons, and two years later joined the service of the firm as accountant. Brady soon showed his fitness for his position, and as the years passed Ins influence in the business became second only to that of tho partners themselves. His salary was L 4 10s a week He was of temperate habits — almost a teetotaller in ftict — and did not smoke, and in addii tion to having a thorough mastery of all the details of the firm's affairs, was so industrious that he spent many of his evenings in bringing the office work up to date. He was formerly i\ married man, but the marriage was annulled by the Divorce Court thrse years ago Two children were born of the marriage. <)f these Brady took one, >\ boy, but he refused to have anything todo wilhtheother, so it was handed over to the mother. Recently Brady engaged himself to be I married to a young woman at Albert j Park, and it is t,aid that he promised to meet her on Tuesday night (the date of the murder), and that was probably the reason he remained in town.

A CLUR. The detectives, in endeavoring to find some clue to tho murder, turned their attention to Brady's private history They inquired whether anyone had a heavy gtudge against him, and whether it was known if he had in any fashion secured a hold over some man Avhich might lead the other to desire and accomplish his death. For some time they could discover nothing definite. Brady's private letters, numbering hundreds, and contained in his drawer at the office of his employer, supplied no immediate clue. The detectives, however, were told, by some of Brady's friends, of troubles he had had regarding money matters with Willie Phillips, a former employee of the firm which Brady served. There was nothing remarkable in this intelligence, but when, as the inquiry proceeded, the detectives found that the two were to have met on the night of the crime to come to a settlement, the clue seemed worth following up. They ascertained where Phillips had lodged, and learned from his landlord thu on the night of the minder he went out at seven o'clock and returned about nine o'clock, when he was flushed and somewhat excited, but made no remarks. He went upstairs to his bedroom, and presently came down again, carrying a portmanteau. With the words, "I am off, but will be back again for my overcoat and a few other things I have left upstairs." he went out. The things he left behind included a gun and some silver spoons, which were subsequently identified as the property of Messrs Cooper.

STATEMENT. BY PHILLIPS. The detectives sent for Phillips, who, on arrival resigned himself without the slightest trsce of agitation to them for examination. Asked lo explain what he did an Tuesday night, he said he had an appointment with Mr Brady at Cooper's place between h.ilf-past 6 and 7 o'clock. It was about money matters. He went on to give a circumstantial account of what he had done between 7 and 9 o'clock" stating that he kept his appointment, but found the premises locked up, and though he knocked could get ho admission. He supposed that Mr Brady had forgotten all about the appointment and had gone home, or else that he had decided to let the matter stand over. He continued — "The money matters I referred tn as being the cause of my appointment on Tuesday night with Mr Brady concerned a shortage in the cash, for which T was held responsible. Some time ago Mr Bndy discovered shortages in the°till, and he accused me of having pilfered money I admitted taking huhdry sums, but denied then, and still dsny that they amounted in all to L2O. Mr Brady totalled them up to that figure, and as I could not get him to reduce it, I accepted his figures, and promised to repay that amount to him for the firm. The meeting on Tuesday night between us was to arrange for the repayment of the money by instalments It is not true that I had promised to hand over LlO that night. We had stated no sum, but were to meet to discuss that matter. The double-barrelled gun found at my lodgings is the property of the Coopers, as also are the half-dozen silver spoons, I took them from the stock while I was working there." The clothes Phillips was wearing were examined, and the coat, vest, shirt and boots were found to be apparently stained with blood. The stains were neither plentiful nor extensive, but to all appearances they ware undoubtedly the stains of blood, and could be distinguished easily, and without the aid of a glass. Phillips could not account for the stains, and the detectives pressed the lad to say whether he owned a revolver or not. He showed some reluctance to answer this question, Dut eventually said : "I might have been seen with a revolver. I bought one on Monday at Smith's pawn shop in Elizabeth street. I gave 83 6d or 10s for it. A friend of mine, Walter Ryan, who works at Cooper's, bought me 36 revolver cartridges next day. The revolver was an ordinary bull dog pattern, and the bullets were three-eighty size. I bought the revolver and bullots to send to my brother in Dargo, Gippsland. He wrote to my sister saying he was hard up and in need of money, and I sent him the revolver. He never asked mo for a revolver. I .simply bought him one. I sent it up to him yesterday by parcel post yesterday.' 1

tIISTOK^ OF THE ACCUSHD. The prisoner is W illiam Myles Phillips. He is nineteen years of age, and a fon of the caretaker of the Austra'i-tn Alliance Insurance Company's building!?, 4QQ Collins street. The lad went aa a clerk to Cooper'a about four yeara ago, And re mained with the firm until recently. He was a bright-, intel igent lad, with a good grip of the work, and was becoming a valuable employee when he began o grow careless in the discharge of his duties. He was cauiioned several times by Mr Cooper, but he took no heed of tho wj«tiings, and finally Mr Cooper sent for his father, and told him he would have to dispense with his services. At Mr Phillips'a request, however, Mr Cooper gave the young mm another month's triil. Just about this time Mr Biady learned of the supposed irregular ties in the cash to which reference has been made in the statement of the accused. The boy was always a favorite of the bookkeeper's, and Mr Brady kept the incident from the knowledge of Mr Cooper until the careless habits of the youth recurring his discharge was finally determined upon.

A CURE iOR MUSCULAR RHEUMATISM. Mr 3 R. L. Lamson,of Fairmounb, Illinois, says : •' My sister used Chamberlain's Pam Balm for muscular rheumatism; and it effected a complete cure. I keep it in the house at all times, and have always found it beneficial for aches and pains. It. is the quickest cure for rheumatism, muscular puns, and lameness I hare ever se*n." For sale by £. Q. Lafe, OhemUb.