THE MURDER AT HOWICK.

New Zealand Herald, Issue 6568, 5 December 1882, Page 5

THE MURDER AT HOWICK.

EXAMINATION OP THE PRISONER. The accused was brought before the magistrates—Messrs. W. J. Hurst and Robert Walker, J.P.'a—at the Police Court yesterday. The Court was crowded in expectation of seeing the prisoner. He appeared very much weakened and dishevelled. There was a vacant passivenes3 about him, which induced a feeling that he had relinquished all concern for his position. He was placed in the dock charged with " Having at Turanga (Howick) feloniously, wilfully, and maliciously killed and murdered his wife, Ellen Crowley." The prisoner made no reply when the charge was read to him.

Superintendent Thomson said The prisoner, your Worship, was only brought in last night. I have to ask for a remand for eight (lays. In the meantime the inquest will have been held, being tixed to commence to-morrow. It is not necessary to go iuto the evidence at present. Mr. K. IK iketh : I appear for the defence. A remand for eight days will bring the case on next Monday. The District Court will sit on that day. Mr t'limiiiigham : The remand would be for eight, clear days. Mi ilesketh : Tint would bring it to Tuesd.. -. That will suit the defence.

The prisoner v.-.:removed from the dock. He is a heavy-looking man, although his features pre well cut. Tiie forehead is narrow and low, but this might be an appearance onlv, as the head is heavily covered with thick black hair, and the lower part of the and checks are covered with a black !;u.-hy beard. The nose is slightly aeijuiline. His hair was unkempt and dirty, the iv-'iilt no doubt of excitement and want of I'i-St.

Mr. He.skr.th, we may state, has been retained by Mr. David Nathan to watch the case for tiie defence. A number of persons were in town yesterday, who were acquainted with Crowley, and some of whom had worked with him. They were quite surprised that he should have committed such a crime as that of limnler, and have placed himself in such a position, lie was known throughout the Turanga district as a steady, industrious, hard-working man, and of an inoffensive disposition. Mr. David Nathan, in whose service Crowley had been for many years, also speaks highly of him as a steady, quiet man, and a trustworthy servant. Last night, when the warders at the lock-up went the rounds at nine o'clock to sec if all was light, Crowley complained of severe paiHS in his head.

THE IKQUEST. The inquest will be held to-day, at eleven o'clock, at Whitefoord Park, the scene of the murder, by Captain Ketls, J. P., Acting District Coroner. The prisoner Crowley will lie taken out in a trap, under an escort of police, leaving the Auckland station at seven o'clock this morning. Sergeant Gamble went out yesterday to the scene of the murder to get up the necessary evidence. FURTHER PARTICULARS. A reporter from this ollice visited the scene of the murder of Mrs. Crowley by her husband at Mr. Nathan's farm, Turanga. yesterday, and gives the following additional particulars as to tne dreadful tragedy :— After waiting iu Auckland to ascertain when the inquest was to be held, and by whom, I found that Dr. Philson declined to proceed so far out of his district, aud it was determined to ask Captain Kells, a local justice, to hold the inquest. [u the meantime the prisoner had been brought up at the Police Court and charged with the wilful murder of his wife, Mr. E. Hesketh appearing for the defence. On the application of Mr. Superintendent Thomson a remand for eight days was granted.

OPINIONS AS TO THE TRAGEDY. On reaching Howick I found that current feeling was in favour of the prisoner. He was well known in the township as a quiet inoffensive man, aud the generally expressed opinion was that lie must have been either exasperated to an unwonted extent, or have been insane. From the statements made by the prisoner's daughter, it would not appear as if the former theory would bear investigation, but the latter is supported on good evidence—that of those who have been constantly working with Crowley, and who have noticed marked changes ia his appearance and demeanour. THE SCENE Ob' THE TRAGEDY.

The scene of the tragedy is a verandah skillion cottage about UOO yards back from the farmhouse which is occupied by Mr. Krater, the farm manager, and close to Turanga Creek. There are three rooms in the front building, which is about 3(i feet in length and 1"2 feet iu depth. At the back is the skillion, containing the kitchen, one room and a portico over a back entrance, which is on the end of the building. At the right end of the front is the chief bed-room with a door opening into the sitting-room. There is no passage, and the door from the kitchen also opens into the sitting-room on a line with the partition bed-room. The extreme end room did not seem to be occupied. There was no direct exit from the back of the building, but there is a side entrance under the portico already referred to. This explanation is necessary in order to enable our readers to form a conception of tiie scene of the occurrence. Of course, a plau would be much more explanatory. It -vas however, in the centre front room, the sitting-room, that the murder was committed. The scene yesterday was a most painful one. Tiie wretched victim lies on her back on the floor, between the window and a table. The head leans over exposing the right side, and a fearful sight it is. The skull is crushed in over the right temple ; the right tace is crushed in ; pools of blood lie about, and pieces of brain substance scattered over the walls and floor render the place appalling.

OTHER TRAGEDIES IN THE LOCALITY. While on the spot, Mr. Ambrose Trust, who will be one of the witnesses at the inquest, drew my attention to an incident of the Maori war, which is still fresh in the minds of many residents. When the Maoris came on them in ISU:S, Mr. Ambrose Trust and his two brothers ran out at the back towards the creek to reach the bush on the opposite side. One brother was shot at one corner of the granary about 200 feet from the scene of .Sunday's tragedy, the second brother was shot at the other corner of the building nearer the crock. Mr. Ambrose Trust succeeded in crossing the creek, and was just obtaining the shelter of the bush when a shot struck him on the outside of the arm, and entering through it penetrated his chest, where it emerged. He fortunately evaded Ilia bloodthirsty pursuers, and curiously enough has continued a resident on the scene which was so fatal to his brothers, and where his own life was hardly worth a moment's purchase. Mr. Trust was one of the oldest acquaintances Crowley had in the colony. He was engaged on this farm when Crowley was brought from the immigration depot with his wife and daughter. With the exception of a short term of employment with Messrs. McLean, Crowley has been employed there up to tiie time of his arrest. Crowley was not a complaining man nor a communicative one, but lie sometimes, when under depression, expressed his feelings, these will be better understood hereafter.

REASONS FOR ALLEGED INSANITY. Mr. Hack, who has been a fellow-worker with Crowley for the last two yearß, says that about ten days ago, they were both carrying six feet posts out of the bush. There was a narrow plank to cross, and they threw some of the posts in:o the gully to make a crossing, but as they had succeeded once in crossing the plank, Crowley tried it again. Jle fell over into the creek, and the post balanced on the plank. Ho did not answer when called on first, but when he was aroused he complained of having hurt the back of his neck. The skiii was abrased, ami ever since that accident he has been dillerent to his former self. He was noticed by his mates to be growing thinner and weaker, and they advised him to consult a doctor. Since then he has constantly complained of the effect of his injury and of rheumatic pains. He blamed these two causes for his indisposition. The statement of his daughter, Mary Crowley, the step-daughter of the deceased, cori'oborates this to some extent, but it does not at all bear out the ideas conveyed that she was ill-treated by her stepmother, or that she was a source of contention between them. This will be fully seen on perusing her statement made to Sergeant Gamble in the residence of Mr. Davis, teacher of the Turanga School. The poor young girl has been for some time a pupil at Mr. Davis' school, and as soon as he heard

rof the tragedy, he and hia kind wife proTided a temporary homeyor the girl in their own family. There she is beingtreated with the utmost kindness and consideration, and until the time of my visit yesterday she had never been questioned by any stranger as to the occurrence which rendered her homeless.

THE DAUGHTER'S STATEMENT. Mary Crowley was introduced by Mr. and Mrs. Davis. She is a girl of considerable intellect and grace but was rather abashed by the presence of strangers, especially when questioned on the subject wo had to investigate. She was on the whole very collected and tasked her memory frequently as to facts when asked on matters which she did not recollect. Mr. Davis explained on her behalf that she was unused to being questioned by strangers. . The following ia her statement, in answer to the questions put : — My name is Mary Crowlo-. I will be 16 years of age on the 14th of March, and have been living with my father rnd stepmother at Turanga for tiie last four years, since we came from Mr. Maclean's, Bleak House My stepmother's na.ne before her marriage was Ellen Moran. On last Sunday morning they got out of bed about seven o'clock. I got breakfast ready before they got up, and after breakfast the tiiree of us were getting ready to go to church to Howick. I was present the whole time. My stepmother was getting ready in the fiont room, a sitting-room, and father was in the same room. I was in the kitchen at the back, and heard them speak. They were arguing, but I could not say they were quarrelliug. My father was objecting to my going to Howick, because he was afraid 1 would tell what he had been doing in Howick a month ago when he was making his will. My reason for thinking so is that he said I had been telling her too many tales of him. It is a fact that he

made his will a month ago. Mr. Barry drew it up, and I told mother, Mrs. Ellison, and Mrs. Davis. He did not tell mother wiiy lie objected, but lie repeatedly said I

must not t;o. She repeatedly said I must go, or she would complain to the clergyman. Moth remained in the room. I heard father say on Saturday that hia shirt should be ironed. My mother made no reply. His reason for saying so was because he wanted to go to Howick. We do not go every Sunday, but every second Sunday when it is fine. I did not hear him go for the shirt ; but he knew it was not ironed, for she told him on Saturday night that it'was not ironed. She told him she did not want him to go to Howick, and that she would not iron his shirt for him. He made no remark. Next morning he still persisted in my not Koing to Howick, and came out of the front room to the kitchen, where I was, and went to a cupboard, where he got a steam iron. He did not put fire in it, but took it into the front room, and left it on the table. I came

in after him, and saw him lay the iron on the table. Mother was standing near the window settling her necktie. She was

dressed then, but had no shawl or hat on. Father went to the shelf where his shirt'was, and put it on the table. It was clean, but not starched or ironed, and he

began to iron it with the cold iron. He seemed very quiet when ironing the shirt, and when he came into tlio kitchen all he said was that I must not go to Howick. I went in to the front room, to go through it to the bed-room, to get a necktie. I went in for it. He was still ironing the shirt, and mother and father were not talk-

ing. I went into the kitchen, and heard no quarrelling between them, 'out I then heard her ask him why he did not put ou the whitu

shirt that was ironed. This was a new shirt that had never been worn, and he said, "No; I will not put it on." She made no remark then. I heard no more quarrelling, but about ten minutes after that 1 heard blows, more than one. I heard her scream-

ing before I heard the blows, but heard no quarrelling or nagging. Bhe was not scolding him that morning. 1 did not tell Mr. Frater that she was nagging. When he brought in the iron lie said to mother, " Here's your iron, and you can put it away," but she did not reply. I did not hear either of them speak after that until 1 heard the scream five minutes after, and then from the sound I could tell he knockcd her down. I ran into the room. Mother was then stretched on tho floor near the window, and I saw father standing up alongside her with the iron in his right hand. I noticed blood on her face, and wlien I saw it I ran. X saw him strike the blow before I ran. When I ran from the kitchen on hearing the scream I eould see into

the front 100111, for the kitchen door opened into the front room. (The girl, from a plan prepared by Mr. Davis, defined the position of the doors of the rooms, the position of the table, and where her mother stood near the window.) She continued : I only heard the first blow, for I did not see him knock her down, but she lay with her head towards the bed-room, and when I got in he was standing near her head, and I saw father strike her

with the iron on the face. I only saw the one blow and then ran out. She was making no noise at that time, and did not after she screamed. Iran out when I saw the blow, and went to Mr. Frater's, the manager, and told him I believed that father had killed my mother, lie went down, but I did not go with him, and have not been to the house since. Father and mother have had a very quarrelsome life ever since they were married, about nine years ago. They have been in the colony about eight years, and were married in Wales. We came out in the ship Forfarshire from London. Her name before marriage was Ellen Moran, and she was a native of county Kerry, Ireland. She was a domestic servaut when father married her. Father came from Duugarvou county, Waterford. He was a long time in Wales before he married his second wife. I was bora in Wales, where my mother died. My father worked in a brass furnace. Ido not know how long my mother was dead before he married my stepmother. I do not recollect my own mother. I did not hear father and stepmother quarrel on Saturday, or through the night, and heard no quarrelling. I heard father complain of a sore neck from falling on a log of wood, but about three weeks ago he began to wear his Sunday clothes when working; a grey tweed trousers aud vest, and blue cloth coat. Mother remarked to him that he should not be wearing out his Sunday elothes, but he said his other trousers were torn. Ido not know whether they were torn or not. He wore his Sunday clothes every day since. He was different in his manner, aud appeared down-hearted since. It is not true that she was constantly jawing and nagging at father. It was he who was constantly jawing her. She used to say that he Hpent hia money when he went to Howick, and he used to answer her back.

He used to go to Howick sometimes, but seldom got drunk. He had no drink lately, and had none that morning. My stepmother used to treat mo very well, and my father had no reason to complain of her conduct toward me. ahe scolded me sometimes, but on the whole treated me kindly, and 1 have no cause to complain of her treatment.

Mr. Erater states: 1 have only been manager of the farm for about U mouths, and Crowley was here when I came. I have fouud him very quiet and industrious, and never saw him under the influence of drink. Indeed, he had very little to say to any oue. He has mentioned to me that he was living in very uncomfortable relations with his wife, and I advised him to give her so much aud let her g», and he said he would do so. I noticed something strange in his disposition last week. He (lid uot seem himself. On the morning of the occurrence his daughter came to my house shortly before 9 0 clock, and asked me to go down to the house, as she believed her father had killed her mother. I found all the doors open except the front door, and on going in I found the body as it now lies. She was then dead. I did not see Crowley then, but I went and called Mr. Hack, aud ou returning with him I found that Crowley had locked all the doors, and apparently come out through a back window. We saw him just near the back gate. Crowley tried to open the back door with a fork, but did not suscecd. When he came out of the garden gate he had a small piece of rope, about 3 feet of clothes line, in his hand. I asked Crowley, " What have you been doing with your/wife?" Ho said, " We have been quarrelling." I asked if he had killed her, and he s/iid, "I dou't know." 1 asked him, "Is she dead?" and lie said, " I believe so." I asked him, " Where is she lying," and he said ehe was on the bed. I asked him had he lifted her on the bed, as she was on the floor when I saw her, and he ' said, " Well, slieis there still." I told him I'd go for tlie police, and ho said " Yes, I'll give myself up, aid they can do whatthey like with me." He deemed very quiet, and unless I had known what he had done I could not have told fromi his manner that there was anything extraordinary. 1 then went for the constable. / i Mr. Hack /states. X havo I)cqq working i with Crowley for tho last two yeara, and

during all that time found him qniet and industrious. Abont ten days ago, when working in the bush taking out posts, he fell off a log into a gully striking the back of his neck against a bank. I called twice to him without receiving any answer. The neck was skinned, and he complained of pain in his neck. He was a quiet inoffensive man, and not addicted to drink. I have known him frequently to have hot words with his wife. I believe she was always the cause, at least she seemed to have mo3t to say. I accompanied Mr. Fraterto the house on Sunday mornir.g, and saw Crowley come out of the back gate. After Mr. Fmter went away I told him to open the door. He tried to force it open with a fork which I threw away and he then went in through the back ! window and opened the door. Ambrose I'iust says : I have been acquainted with i rowley almost since his arrival in the colony. He frequently complained to me about Iris wife's conduet, and recently, when I pressed him as to what ailed him, and advised iiim to see a doctor asl could see his health failing, he told nrc that his wife was leading him a tearful life. As late as Saturday last Mr. l-'rater, Mr, , Hack, and myself, advised him to see u doctor. I did not have an opportunity of seeing Dr. Fitzgerald, of Howick, who was called in to sec the deceased, but learn that on his arrival life was extinct. The inquest is to be held at eleven o'clock to-[lay at the farmhouse on Mr. Nathan's farm.