OFFENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9011, 26 March 1888, Page 10

OFFENCES.

A man named Council was received in the Laurence Hospital suffering from a wound in the groin, believed to be a stab. He died shortly afterwards. James Mcßory was brought up at the Lawrence Police Court on the 20th March charged with the murder of Alexander Council, at Tuapeka, on the Bth March, and, on the application of the police, was remanded. The inquest regarding thedeath of Alexander Connell, was commenced at Laurence on March 21. Mcßory, who is charged with murder, was present, and appeared to be very dejected. From the evidence of one witness it appears it was the custom there to tie up men when they are drunk, and there had been a talk of tying up Mcßory if he was drunk that night. The post mortem has disclosed the fact that Connell received two wounds. At the inquest, Charles Edwards, labourer, who was with Connell, stated that the two of them, when going up the road, saw some one, and onnell went to see who it was. He saw Connell make a blow at Mcßory, but could not say whether he hit him or not, as it was dark at the time. They took hold of each other, and fell down on the ground. Connell then sang out to witness, "Come and take hold of Mcßory, Charlie, he is using a knife." Witness went to Connell's assistance, taking hold of Mcßory by the left hand. There was no knife in the hand that witness took hold of ; the other hand was underneath Connell's body. Both men got to their feet at the same time. Connell

staggered and fell down, at the same time calling out to Mcßory, "Oh, you b— to use a knife to me, a man that never harmed you." Mcßory replied, " I could not have helped it, bandy, if I was to be hung to-morrow." Witness then assisted to take Connell to the hospital; Mcßory in the meantime cleared out. Witness could not tell the cause of the assault. Mcßory, it may be stated, admits stabbing. He gives a slightly different version of it to that given by Edwards. The inquest on the body did not conclude till one o'clock next morning. The jury, after two hours' consultation, during which they twice asked the coroner for directions, returned a verdict of "Manslaughter," adding a rider to the effect that while Conneu's death was directly caused by stabbing in the groin, it was nevertheless expedited by the gross neglect and indifference of those about him. Dr. Withers, in the course of his evidence, said the deceased would not have died had lie received proper surgical treatment, a very moderate amount of which would have prevented his death. It was to him amazing that men should let a man die through loss of blood, when by simply pressing a thumb on a vein they could have stopped the bleeding. A during brutal daylight robbery has been perpetrated at Dunedin. At a quarter-past six the streets are always comparatively quiet, and on Saturday such business thoroughfares as Bond and Crawford streets are deserted. It was in this locality that the outrage occurred on one of the vacant allotments between Bond and Crawford streets. Win. Slattery, 1!), who had been working up country, was drinking with sonic companions in a neighbouring hotel on the 17th March, and they left the premises and proceeded together down Jetty-street; turning to the right Slattery was suddenly assaulted by the other two, one struck him a blow on the left temple with a gin bottle, which shivered in his hand, and both struggled with him upon the ground, and managed to stifle any outcry while they rifled his pockets. Slattery was, however, conscious, and resisted stoutly, and succeeded in holding on to his purse with one hand. The ruffians tore his trousers pockets several inches down, and extracted 17s 6d. At this juncture an alarm was raised by an unseen spectator, and tho robbers were obliged to decamp. A female servant in New Zealand Restaurant, Princes-street, happened to be at the back window, and had seen everything that passed. The injury inflicted upon Slattery proved to be very serious, He was removed to the hospital, where he lay unconscious till the following morning. He will bo unablo to leave the hospital for some days. Martha Dalziell, who drowned her infant son in Rakaia on December 29th, was on March '20 committed for trial on the charge of murder. She was too ill to be brought before a magistrate sooner.