A PORTSMOUTH MYSTERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9229, 17 June 1893, Page 2 (Supplement)

A PORTSMOUTH MYSTERY.

BODY FOUND IN A WELL. A GIRL OF FOURTEEN ARRESTED FOR CHILD ABDUCTION. Ada Urry, who was arrosbed at Portsmouth for the abduction of the littlo girl Emma Downton, aged fivo years, recently, has made a confession in Kingston Gaol, her depositions being taken by the Mayor and Sir William King. In consequence of the girl's statement a detective, in company with Mr. Hobbs, the solicitor acting for the prisoner, drove to Eaatney, about a mile and a-half from the police station, and there in a well the dead body of the child was found with a scarf tied tightly around her neck. Tho well is in an open field, in front of which some houses are being built, and in consequence of the open position of the property a watchman was on duty the whole of the Sunday when the child whs lost. Ho, however, neither saw nor heard anything. The well contains only four feet of water, bub there is a distance of nineteen foot to tho surface, while some planks cover part of the water, leaving an aperture of only two or threo feet. It is supposed that the child must have been eithor stunned or killed before being thrown into the well, as there are so many obstructions beforo the water is reached that a conscious child would most probably have been able to save herself. The well has boon used scores of times by tho bricklayers since the occurrence, but nothing had happened to arouse their suspicion. , RESULT OK TUB POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION. A post mortem examination was made on the child Downton, when it was found that a handkerchief had been tied tightly around the n?ck, thus causing strangulation, and the other symptoms showed that death was nob caused by drowning. There wore no Other marks of violence. Tho water in the well was pumped out, and a careful search made, but nothing further was discovered. The girl Urry was visited in her coll by tho Rev. Canon Jacobs, but she appears to have relapsed into a state of stolid indifference, and eats and sleeps like a healthy girl with no mental worry. a BABY'S prattle. Tho broken statements of the three-year-old baby Waters, who was in the perambulator wheeled by Urry, have been corroborated in every particular by the discoveries since made. Tho baby has more than once said that they went to Southsea Common, and while sitting there were joined by a soldier, and that they afterwards went to the South Parade Pier at the eastern extremity of the common. From the pier to the ground in which tho well is situated, there i* a direct road, and probably the party passed along this quiet thoroughfare. This is a point which could easily bo cleared up were tho soldier found, and it is hoped that he may yet be traced. The baby in her prattle has mentioned " a black man," and those holding the child's statement to bo worthy of belief think it possible her baby mind had an idea of a soldier ot a dark complexion, or was impressed by a dark uniform. The police aro making inquiries, and there is reason to believe that some strange revelations will bo made at tho inquest. ..1.,,, ...I ill* ■■■»■■