A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10509, 31 July 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

A DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

TERRIBLE CRIME. The double tragedy at) Deptford, in which a woman named Mary Ann Erenden, and her daughter,fAnri ETenden, were cruelly murdered by the brother and uncle, Edward Cillaghan, in Copperas Square, Broiizestreet, was inquired into by Mr. E. A. Carttar, the South-East London. Coroner. In the immediate vicinity of the Deptford Congregational Lecture Hall, in which the inquests were held, a large crowd of working men and woman of the district hud assembled before the arrival of the coroner, traffic in the High-street, near the railway station, being almost entirely blacked by the scores of people taking a morbid interest in what the self-accused murderer, in his illiterate letter, had aptly described as a " loathsome deed."

HOOTING AND HIS3INO. The prisoner, who was brought from Holloway in a cab, was received opposite tbe court) by loud booting and hissing, and for ft moment or two it seemed as though the crowd wits about to break in upon him and mob him. He was given a seat in court between the warders, and looked quite resigned but gloomy. The jury baring viewed the bodies now lying in the local mortuary, the coroner stated the proposed course of procedure, and went on to call witnesses.

EVIDENCE OF IDENTIFICATION. Formal evidence of identification was given by the husband of the deceased woman, William Evenden. Ho was (lie said) by trade a bricklayer, living at) No. 3, Copperas Square. Mary Evenden, hie wife, was about 48 years of age, and his daughter Annie was 19. He was under the impression that the tragedy occurred on Tuesday morning, and tho coroner Cook groat pains to make him realise that it was on Wednesday. Ho appeared to be greatly distressed, and before being asked any question) about tho prisoner he volunteered the statement tlinb tho latter was always "straight" with him. Witness had seven children, and a boy in the West Kent Regulars. Witness was working at Peckham when lie heard of the tragedy. The Coronor: Was there anyone else in the house on Wednesday morning besides your family? Nobody, Are you quite sure ? Of course I am. Do you know a man named Edward Callagnan? Course I do. I've been keeping him. And ho was in tho house on Wednesday morning? Yes. I've been keeping him for three weeks*. He's my wife's brother. Was ho on good terms with you and your family? Yos. Ho never spoko a wrong word to me as long as he's been stopping with me, Is Callaghan hore now! No I haven't seen him.

Look round and soe. I should know him if I see him. (Looking round.) Aye, there ho is. Good boy. (The prisoner gave a quiet nod of recognition.) A boy's story. The nine-year-old son of the last witness, William Eveuden, who, in reply to fcho coroner, enid that lie knew the nature of an oath, stated, in answer to questions, that ho slept on Tuesday night in his mother's room, and got up on Wednesday morning at a quarter to seven, His sistor Annie was coin" downstairs, and lie followed hoc. He had heard a scream downstairs in the kitchen, and thought it was his mother. Hid sister (jot down before him, and alio sijroamod, When ho (witness) got into the kitchen ho saw his uncle Nod (Edward Callaghan) holding his sister's head and cutting her throat with a knife. Ho next saw her fall flat on her face. His mother was already lying on the floor bleeding. His undo then washed his hands in a little pan o( cold water, after which ho walked out through the front doorway, and wont down the streob. Witness watched him go away, and then told Mrs. Stephens and Mrs. Blackmore, two neighbours, living at No, 2 and No. 4 in the same court, who went to fetch the police. When his uncle went to wash his hands he dropped | a knife.

ANOTHER CHILD'S EVIDENCE,

The .coroner next called another child of the deceased woman, who gave her name at Jane and her age as twelve. The little girl, poorly but tidily clothed, seemed to be greatly distressed as she told the coroner that the last saw her mother and Bister Wive on Tuesday night. When she came downstairs on Wedneeday morning, following her brother William, she saw her uncle " Ned'' leaving the house, and her mother and sister lying on the kitchen floor in pools of blood, both dead. She followed her uncle out, but not to the policestation. She spoke to Mrs. Blackmore and Mrs. Stephens, who lived in the same court, and thoy came in and saw what had happened, a neighbour's version.

Mrs. Jane Blackmore, the wife of a painter, living in Copperas Square, stated that she saw Mrs, Evendon at) ton or fifteen minutes to seven in the garden carrying it pail of water. She next heard voices in Mrs. Evendon'a kitchen, as though a man and woman were quarrelling. Witness next hoard Mrs, Evenden scream, and this was followed by cries of "Oh, my mother" in a voice which appeared to be that of the daughter Annie. The prisoner, Edward ('allaghan, then walked out of the house and up the court, and the witness, after being spoken to by Mrs. Evenden's clvlaren, entered the house and saw Mrs, Evondon and her daughter lying on the floor with their throats cub Mrs. Evenden lifted her arms up, but did not speak. A SCENE IN COURT. Mrs. Mary Ann Stevens, the wife of a ship's stoker, living at' No. 2, Copperas Square, gave evidence somewhat similar to that of the lart witness. Asked by the coroner if the deceased woman and Gallaghan had ever quarrelled, she replied, " Well, they did have a few words last Friday. I couldn't help hearing it, as tho houses are so close, but not) because I wanted to hoar."

The prisoner here interrupted her by calling out, ''Nob became you are not paid for listening, anyway. A nose, you are. That's what you are" (meaning a police spy). The Coroner: Do you wish to ask any questions? Prisoner: Only that one, air. I /want to lot the jury ahd the reporters know all about it. She's paid by the police to watch me. She's dogged my footsteps day and night ever since I have been there. She's paid to do it. She had a'excursion last Saturday. She was sent away, The husband and father of the deceased women, who was sitting in the rear of the court, here exclaimed, "Still, you'd no business to done it, Uncle Ned. You did wrong. That's straight, I'm here," • The prisoner took no notice of this retort, bub assumed big previous attitude of indifference. POLICE EVIDENCE. Police-constable 499 K said that when he was called the elder woman showed signs of life. He sent for a dootor. The place was upset, and the table overturned. Police-constable Masters, coroner's officer, deposed to finding a knife (produced) under the body of the elder woman when she was removed to the mortuary. The knife was smeared with blood and hAir, and the top was blunt, as if it had been used on a hard substance.

Sergeant Elwood deposed to the prisoner going to the Deptford police station and giving himself up oil the charge of murder, and Subdivisional Inspector Leonard said that when he went to the house he found the women with' their throats cub lying on the floor. He returned to the police station and charged Callaghan with the murder. In reply the prisoner said, " You will find the razor in the cupboard, and the strop with which I shaved yesterday* fCallaghan said, that what he Mid to the inspector, in reply 1 to his question as to where the razor was, was" There is the strop and the razor in the cupboard, with which 1 shaved yesterday." The prisoner, on being asked if he had anything to say, replied, " No, I reserve my defence."

TIM VERDICT. Ths coroner having summed tip, the jury returned a' verdict of "Wilful murder" «g»in6k,C#U«(rhsn in each case.