THE TIRTSCHKE MURDER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18022, 22 February 1922, Page 7

THE TIRTSCHKE MURDER

SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE.

BLOODSTAINS O.N BOTTLE. A. #nd N.Z. MELBOURNE, Feb. 21.

At the trial of Colin Campbell Boss, who is charged with the murder of Alma Tirtschke, a 13-year-old girl, in Melbourne, Frank Upton deposed that be went to the wine saloon kept by Ross at one o'clock in the morning' on the day the body was discovered. Finding the door unfastened he entered, and heard a woman's voice say, " Oh! My God, darling, how aro we going to get rid of her?"

Boss said: " There's somebody here," and rushed at witness like a lunatic. Upton asked for a bottle of wine. Ros3 gave him a bottle and pushed htm out. In his hurry he failed to take payment. Witness alleged that he saw stains which he believed to be blood on Ross' hands and on a towel he was carrying, and that afterwards he found bloodstains on the wine bottle.

Olive May Maddox gave evidence that she was in the wine saloon on the afternoon of the tragedy. She saw a girl like Alma Tirtschke sitting there with a glass before her. Witness said to Ross: "She is a young kid to be drinking." Ross replied: "Oh, if she wants it, she can havo it." Six days later Ross said to witness: " You don't want to tell the police anything if you know anything. The papers say she was a goody goody, but that is only for the sake of the public. She was a cheeky little girl."

Ivy Matthews, who had been employed by Ross, gave evidence that she saw a child sitting in a private room of the saloon on the afternoon of the murder. Witness then detailed the story that Ross met her the next day and said that the child came up to him and asked hifa for a drink. He took her in and gave her a drink of lemonade without any evil intent. Witness continued; "Robs further said, 'You know in the company of children I feel I cannot control myself. It was all over in a moment. "