THE INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4140, 27 June 1874, Page 3

THE INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY.

We take the following additional particulars of the Invercargill tragedy from the Southland News : —" On Tuesday the Resident Magistrate attended at the Hospital to take the depositions of Mary Hall, the girl murderously assaulted by Brennan the previous day, she having to a slight extent recovered consciousness about midday. Having being sworn by Mr. McG'ulloch, she was quietly questioned, and gave her answers tolerably distinctly, although with a very weak voice. It was quite apparent, however, that she knew precisely the nature and importance of the proceedings taking place. She said :—' I know Jack the sailor ; it was him who cut me. I think lie struck me on the head. I think it was yesterday. I don't know what he struck me with. Some time before he struck me he said he would kill me. I don't know why he did so ; I never did anything to him. He sometimes asked me to go to the theatre with him, and I went once with him.' Brennan, who was, of course, present, was then requested to speak, and, on his doing so, she said, ' I don't see him, but I know his voice. The man who is speaking struck me. I hope he will be forgiven.' When Brennan heard the last expression he showed considerable emotion, and, in reply, said, ' God bless you ! Not on this earth—l don't wish it.' Prisoner, in reply to the usual intimation, said he had no questions to ask her, and added voluntarily, ' She had always been good, and never did any harm. It never would have been, only for one little thing that occurred in the house, and that no one will ever know.' The father of the girl, at his own request, was permitted to have an interview with the prisoner in the gaol, in the presence of witnesses, oh the same day. Ho told Brennan he had not come to upbraid him or vex him with useless questions, but he was anxious to ascertain the motive which induced him to commit the crime. The prisoner at first said that he ' would tell him some other time, but, on being pressed for a more definite l'eply, he said, ' There had been no difference or anger between him and the girl. He had been trying to gain her acquaintance, and to do her all the good he could, but she had spurned him, and would not answer him when he spoke to her.' He had asked her to get him a drink, which she. refused to do, saying, ' No, not half a one,' and that was the only thing she had said to him for a week or two. He admitted it was a cowardly act, and added, 'he was driven to what he did by seeing others,' and that ' there was a lot of people talking mischief.' 'He would have given his own life to save hers directly after the deed was committed, he was so fond of her.' " The Times of Saturday says :—" Our readers will be no less surprised than gratified to learn that the young girl Mary Hall, who was so murderously assaulted on Monday last, begins to show very encouraging signs of recovery. On inquiring late last night, we found that she was then, and had been dining the day, able to see, hear, and speak with tolerable ease and distinctness." The News also observes : " Notwithstanding the fearful injuries inflicted on the girl Mary Hall, she was alive last night and apparently recovering somewhat. She had had no convulsions for about thirty hours, could speak better, had partially regained her sight, and was better able to swallow liquid nourishment. Sensation, too, which was dormant for the first three days, had returned, and she complained of suffering acute pain."