THE MURDER AT LYTTELTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4313, 16 January 1875, Page 4

THE MURDER AT LYTTELTON.

(From the Times, January 12.) Another arrest was made yesterday morning, the accused being John Mercei*, formerly cook of the Canterbury, schooner, and who is now supposed to be the real culprit. The news that the accused was to be brought clown to the inquest caused a large crowd to assemble in front of the Mitre Hotel, where the inquest was held, eager to catch a view of him as he was brought along in custody of the police. During the progress of the inquest the crowd greatly increased in number, and when, after the adjournment, the prisoner was removed to the lock-up, several hundred persons were present.

The inquest on the body of Isabella Thompson commenced at the Mitre Hotel, Lyttelton, at 3.30 p.m. yesterday. The jury proceeded to the Morgue and viewed the body. On returning to their room, and before the ease was proceeded with, Sergeant-Major O'Grady said that a man named John Mercer was in custody charged with the murder, and that he (the prisoner) wanted the advice of a solicitor. The Coroner said the evidence must be taken, and if the accused wished for professional assistance he could obtain it at a later date. Sergeant-Major O'Grady then called the following evidence : John Bailey, a lad living in St. David'sstreet, deposed : I recollect Saturday last. I was driving in some cows from the paddock, and went after one that would not come in. This was near the gorse fence in Ripon-street. I saw a white pocket-handkerchief near to Mr. Pember's orchard. I told a man named Thomas Rouse I had seen a drunken man lying under the gorse. He sent his brother Richard Rouse up to the place. Richard Rouse sent him and another lad to the police to inform them. I did not go into the orchard. The handkerchief was hanging to a piece of the gorse. There was a gorse fence round the paddock. The body was in a corner of the gorse fence when I first saw it, and the body was under an overhanging portion of the fence. I did not know who the person was that was under the fence. The boy Simmonds was with me. When I had put the cow up I went back to the orchard. I looked through a gap in the hedge, and saw, lying in front of it, the body of a girl. I did not see any one near the spot. Alfred George Simmonds said :„ I know John Bailey. I was with him on Saturday last. About six o'clock in the afternoon I was passing Ripon-street, when I saw a girl lying dead in the corner of Mr. Pember's garden. She had a lot of blood on her left cheek. I saw her as I was passing the road by the gorse fence. The reason I thought she was dead was because of the blood. She was lying under the gorse on her right side, her legs were up, and her head was bare. Richard Rouse : My brother, Thomas Rouse, told me he had been informed by another boy that there was a drunken man lying naked under the gorse fence near to Mr. Pember's orchard, and he asked me to come and see. I went with my brother and a lad named Knowles, and discovered it was the body of a girl whose face was covered with, blood. I told them to go for the police as quick as possible. The body was within the wire fence inside Mr. Pember's grounds. , The body was lying on its back, the head inclining to the right. The right arm was stretched out, the left arm was lying by her side. The legs were quite naked. The body was quite naked up to the waist, with the exception of boots and stockings. Shortly before the police arrived, I noticed the cuts on her neck and throat. The hair was covered with dead gorse blossoms. The body lay with the legs down hill. Constable Wallace said : From what I learnt I proceeded to the Rev. F. Pember's gardens, which are situated about a hundred yards from the cemetery. On looking through the hedge, I saw the body. On getting through the fence, I saw a large cut-wound, commencing and running round from the left ear and round the throat. I put my hand upon her stomach, which was uncovered, and found that she was dead ; the body was quite cold. The clothes were turned up to the middle of the body. I found a pair of drawers under her right thigh ; there were blood marks upon them ; the button which fastened them behind was pulled off, and hanging by a thread ; the drawers produced are those I found. I also found a man's pocket-handkerchief under her right shoulder ; this had blood on it, ~as if made by wiping a knife, on it. Her hat was lying about four feet off from where her head was. Two school picnic tickets were lying near her right hand. The hat, handkerchief, and tickets produced are those I found. - There was a large pool of blood under her neok, and a quantity of blood by her side. Deceased was lying head down hill. The gorse was about four or five feet high. There was a lot of dry gorse about the place. I sent for Dr. Rouse, and after he examined the body, I removed it to the Morgue. The dress was torn from the breast, and the waist and the petticoats also. I noticed spots of blood on the drawers when I took them up. John Blair Thompson: I am father of the deceased, Isabella Thompson. t She would have been twelve years of ago on the 23rd of this month. I live in Dampier's Bay. I saw the deceased shortly before five o'clock ou Saturday afternoon. She was then in Dampier's Bay, opposite Mr. Reed's gardens. I

saw her, and asked her where she was going to. She said to get two tickets for myself and wife for the school picnic. I told her it was not necessary for her to go, but she laughed, and dancing, ran down the hill. She was in good health and strength at the time. The next I saw of» her was at the police-station, dead. When I parted with her in Dampier's Bay there was no one with her. Deceased was frequently in the habit of coming into Lyttelton on messages. She was a very quiet and inoffensive girl. I never saw her talking with any one. After she left me I went home and lay down. I was roused up by hearing that she was dead. J. T. Rouse, a medical practitioner, said : On Saturday evening last, I accompanied two of the constables to Mr. Pember's garden, and was shown tho body. [Dr. Rouse here explained that the gorse in this part had an opening owing to hoys getting through to the orchard, and tho roots of the gorse had become decayed and allowed the top portion of the hedge to fall over and make a kind of alcove.] I saw a gash in the throat, which occupied nearly the whole of the left side; it was gaping and open. The' extremities were nearly cold. The body retained warmth. The knee? showed signs of a struggle, in that they were covered with fresh earth, and the legs were scratched and pricked with gorse. Her hair, which is Ion"- and thick,, was covered with dry gorse, her clothes were very much torn, and she' had neither hat nor drawers on. I examined the body then, but could not detect any signs of violation. I noticed that the drawers had been violently torn away. I also noticed that the handkerchief was cut and bloody as if a knife had been wiped on it. At first I was surprised to see so little blood near the place where the head was lying, but on examination I found out the cause—the dry gorse had been scraped together and used to hide the quantity of blood which had flowed from the deceased. I don't think death could have occurred more than an hour prior to the time I saw the body. Ido not think any attempt at violation was made. The post-mortem examination will show this. By Sergeant-Major O'Grady : At your request I examined John Mercer. I found about his legs a number of small spots, which he said were pimples. Ho denied that they were thorns in. the flesh. I extracted over twenty of them ; they were the points of gorse prickles. Detective Feast took of them. Some were extracted from the shins, and others near the knees, others from the hand, and a number from the back of the left hand. I lifted them from the skin, and as they were loosed Detective Feast took charge of them. Mercer made no remarks. Mercer had his face scratched and also his hand. The scratches were of recent date ; there also a scratch on one shin. I have examined the thorns I extracted by a microscope, and am convinced that they are gorse prickles. Hugh MacDonald, a medical practitioner, said : I made a post mortem examination of the body this morning. The body was well nourished, and in good health. There were some slight bruises on the forehead, and one on each of the arms. There was a large incised 'wound on the left side of the neck, and two wounds on the left of the common carotid artery, which was cut through, as were also the other larger vessels; The first wound was only skin-deep, running through and below the chin. It was two inches long. There was a wide gash on the left side of the throat, right back to the neck, measuring 5J inches long, and gaping 21 inches in width. At the end of the large wound, and near to the centre, there is a triangular piece of skin tissue not divided. On opening the body I found all the organs healthy, the left ventricle quite empty. The generative organs were uninjured ; there were marks on the knees as if deceased had struggled. I have no doubt that the wound in the throat was the cause of death. On the right thigh, left hip, and fingers of the right hand were large scratches, they might have been inflicted by finger-nails. The wounds in the throat were inflicted by a sharp cutting instrument. There were no signs of disease in the body. By the Police : Considerable violence mußt have been used. The marks on the hands shewed this. The girl's clothes, and also her hair, were covered with gorse prickles. James Allan : I am mate on board the schooner Canterbury. I know John Mercer. He was cook and steward on board. I saw him on Saturday last. He came ashore with me shortly before 11 a.m. On that day, we knocked about. I left him, and afterwards saw him with Captain Ru3sell. We went to get paid-off. He left Captain Russell before I did. I met him soon after noon, near Bailey's Hotel. I gave him £l. I went aboard afterwards, and then came ashore. I saw him at the wharf. This was about 4 o'clock p.m. He asked me to lend him the boat. I refused to do so. The next time I saw him, as near as I could say, it was about 5 o'clock. I asked a man the time. The accused came up to me and Captain Russell, with a little girl. He came up Canterbury-street. I and Captain Russell were standing at the opposite door of ' the Albion Hotel. He said something about the Cleopatra. Captain Russell, he said, had recommended him to the Cleopatra. The girl had something in her hand when they came towards us. Mercer went up towards Scott's public-house, the little girl was with him then. I observed the little girl at the time. I have seen a body since, when. I was in company with Detective Feast at the dead-house. I believe that body tobe that of the little girl I saw with prisoner. There was a peculiar expression in the face which I recognised this afternoon. I saw Mercer a few minutes before six o'clock. He left for Christchurch by railway, getting into a second-clas3 carriage, and as there was no room, he stood up on the side nearest the platform. He had both his hands in his pockets. I noticed him particularly, for he was very excited. He had a light tweed coat and vest on, and hi 3 cap wa3 what is called a cheese-cutter cap. I have known Mercer for many weeks. There were no marks on his face or hands when he left I the vessel on Saturday. By the Police : Mercer smoked, and was in the habit of carrying a knife. By the Foreman : When I saw the accused in London-street, Captain Russell was with me. J. Russell : I am master of the schooner Canterbury. I discharged the accused at eleven a.m. on Saturday. I saw him again at five p.m., at the Albion Hotel. He camo up Canterbury-street, and turned to speak to ■me. There was a little girl standing at the corner, a few feet from us. A dispute had occurred between Mercer and myself about wages, he having shipped with me at higher wages than were given on board the Cleopatra. After a short dispute, Mercer left, as I told him he had nothing to do with the matter. I asked Allan, who was with me, if he knew the little girl. Allan said "No." After Mercer | left me, the girl ran up Canterbury-street, and Mercer followed her. I think I should be able to indentify the body. The witness retired, and on his return, said—l believe the body I have just seen to be that of the girl I. saw Mercer follow. By the Police : Mercer was not dressed then as he is now. He had on then a grey tweed coat and vest, and he also had a French-peaked cap. [Prisoner's cap put on.] That is the cap prisoner had on. Sergeant-Major O'Grady said that this was the whole of the evidence to be adduced at the present. The Coroner adjourned the inquest for eight' days.