ALL FOR A JALAP-HUED JAP.

NZ Truth, Issue 68, 6 October 1906, Page 5

ALL FOR A JALAP-HUED JAP.

Dive Through a Porthole. Ada Campbell Disappears off the Kuranda. Had Been Committed lor Shooting Japanese. On August 26 "Truth" published an account of a sensational case, at [Halifax (North Queensland) m which a woman named Ada Frances Campbell, aged 22, shot a Japanese namt cd. Nakashami, with whom she had for some time been living. Ada Campbell came to Halifax fiom Rockhampton, and is _ supposed to have previously accompanied a man to Rockhampton from Townsville_. When arrested, and on her way to the watehhouse, she kept calling out, "I want Jack. Jack where are you?" The trouble, with the Japanese, it was elicited m evidence brought out before the local Bench, arose over money which the girl claimed as hers, and which Nakashami reifused to give up. She was committed hy the local Bench to Townsville for trial and left BY THE KURANDA y for Stewart's Creek gaol on her last trip. Though she was m charge of the police. Ada Campbell managed yen r effectually to escape the clutches of the Law. When the Kuranda reached Townsville, ifc was noticed that she was flying her flag half-

- .2 "Jl mast hierh, and inquiries from Captain McPhail elicited the fact that when the vessel was between the coal hulks and the quarantine station on the other side of Bay Rock, about 3 o'clock m the afternoon, Ada Campbell had dived overboard, and though the Kuranda cruised round for half-an-hour m the endeavor to pick her up, no sighs of her body had, been seen. At the subsequent inquiry, held before Mr R. Curtis, J. P., Con-' stable Bundock said he left Halifax about 9 a.m. on prisoners' escort, catching the Kuranada at Lucinda Point at 10 a.m. He had m his charge three prisoners (Ada Camp-< bell one of them) AND A LUNATIC. There were no special compartments for prisoners on board. About 3.30 p.m. he was attending to the lunatic m a fore-cabin reserved for colored aliens, and had left Ada Campbell m the company of a Mrs O'Connor and a girl named Maggie Laconia. Suddenly he heard a cry, ' "Woman overboard," and one of the prisoners told him that it referred to Ada Campbell. The steamer put about, and a boat was lowered at once. Bundock the woman floating abouo five chains away for a few seconds, but she disappeared and dl-.l not reappear. He had had a long conversation with the woman that afternoon, and she did not appear m any way despondent, though anxious about obtaining sureties for bail m Townsville. As lock-up keeper ii\ Halifax during the four weeks she was m custody he had had frequent opportunities of observing her conduct and srtw nothing to lead him to suppose she intended TO TAKE HER LIFE. Mrs O'Connor was. talking m thu cabin with deceased just before the fatality, and noticing that her behavior was unusual, went to call ihe constable. Meeting a steward out" side the cabin she spoke to him, and together they entered the cabin, only m time to see Ada Campbell disappearing through the porthole of Ll* lavatory. The size of the porthole was given by some as m inches m diameter, by others as 14 and won 1-8 inches m diameter, but- as th* deceased^ was of very small stature, only weigh m<* 7f stone, slip wonW ha.ye no difficulty m forcing: her \v__-v through. Th? nearest hind. Cons' ai--b> Bundock thought, ras five a.ul .-. h-lf miles distant.— Brisbane "Truth."