TRAIN TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14857, 11 June 1910, Page 8

TRAIN TRAGEDY

MURDER OF MR NESBIT. CASH-BAG FOUND. Preia Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, June 9. The oaeli-bag which was carried by Mr Nesbit on the day of his murder in a railway train has been, discovered in the air-shaft of a colliery near Morpeth. The'gold and silver are missing. A mysterious crime, apparently robbery and murder, took place in a third class railway carriage in Northumbertand on March 18. 11l John limes Nesbit, a colliery with £370 in coin, left Newcastle in a slow train to pay the miners' wages. He should have alighted, but did not do so, at 23 miles from Newcastle. Tour stations farther on his body was found huddled beneath the railway carriage seat; death was apparently due to bullet wounds. The monay had disappeared/ Mr Nesbit had performed tho fame journey carrying equally largo 6uma of money every alternate Friday for 17 vears. He always took tho samo train, and tho assailant therefore knew every dotail of . lib movements. Tho body was discovered by Thomas Charlton, foreman porter at Alnmouth. He taw tho floor was covered with blood, and then found tho bc<ly of Nesbit squeezed under tho seat. A close examina-J tion showed that death was due to revolver shots, and that at least four had been fired at close quarters, each of which might havo been sufficient to cause death. Thero were two bullet hcJes behind tho* loft ear, ono behind the right ear, one or tiro below the loft eye, and ono in each temple, while tho jaw was badly injured. Oire bullet was found on tho flcor and ono was extracted from tho head.

From examination of the wounds it Ecems qtiito possible that tho murderer, after disabling hu victim with a first shot, poured tho whole contents of a six-cham-bered revolver into the head to inaie certain of accomplishing, his purpose. Nesbit was a small man, iittlo over five feet, and oven had there been a struggle would' probably' not have been able to make much resistance, but thero wcro no signs of 1 , a struggle. It was tho custom of Mrs Nesbit to go to the nlatform at Ileaton station on tho mornings on which her husband was travelling to Widdrington, and as' the train pa&scd through to wave a gocd-bye to him. He w« usually on the look-out-for her at a carriago window. . Mrs Nesbit went to tho station as on March 18, but as the. train ran into the station noticed

that ho was not looking out of tho window as usual. A man, however, was looking out of tho window of the next carriage. As tho train passed her, she saw her husband in the. .carriago and she particularly notiocd that the window was pulled up. . This prevented her from toeing whether he was alone in tho compartment. 011 Maroh 21 John Alexander Dickman,• a'clerk, living in Ncwoastlc, who had been, for sOmo time out of work, and who had teen previously employed at .a colliery office in Newcastle, was arrested on ous-

picion of murdering Mr Nesbit. Dickman admitted _ travelling in tho samo train as. Mr Nosbit, and that ho followed him into tho booking office. He aid that ho did

not travel in tho same compartment. He further stated_ that he was' going on busings to a colliery between Stannington and Morpeth, and, took a return ticket to Stannin.gton. At Stamiington (ho added) he was reading tho sporting columns of a newspaper, and passed t.he station without noticing that- ho had got there. He paid t.he excess, fare—2Jd—at Morpeth, and after leaving tho train thero walked to the colliery. H-> said that ho Avas taken ill on the read

and returned to Morpeth. Ho bought a singlo ticket to Stanjiingtcn and roturncd to Newcastle.

Wlieri Dickmait appeared before the court' Mr Pearee, who appeared for the prosecution, said ho would show that Dicfanan had not been in regular employment for rome years, that ho had borrowed £20 last Oeto-

ber, and two pawntickets for small amounts wore-found in his house. Generally his affairs were not 'flourishing, kit when 'arrested ho had £17 10s. in his possesion. Ho ..(Mr ,Pcaroe) .would also show that at the. end .of last year Dickman was negotiating, .pith firm ...of. gunsmiths. in Glasgow for firearms.

Dickman una. committed for trial.