BOURKE MURDER CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15098, 22 March 1911, Page 7

BOURKE MURDER CASE

TRIAL 0? SENKOVITCH.

Press Association —By Telograpb—Copyright

SYDNEY. March 21,

(Received March 21, at 9.30 p.m.)

The trial of Senkovitch on a charge of rhurdoring Bismond near Bourke has been opened. I'ho accused pleaded "Not guilty." The Russian Consul-general was officially present. The evidence was similar to that given at the inquest.

The name_ of the murdered man was Alexander Kismand* who was supposed] to bo about 3d yeans of age. Leaving Mareoilles in July in the RMS. China, Senkovitch and Kismond, both, young Russians, arrived in Sydney on .September 8. They gave- it cut that they woro upon a plesuiuro trip through Australia, and it was noticed that Eismond paid ovorywhare for both. In Sydney Eismond drew from one of the barijjs mi- a letter of credit over £600, and was paid in notes of large denomination, amongst them being notes for £100 and £50 on. the- Bank of Australasia. Tho inon visited Anthony Hordorn's emporium in George skeot, and there fitted themselves out for a camping and shooting expedition, leaving for Ifourke on Soptembar It, with all their impedimenta. T3k> money carried b.y Eisniond was then a littlo under £600. On September 17 they we.ro camped near (he town of Boutke, and on September 19 Sonkovitch returned alone to Sydney. On September 23 the body of Bismond was _ found some- miles down tho Rivor Darling, near the weir, below tho town of Bonrkc. Tho body was sawn into tho fly of a. tent, and weighted with cartridges, tho head bring battered, in by blow from » tom.-a.hawk. later tho police found tho place whore tho body had boon thrown into the river, and a tomahawk and riflo wore also recovered. That a. brutal murder,' for tho Jake of gain, had boon committed was apparent, and tho doinirs and whereabouts of the murdered man's companion. Senkovitch, became of 'supremo importance. llμ numbers of the largo notes paid to Eismond before iliis tloparturo on tho fatal trip woro ascertained. Thcro was a "lOflncto, numbered 962, and two £50-note, numbered 1329 and 1303. Sonkovitch was arrested in Melbourne a few days later. When the detectives searched his room they found amongst his possessions a revolver and 100 cartrk'ejes and in a oanras bag m one of his peckcts fcaUO in notes. There woro three £100notes imd- two of £50, all on the Bank of Australasia. One of tho £100-.notes was numbered 962, and the two for £50 bore the numbers 1329 and 1303. Tho detectives also found, in addition to Senkoviteh's clothes and: othor personal effects, two works by Sir Arthur Conon Doyle, "Uncle Ber-nao" and "Sherlock Holmes." •