MURDER IN SIDNEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 30

MURDER IN SIDNEY.

A FEARFUL STRUGGLE

A mysterious murder ie the Domain at Sydney has occasioned a good deal of excitement. Early on April 24 the mutilated body of an elderly man was found lying half immersed in the water, on the rocks, on the eastern side of the Domain, under circumstances pointing to murder of a most cold-blooded and deliberate nature. The first intimation of the crime was received shortlj before 8 o'clock, when Mr Gibson K. Turton, a barrister, formerly of Dunedin, reported to the police that while walking round the lower path in the vicinity of Lady Macquarie's chair, he discovered the body of a man who, to all appearances, had had his throat cut. It was apparent at a glance that the injuries could not possibly have been self-inflicted, for deep cuts and gaping wounds on the arms and hands told too plainly of a terrible struggle for life. The body as it lay at the morgue presented a terrible sight. From the middle of the neck to just below the right ear ran a deep gash, almost severing the head from the body, while another similar cut was inflicted just under the right eye and one across the left cheek. The hands and arms were cut and bleeding from the elbow to the wrist of each arm, being covered with stabs, and the palms of the hands being literally hacked to pieces in the poor fellow's vain attempts to grasp the knife. The doctor's opinion was that death was caused by the large wound in the neck, which extended from the jugular to the right ear, and which severed all the muscles and arteries on that side of the neck. There were signs of a severe struggle about the body, and several deep cuts about the face and head showed that more than one attempt was made before the final wound was inflicted. In the doctor's opinion, a man could not live longer than five minutes with such injuries, and death would then be duo to loss of blood. The search by the police showed that a struggle had gone on over some distance of ground, for blood was spotted about, aud the grass trodden down. Eventually the man had been knocked down, and the fatal cut inflicted, then the body was apparently carried some distance, and then dragged by tho arms to tho water's edge. For some two or three days tho body of the murdered man could not bo identified. A suspicion arose that tho guilty pnrty was a maniac, in conocquonoo of a story told by a man named Rowan of an occurrence which befol him on tho provioim morning about 3 o'olook. Ho was walking through Hydo I'nrk, whon ho heard footfltopfl behind, nnd on looking round ho Haw a n-Rfi hurrying aftor him from tho direction of the dOninin. Ho hnd no liuio to movo boforo the flttftnger hailed him, and enmo olosoup. Ho Mjpii, without nny oMier wnniing, uttnrcd tho words, "You're ono of tho push," nnd mndo n vigorous Blab at him with n long "hiirp pointed knifp Kownn I'nll, tho wonpou i trilco him jtiifc behind Uin loft onr, and seizing hin flPßitihuib'fl hiiud, rnimid to den] another blow, rnn nn linnl hr ho could in (.he dltpotio i of Mm honpiUl, nfc tho nitinu timo crying loudly Tor holp. It m now hultovod/liowpvVr, Mmt tho two onnurronooH havo no connuoUon. ' I ' i i o viol'im of Iho Domniu murder has now liijeii idontiflnd nn Diuinin ( ,'oiinoll, v labourer, who Jinn boon lodging for hoiiio tinao past at a rpßlnnrAiit in Onorgo Htroot. Ho was known 1,0 Imvn monoy, »h ft purnou hnd recently I rind to iirgotinto > a loan from him, and nl though thuro m nothing to show that Jio oivrrinil nny largo nums about with him, it is considered pretty certain that ho had n fair amount with him on the night of tho murder. Deposit receipts for amounts lying at his credit at several banks were found at his lodgings. The police have now in detention a Swede who had formerly occupied thasame room as Cnnnoll, the victim of the tragedy. There are gravo suspicions against him, as he was seen in company with the deceased at about 6 o'clock on the night of the murder, and he did not return to his lodgings until 11 o'clock. He cannot satinfactorily account for his whereabouts in the interval.

Tho brokerage on ilax pa<wrd through the Auckland market if> said to amount to £3000 or £4000 per annum. An Imperial Onler-in-Couucil received last week makes a portion of the English patent law applicable to New Zealand. By this inventors in New Zealand are to be allowed a period of seven months during which to apply for a patent in England after having protected his invention here. In case of trado marks the ap^ plicant is allowed four months.