TRAGEDY IN ADELAIDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2082, 18 January 1894, Page 43

TRAGEDY IN ADELAIDE.

A MOTHER AND THREE CHILDREN MURDERED.

The following particulars of a tragedy in Adelaide were telegraphed from Auckland by the correspondent of the Christchurch Press :—: —

Sturt street, situated a few hundred yards from the General Post Office, was the scene this morning (December 25) of one of the most ghastly tragedies that have ever been enacted in South Australia. At an early hour — about 5 o'clock — it was discovered that Harry Oxley, a fruiterer,aged 33, had murdered his wife and three children, and terminated the horrible deed by cutting hi» own throat with a razor. The circumstances surrounding the affair are somewhat peculiar and decidedly mysterious, as there appears to be no evidence as to the real cause for the deed. Oxley appeared from all accounts to have been a man of fairly good financial circumstances, being in receipt of periodical remittances from England which amounted to almost £500 per annum. He purchased a hawking fruiterer's business in Sturt street a week ago for £200. Since that date he ascertained that the returns from the business did not come up to what they had been represented to him when he entered into possession. This is supposed to have preyed upon his mind. During the last few days he had been considerably depressed in manner. He was not in any financial difficulties, as a week prior to the closing of the Commercial Bank, during the great financial disaster, he paid into the institution a cheque for about £1300. He was also left £500 on the death of a brother, and he settled of that amount £200 on his wife. According to statements of his relatives, he was very fond of his wife and children, and had never been known to have differences or rows with them. The cause of the murder is therefore totally unaccounted for, apart from depression in business, and consequently the affair has caused a considerable stir in the city.

Oxley appeared in very good spirits up to within a week of the occurrence, but within the last few days became considerably depressed. Meeting his brother-in-law on Saturday night in the Central Market he said, " The fact of the matter is, it has been a d swindle from beginning to end. lam a ruined man." This statement was in reference to the purchase of the fruiterer's business. Very little appears to be known about his movements during the week prior to Christmas, but at 2 o'clock this morning he borrowed a horse and trap from a neighbour for the purpose of conveying a number of carol singers round the city. He returned at 4.45 a. m , and it is surmised that on his return to his home he perpetrated the horrible aot.

Information regarding the tragedy was first conveyed to the police shortly after 8 a.m. by a man named Stanley, who was a driver in the employ of Ozley. Stanley, on entering the back premises, came in contact with the mutilated remains of a son of his master. The body of the little boy lay on a sofa, presenting a horrible appearance. His brains had been literally battered out, and his face and head were hardly recognisable on acoount of the blows that had been inflicted on them. The Metropolitan

police* were immediately sent for, and despatched a member of the force to the premises, and medical assistance was Bent to the scene.

On the police and doctors entering the house the body of the boy was first examined on the sofa, where he had apparently been sleeping. He was lying on his left side, while the wounds had been inflicted on the right side. Portions of the skull and blood and brains were spattered over the couch and 1 the, floor. In an adjoining room an even more appalling and revolting spectacle met their gaze, as two little girls, who had apparently occupied the same bed, had been similarly treated to their brother in the next apartment. The act appeared to have been done while the little ones were asleep. They did not oeom to have moved while the violent blows were being struck. In the case of one child there was a terrible wound in the centre of the forehead, disclosing the brain, while the other child had received a blow on the side of the skull. They were both unconscious but were not dead, a slight pulsation indicating that life was not extinct. One of the girls was almost pulseless, while in the case of the other the signs of life were very remote.

Lying, in another bed in the same room the mother was found. Her head was on the pillow, as if she had died in her sleep. A terrible wound has been inflicted on the skull, while a splash of blood on the wall-paper indicated that a large artery had been severed. Oxley himself was found lying on the bed, as if his strength had given out before he had been able to regain his wife's side. He held a raaor tightly clasped in his right hand, and on his throat were seen the results of its work. '

In the room a comparatively new tomahawk was discovered by, the police, and it was apparent that this had been used in despatching the victims of the tragedy. The medical testimony showed that the mother and son had been dead for some hours, the bodies being nearly cold. The little girls were sent ta the hospital, but did not live long after admittance.

There were no signs 1 of a struggle, and it appeared as if Oxley had gone silently from one to another, dealing his deadly blows. The murderer's feet- were covered with stains of blood, which had flowed freely in both rooms.

Mrs Elizabeth Hicks, 79 years of age, received £100 damages from the City Council of Bendigo the other day for injuries sustained through tripping over a spike allowed to project in Bridge street, Golden square.

During some recent excavations beneath a church in Prussia, the workmen came upon a small bricked-in space in which they found a human skeleton and a broken chair. There were evidences to show that some person had been walled-in alive.

There is a family named Enwright at Charleston, and five of the members attending the local school have in succession won Nelson Eduoation Board scholarships, which is a record. Miss Nelly Enwright has won a mathematical scholarship and a number of first prizes at the Nelson' Girl's' College during the ' past year.

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