A GIRL MURDERED

Otago Witness, Issue 3291, 11 April 1917, Page 37

A GIRL MURDERED

CHRISTCHUROH, April 8. About 10 o'clock this morning a girl named Henrietta Foster, ag ed l 8 y^ l ' 9 , was murdered by Charles Butler, aged 40 years, at View Hill Station, 10 miles from Oxford, North Canterbury, The girl's father is caretaker alj View Hill, and with his wife, and two daughters he went to churoh at Oxford, leaving Henrietta at the house. Butler-, who is a rouseabout on the place, got a razor from his h\jt, entered the homestead kitchen, where Henrietta Foster was sitting on a, sofa darning stockings, and cut her throat from oar to ear. There was no other interference with the girl. iJutler, who unsuccessfully attempted to drown himself jn a well, was arrested and admitted the crime. He was brought to Chi'istchurch. Butler was well-known in the Oxford district for some years. He was a thrifty man, and had a large sum to his credit in the bank. AOOUiSED REMANDED. CHRISTCHUROH, April 9. Cliarles Butler, who is charged mth the murder of Heni'ietta Foster at View Hill yesterday, appeared in court to-day, looking very dejected. He was remanded, on the application of the chief detective, to appear at the Oxford Court on Friday. An inquest on the body of Henrietta Louisa Foster, the victim of the tragedy, was held to-day. Mr Bailey returned a verdict that the cause of death was eyncope, following on the throat of the girl having been cut, and that the evidence pointed to the fact that the act was committed by Charles Butler. Dr Bagley gave evidence that, three weeks and a-half ago, Butler consulted him about his mental condition, and witness sent him to Christohuroh. The Coroner pointed out that this evidence could only be taken at subsequent proceed • ings. Miss Foster was engaged to a resident o£ Lyttelton. Butler was apparently jealous, and stated to some people, including the girl's father, "I will get Ettie yet." No new facts of importance were elicited at the inquest. When Butler reached the View Hill Post Office at midday on Sunday he said to a resident, "I've done for Hetty Foster." In reply to a question Butler repeated his remark. There was blood on Butler's right hand, shirt collar, and cuff, and he Was very excited. He told this witness that lie had tried to do away with himself by getting into a well, but there was not water enough to drown him. Butler told a constable, who arrived shortly afterwards : "I'm done; I'm done; I killed Hetty Foster." ' The constable, who examined the body, said there was no sign of a struggle. An open razor covered with blood was found near the body. Beside the razor there was a piece of paper on which was written; "You will find my body in a well over the river." # The doctor who made a post-mortem examination said the girl's throat was cut right down to the backbone. There were no other marks of violence about the body. The girl was in bed when her parents left to go to church. The evidence showed that she had got up late, and liad got Butler's breakfast. Presumably they had breakfast together.