The Kerang Tragedy.

Pahiatua Star and Eketahuna Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 168, 31 January 1888, Page 2

The Kerang Tragedy.

AN INHUMAN FATHER KILLED BY HIS SON.

Melbourne, January 17. A very painful ca<« of parricide on the part of an eldest sou occurred at k. rang, a fanning district beyond Jviud hurst, on Wednesday eveuttig last, m a family naiuisl Clancv. woo live nti a . election in Kerang East. Mr Clancy, who was a man of violent temper, was heating one of his children, a l«>y twelve years of age. with the buckle end of his strap, when one of his daughters remonstrated with Inin. Clancv lunnsl round ami threatened to kill her. whereupon she immediately ran for protection towards her eld< st brother James, aged 2ft years Tho brother, seeing the position of afTairs, took up a loaded double-barrelled gun and fired at his father. Clam y staggere .. A second shot «s-. tin Iby the son st his fathe-r, who dropped. The son came immediately to Kerang aud obtained medical aid, at d informed the police of viiat bar 1 occurred. Senior Constable Doyle and Dr Gregory proceeded to the spot and found the elder Clancy dead. The son was brought into Kerang and looked up on a charge of murder. Au inquest was held next day. at which the only evidence regarding the deceased was given by Miss Clancy, whose story was a mis. atToctmg one. Her name is Josephine Maria, and 1 she is 22 years old. She kept house ! for her father and two brothers. The ! following is her evidence :

James Clancv now present is my brother. 1 remember yesterday about 2 o'clock. My father «t, on the verandah At this strge tho witness fainted and after some trouble was brought to.s She resumed—He got into a very violent temper. He had a suspicion that 1 had told mv hr, - :.er Patrick Joseph, who is 13 yi . ‘ to tell him an untruth. *hi the 26th December my brother James was m the shod inciting bunas. Th> -i..d is about four chains from the house. Ah nit fiwortou minute after my fat hi r became cross, and U-at me with a trap. After a had bit m thm rto times 1 laid his dinner on the table aud he put away the strap. 1 went away to the back of tbe house to ke« p out of Ins way. My brothers then came from the shtsl. James c-amo first and Patrick afterwards. He didit t say anything to James w hen ho came in. Winn Patrick came lie called him to the tabic and said ho would make him tell the truth alsiut Christmas Day The In»y said “It is not a lie. I have told the truth." Ho replied. “ It is not the truth and 1 will tu ike you tell it." Risiug up from from tile table, hi- took the boy by tho shoulder, lie had not commenced hia dinner, and he crossed the verandah, aud took the strap from the roof, and said, *• I will make you tell." I went to plead for mv brother, and so did mv eldest brother and sister, hut I.e fell on him the worse. He ordered my sistir into the kitchen. He took my brother Pat aWwit 10<» yards fr.ua the house to the stockyard. He to-.k off his shirt, aud beat bun there for iilxiut five minutes with the -trap, and then dragged him half as far into the hush and took ev» rv stitch of clothes off him except Ins IhmU*. Hi beat him roost severely. Every time the

t>oy told the truth he U-at him more and more. James wits near is father when he was heating the boy. He used to come away and go hack again j pleading with his father not to ' U-at the bay. The U-ating lasted ; about half an hour. James came back | and said the Uiy had made a fatal ad- \ mission. 1 heard my father coming to tho hvuae and heard him say—" I ! will have tier life.” I understood lmu to un-an that lie would have my life. I James was present. We were all 111 I the kitebea, and ba said “Yon are ! not safe here if Patrick has made a ! falsa admission." W’e all came out, and niy father came up to the house. W'e ran out of the house and round to the hack. I saw nothing more until I heard the allots. 1 went into the kitchen and saw my father lying on the tl, r in the -ame position a« when tbe p<d:co found him. 1 went and spoke to bun, but he made no answer. No one was there but the members of the family. When they ran out of tin kitchen 1 saw my brother, and a-ked him. “ James, what shall I do ?" He said. “ He shall never do that to you while 1 have i breath in my U»ly." W hen I came I hack to the Lichen I saw mv brother | standing in the doorway with the gun. j The gun produced is the one. I saw I him load the gun iu the morning a« ho j w as going to a neighbor *, a* be might see some game. My Br-über James ! said— •* Oh. my God". I have shot him I through the head.' He sit down for alsiut five minute* quite overcome, and said. " I must go for the doctor" To the jury—The mark on my face was “ !,-a usisl hv my father beating me. Ho J used the strap with the buckle end. Mr Gregory, a duly qualified medical practitioner, described the wound, aud said that both charges had struck

tht il«c ,, .ised in the head, ouo com* pletely smashing the skull. l li. jury returned a verdict of man* Ahu.mter, pud accused was committed r'.r trial, bail being allow, d in i'litKj hii*l two suretie* of 41100 each. The c . c Las cr. 1 a painful feeling, and injia hy i- i:\pre* , d for the son. The l i i rr was a i > •< rful and violent man. It,- was tried t the Sandhurst Assize Court in 1 ‘ o 5 for the manslaughter of a man u'Uued Cooper, who had been drinking at Clancy's hotel, the ltiuck Swan. The trial made a sensation at to time, Clancy getting otf ou a legal technicality.