AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4140, 21 July 1886, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

VICTORIA.

fpBPEDO ACCIDENT.

An accident occurred in Cotio Bay on July 10, during the torpedo practice. A torpedo was discharged from the Childers, and owing to some misdirection in the aim, or to misunderstanding as to its course by those on board the Steam tender (Jordon, the torpedo struck the latter vessel about §ft below the load line on the poet bilge, making an opening of about 6in. in diameter, There was a rush of water, and the steamer was headed for the shore, which was reached in safety. FEABFUL ASSAULT. A brutal assault was enacted near Sandhurst on July 12. A man named John Hannan and his wife were pro. ceeding homo at New Chum in a

drunken state. When they reached High etreet, the woman would not go any farther and lay down. The husband was heard calling, “ Kale, get up !"and upon her not doing so. he began to kick her on the head. The thud of Hannan’s heavy boots, and the woman’s groans were heard by a lad named Merchant, and he gave information to the police. When they arrived they saw Hannan chasing away some boys. The woman was lying in an insensible condition in a pool of blood. Her face presented a frightful sight, the blood flowing from several deep wounds Sho was at once removed to the bospital, where, upon examination, Dr Colquesoa found her in a precarious state. His opinion is that her forehead is broken in. and that she is suffering from concussion of the brain. On her forehead, there were two wounds two inches long, which corresponded with the toes of Hannan’s boots. Dr Oolquoson has but faint hopes of her recovery. Hannan was subsequently arrested and lodged in the lock-up. Ho appeared almost mad with drink. The unhappy couple have a large family. STRANGE MURDER CASE. The Wangaratta murder case came on for trial at Beechworth on July 12, before the Chief Justice. The alleged crime possessed unusual and peculiar features. On the night of 29th January the homestead of a farmer named Plum, situated at East Court, about five miles from Wapgaratta, was burned to the ground, and the owner was found buried among the ruins. The deceased had not been living very happily with his family, who were all grown up, and he is supposed to have been quite alone when the fire occurred. There was no clue to the origin of the fire obtained for some three days, till suspicion fell npon an elderly married woman named Stevens, who lived in the neighborhood, and was known to be on terms of intimacy with the deceased farmer. It was found that Mrs Stevens had been away from her home on the night of the fire, and that on the previous night she bad beeo at. Plum’s bouse, Plum having offerd her £5 to stay with him. Arsenic was found in Plum’s stomach and arsenic was found in Mrs Steven’s house. About a week afterwards a tin and parse containing cash and deposits receipts amounting:in total value to nearly £2500, which were known to have been in the possession of the deceased, were discovered in the midst of a wood-stack in the yard of Mrs Stevens’s bouse. Mrs Steven also, when questioned, made contradictory statements to acconnt ‘for her absence from her honse. She was arrested on the charge of murder, the allegation being that she had poisoned Plum to get possession of the money and bad then set fire to the house to hide the crime. The greatest interest was taken in the trial. The points for the defence were that Mrs Steven’s being in the habit of preserving birda thus kept arsenic in the house; that the money fonnd in her wood-beap was not fonnd there until a week had elapsed, and after the place bad been twice previously thoroughly searched, and that, consequently it might have been placed there by somebody else ; and that though it was admitted - she spent Thursday night with Plum, there was no evidence of her having been there on Friday, on which night the murder took place* The possibility 1 of the house having' been set fire to by lightning daring the Strom which occurred on Friday night was also put to the'jury. The Chief 1 Justice summed up in favor of the accused, admitting, however, it was perhaps the most suspicions case be had ever known. Mrs Stevens throughout the trial appeared the least interested person in the Court, except when counsel admitted she bad spent the night, with Plum, when she shed tears. After a long retirement the jury fonnd her “ Not guilty.*’ NEW SOUTH WALES. A mysterious fa*al disease has broken out among horses on tbe Coooong station. Six valuable animals are already dead, and the disease is spreading fast. The symptoms are; in the longue, which protrudes'. The lower jaw becomes paralysed, causing death in a few hours. One settler has already lost 1000 (sic) through the disease. The horses have been fed oh .ensilage. for tbe past five, months. One horse was opened, and bis lungs - were fonnd full of blood black as treacle. The disease is contagious and infectious, Two dbg# were attacked and one of, them is dead and the other almost. Nothing like this has been known before.