ANOTHER MURDER

Southland Times, Issue 19223, 19 April 1924, Page 5

ANOTHER MURDER

TRAGEDY ON WARSHIP SEAMAN DONE TO DEATH A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. (By Telegraph—Presa.Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, April 18. (Received April 19, 2 a.m.) A double tragedy occurred aboard the cruiser Brisbane lying at Garden Island in the early hours of this morning. A signalman heard groans ’tween decks. On investigating he found George Ritchie, an ordinary seaman, aged 18 years, a native of Brisbane, lying in his bunk with a sharp pointed hammer driven through his skull and his throat cut. He was just expiring. There was no clue to the perpetrator till the roll was called and disclosed that George Brown, a cook, a resident of Yarraville in Victoria, was missing. A lengthy search ended in finding him in the refrigerating room with a cord tied by a slip-knot around his neck, attached to part of the machine. He was dead from strangling. As his feet were touching the ground, the body was upright leaning taut against the cord. The men sleeping near Ritchie saw and heard nothing except that an empty razor case was found near Brown’s bunk. It is also reported that Brown was of peculiar habits lately. Certain complaints had been made regarding him, some of his comrades having dqubts regarding his sanity. So far as is known the relations between Ritchie and Brcwn were good. The accepted theory is that Brown killed Ritchie and then committed suicide. The police believe from investigations made, that Brown sometimes suffered from homicidal mania.