CHARGE OF MURDER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2, 29 April 1912, Page 8

CHARGE OF MURDER.

On a charge of the wilful murder of his brother on .April Bth Frederick Parker was recently committed for trial. As the result of an affray in (i reeves Street, Fitzroy, on April Bth, William Herbert Parker, a labourer, aged 22 years, of Highett Street, Fitzroy, received injuries from which he succumbed. There wore deep wounds in the left side in his neck and abdomen, and it is presumed that they were inflicted with a knife. When admitted to the hospital Parker refused to make any statement as to how he came to receive his injuries. Inquiries made afterwards by the police showed that Parker, who lived with his parents, had left home about 8 o'clock. Shortly afterwards he was observed by two girls to be engaged in a fight in Greeves Street, near the corner of Smith Street. These girlsAda, Carroll and Mary Touswr—were standing talking on the opposite side of the street when the affray. began. In a statement to the police, they said that they had seen Parker suddenly strike a man of light physique with whom he had been walking. The stranger fell to the ground, and Parker fell on top of him, Parker soon rose, however, and kicked his adversary on the mouth and mi the head. The girl Carroll then ran towards Parker and exclaimed: "You are a dirty cur to kick a man when he is down." Parker replied: "So would you if you were me." Parker then ran up Groover: Street. The little man lay on the ground, but soon afterwards rose, and quietly walked away. A few minutes later Parker returned to the spot where the affray had occurred, and fell on the ground in a state of collapse. Neither of the girls observed a knife used during the struggle. Two men who had been attracted by the disturbance conveyed Parker to a chemist's shop in the vicinity, where his two wounds were attended to. Parker was then conveyed by Plain-clothes Constable Brown in a St. John ambulance to the Melbourne Hospital. He had lost a considerable amount of blood, and little hope of his recovery was held out. Parker was operated upon in the institution, but succumbed to iiis injuries shortly bofore midnight. Parker died before any deposition.!, were taken by the police. To his father, who visited him, soon after his admittance to the hospital, Parker declared that he did not know who had stabbed him.

In a statement to the police, the father said that Parker and his brother Frederick, aged ' 26 years, left Ids house shortly before 8 o'clock. Frederick was living at a lodginghouse in Lonsdale Street, kept by Mrs Waldron, and she accompanied sim to Parker's house to spend Easter holiday. The two brothers were very friendly, and departed in the best of spirits. Mrs Waldron visited the hospital soon after Parker was admitted, but departed without having seen him. She informed the police that, after having been told that Parker had been put in a ward, she returned to Fitzroy in order to inform his two sisters of his injuries. She was sitting on the front verandah of the house when a stranger informed them that Parker had been injured. Casually walking into the detective office at Russell Stret the following afternoon, a tall young man, wearing a blue serge suit, informed the officer in attendance that he was Frederick John Parker, the brother of the man who had died from the injuries lie had received on the previous evening. Parker stated fthat he had called in consequence of Ids having read an account of the tragedy in the morning papers; and after hearing the reason of his appearance Detective Johnson detained him in the city watchhousc on a charge of wilfully murdering William Hughes Parker. Before being placed in the cell the coat he was wearing was taken possession of by Detective Bear, who gave him another in its place. Frederick Parker, in a statement to the police, admitted that lie had had a fight with his brother in the street,- but said that he did not remember its cause. He and his brother had been drinking at his father's house before the two left home. When they left he was slightly muddled through drink. He had a split lip caused by a blow or a lack from Ins brother during the fight. He did not stab his brother, and bad no pocket-knife in his possession. After the fight he went to St. Vincent's Hospital, where his lip was dressed. Then lie went to a cafe in Bourke Street, where he slept all night. Parker's account was given in reply to questions, but he refused to sign a declaration. When be presented himself at St. Vincent's Hospital blood was flowing from a wound in his upper lip. Dr Lee, who attended him, stated that the flesh had been cut through and he was obliged to insert five or six stitches in the wound. He asked Parker, who was smelling strongly of drink, whether he bad received a "clout," and was answered in the affirmative. Parker, however, did not give any details of the encounter. William Henry Parker, bis father, made a further statement in respect of the case. He said that be was at home on Monday when Frederick and Mrs Maldron, who keeps the lodg-ing-house where lie lived, visited his house. Mrs Waldron was well known to the family, as she was at one time a neighbour. Frederick and she intended to spend the (lav at his house. Frederick and William went out and returned to the house with some beer, which was drunk, and he believed that they had a drink each in an hotel near by. All in the house had tea together, ami about half-past seven o'clock Frederick and William loft the house together in very good humour. They were singing and laughing. Both his

sons had had some drink, and ['Voderick seemed to have been affected it.