Confesses to a Murder. NINETEEN YEARS AGO. His Sweethoart the Victim.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 249, 24 March 1888, Page 5

Confesses to a Murder. NINETEEN YEARS AGO. His Sweethoart the Victim.

The Sydney * ' Evening News " says : "A startling disclosure comes to hand from Moi tlake. It appears that a man named Michael Carroll, aged 40, who has been employed as a labourer at tho Mortlako Gas Works, called on Constable J. C. Beer, tho local police officer, and gave himself into custody on Sunday afternoon for the crime of murder. The orimo of which ho stands self-accused was, according to his own showing, committed nineteen years ago ; bub tho effect on his con&cionce has been such that at last ho has given himself up to justice His tale appears very circumstantial, and the man gives most minuto particulars of the tragedy. At present it is rather difficult to gain full particulars, as the case has not yet come before the court ; but it will bo found that the facts of the case are continued in the following account : — At the time oJ the alleged murder, the man Carroll was living near Woolwich, England, and was keeping company with n girl named Maria Jane Clousten, aged 25, a resident of tho same place. A " till' ' occurred between them, and she said sho would have nothing more to do with him. This declaration apparently raised the devil in Carroll's breast, as he brought a plasterer's hammer, and made an appointment with the girl in Killbrook Lane, Altham, between Deptford and Woolwich. They met, and after an altercation he hit her a fearful blow on the head with the hammer and fled, leaving her for dead. On the following morning the poor girl was found near a hedge in a dying state, and after lingering a few hours she died. A man named Walter Pook, a printer, with whose parents the girl had been living, was arrested for the crime, and stood his trial, but was acquitted. The tri(il caused the greatest excitement ; the chain of circumstantial evidence against Pook was very strong, and public indignation ran very high when he was acquitted. Carroll has been undergoing a heavy drunken bout for nearly a week, and on Sunday commenced to tell his tale of horror to Mrs Jones and Mrs Cox, two residents of Mortlake, and then asked the address of a policeman. This he was told, and, as before stated, gave himself up to Constable Beer. He admitted also having servei five years' imprisonment in England for inflicting grievous bodily harm on a gas manager. As Carroll was in a very maudlin state at the time of making the statement;, the constable took him in charge for protection, and lodged him in the Concord lockup. Yesterday he was taken into the Newtown Police Station, and was examined by the Government Medical Officer, who said he was suffering orreatly from the influence of a protracted bout, and Carroll was consequently placed under medical observation and treatment. The disclosures are the common talk of the district, and on every hand one hears all sorts of statements and surmises in connection with the affair, which has caused quite a furore in Mortlake, as no doubt it will elsewhere when the facts are mado known. Carroll has been a soldier during part of his life, and deserted twice, so it is evident from this and theofcher facts we have stated tbathehashadavariedcareer. Hewas also one of the men who wore concerned in the sly grog-selling case thut occurred at Mortlake on Saturday. He is now in a bad state from the effects of drink, and when telling the story of his crime to the women before mentioned got quite soft, I and cried, saying that " All his friends had j deserted him," which is hardly to be ! wondered at.