A QUEENSLAND TRAGEDY.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13440, 11 June 1912, Page 5

A QUEENSLAND TRAGEDY.

THE ALLIGATOR CREEK MURDERS

EXECUTION OF SILVA

(Received June 10, 9.5 p.m.)

Brisbane, June 10

Silva was executed for the murder of Agnes Ching and her five children in November. At the time of his trial ho confessed his guilt, but on the scaffold ho protested that ho was innocent of the crime.

A fearful tragedy was enacted near Alligator Creek, between Maekay and Blanc Creek, on November 20th last, the white wife of a Chinese farmer named Ching, and her family of five children, being murdered in a most brutal fashion. Ching had gone to Blanc Creek on business, and on returning found the bodies of his wife, his daughter Maud, aged 17, a boy aged 5, and a baby girl, together in the sitting room. The mother had been shot in the neck and horribly mutilated. Maud also had been shot in the neck, and the other children had their heads smashed in. A search revealed the bodies of the other children—Teddy, aged 10, and Dolly, aged 8, three-quarters of a milo from the house. They were supposed to have been seen returning from school by the- murderer and enticed away and shot. Their school bags were found on the kitchen table. The bodies in the house had been huddled together and covered with a tablecloth, and a Biblo was placed on top. Ching stated that he left a Cingalese servant in the house when he wont to the township, and on returning he found the house locked. Ho thought the family were visiting neighbours', and he had tea with the Cingalese ii> the kitchen. He then went to his neighbour's, and failing to find the family became alarmed and returned and searched the house with the Cingalese Ho then made the terrible discovery. When he tried to communicate with the town he found the telephone wires cut, probably by the murderer. Silva, the Cingalese, was arrested later.