STRANGE MURDER CASE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3682, 21 July 1886, Page 3

STRANGE MURDER CASE.

(By Tblbobaph kkoh thb Bluff.) MbLBOTJBNB, July 14. The Wangaratta murder case came on for trial at Beechworth on Monday, before the Chief Justice. The alleged crime possessed unußual and peculiar features. On the night of 29th January the homestead of a farmer named Plum, situated at East Court, about five miles from Wangaratta, was burned to the ground, and the owner was found buried among the ruins. The deceased had not been living very happily with bis family, who were all 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 upon an elderly married woman named Stevens, who lived m the neighbourhood, and was known to havo been on terms of intimaoy with the . deceased farmer. It was found that Mrs Stevens bad been away from her home on the i night of the fire, and that on the previous i night she had been at Plum's house, Plum having offered her £5 to stay with him. Arsenio was found m Plum's etomacb, and nrsenio was found m Mrs Stevens' bouse. |

About a week afterwards a tin and purse containing cash and deposit receipts amounting n total value to nearly £2500, which were 'sown to have been m the possession if the deceased, wero discovered m the midst of a wood-stick m the yard of Mrs Stevens' bouse. Mrs Stevens also, when questioned, made contradictory statements to account for her absence from her house. She was arrested on tbe charge of murder, the allegation being tbat she had poisoned Plum to get possession of tbe money, and had then set fire to the bonse to hide tho crime. The greatest interest was taken m the trial. The points for the defence were that Mrs Stevens being m the habit of preserving birds thus kept arsenic m the house ; that the money found m her wood-heap was not found there until a week had elapsed, and after the place had been twice previously thoroughly searched, and that consequently it might nave been placed there |by Bomebody else ; and that though it was admitted she spent Thursday night with Plum, there was no evidence of her having been thero on Friday, on which night the murder took place. The possibility of the house having been set fire to by lightning during the storm which occurred on Friday night was also put to the jury. The Chief Justice summed up m favour of the accused, admitting, however, it was perhaps the most suspicious case he had over known. Mrs Stevens throughout the trial appeared the least interested person m the court, except . when counsel admitted she had spent the ; night with Plum, when ehe shed tears. After a iong retirement the jury found her " Not guilty."