MURDER BY A SISTER.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3737, 23 September 1886, Page 3

MURDER BY A SISTER.

0 An inquest wua held at Cork on June 21 on the body of Timothy Brophy, aged eighteen, who was found murdered on June 18. The medical advice showed that from the time the deceased was brought into the hospital until he died ho remained unconscious. He had eighteen wounds on tho left side of his face and neck. Thero wero no wounds on t!ie chest. The left ear was severed, and two of the bon'-s on the face were smashed m, as if he had been struck with an instrument such as the hatchet produced. The general evidence showed that the deceased, his sister, and throe brothers occupied a detuched cottage off the common road. lie had been employed as a porter, and had lived on very bad terms with his sister. A few evenings before a quurrel took place over their meals and tho deceased s truck his sister, causing a j black eye. She declared she would have satisfaction. Daniel Brophy, tho elder brother reluming home at night found the deceased lying on tho lloor, and the sister standing alongside. She stated m reply to his questions that two boys had brought him , to tho door, and ho had staggered m. Tins was, however, quite inconsistent with the fact that deceased had no clothes on at the time, and his wearing apparel hail no blood stains. Further inquiry showed that the bedclothes wero stained with blood, and that deceased appeared to have been dragged downstairs. A hatchet and knifo were found bloodstained. It was furthermore shown by one of the brothers, v young lad of 13, that about 11 o'clock liis sister entered the deceased's room, and remained there a quarter of an hour. He afterwards heard groaning and a noiso as if his sister was dragging the brother downstair?. The jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder " against Mary Brophy.