YARRA TRAGEDY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16986, 9 March 1923, Page 3

YARRA TRAGEDY.

♦ COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. j By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright j Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. MET,BOURNE, March 8. I The inquest on the Yarra victim has j j concluded, and Hannah Mitchell has I J ueen committed for trial on a charge j I of wilful murder. i | STORY OF DISPOSAL OF BODY. i FORMER HUSBANDS

EVIDENCE. Frank Bonfiglio, the former husband of Hannah Elizabeth Mitchell, who is charged with murder in connect ion with the Yarra tragedy, told a sensational story at the inquest of how he carried a girl from a bedroom in Nurse Mitchell’s ‘house to the bathroom, of how Nnrpe Mitchell performed an operation. and how the girl then lapsed into unconsciousness, from which she

did not recover. He went on to describe how the body was taken away in a car at dead of night, and buried under fern leaves in a gully in the hills. “ She will he eaten by some animal in a few days, and nobody will know' who she is if she is found,” .said Nurse Mitchell, according to Bonfiglio. j Bonfiglio. a marble mason, said : T j was married to Hannah Mitchell in j 1919. On November 15 last year I saw ; her at a shop, ajid she suggested that ! we should go to the Caulfield races, i We went to see her at the house in ! Burnley Street that night. She asked J me to go in and sing a song, but I went away. I returned at 9.30p.m., and she again asked me to go in and sing. T went into Mrs Mitchell’s bedroom. She said something about a girl being in the house, and she left the room for twenty minutes. She said ;

11 The girl took bad. Take your coat off and help to carry her to the bathroom.” T went to No 3 bedroom and saw a girl in a double bed. Mrs Mitchell told the. girl to put an arm round my neck, and in this way T as-

sisted Mrs Mitchell and Mrs Mil ward to carry the girl to the bathroom. Mrs Mitchell performed an operation, and then told Mrs Mi heard to get- her son to fetch some brandy. This was done. After that Mrs Mitchell said: “ T can’tdo any more for her. lam tired. I think she is gone.”

The girl then became unconscious. She was carried back to the 'bedroom and put to bed and .givMi *sonne brandy. Mrs Mitchell went into her own room and T followed her, and she said : “ A doctor couldn’t do more than 1. have.” 1 said: “ "Why didn’t you get a. doctor in the first place?” and she replied: “Don't worry me. Let me rest.” The girl was still unconscious. Mrs Mitchell said she was going to bed, and while she was out of the room Mrs Mil ward said: “It is a shame to see a girl die like that-” After bringing a cup of coffee Mrs Mitchell again said she was going to bed, and told me to do the same. 7 replied: l cannot leave the girl like this.” 1 remained with the girl and Mrs Mil ward. Then a saw the girl stop breathing. 1 went out and told Mrs Mitchell about the girl, and she said: “‘1 am tired: I want a rest.” I said : ** You might do something for her,” and she replied : "1 suppose she is dead.” 1 said: “ "Will you see her?” She then went into the bedroom and covered the girl's face with a sheet, saying: “She’s gone! Get to bed and have a rest." She bolted the door and went to bed, while I sat in a chair in Mrs Mi Heard* s bedroom. Continuing, witness said: "On the following night a taxi arrived, and Mrs Mitchell told me to go for a drive in the fresh air. She told mo she hacl got the- car to take the botlv away to HealesviUo. I asked her wh'v she had not told me before, and she j said. " If you will not help there an people who do this and will do it again. “ At about 2.30 a.m. Nurse Mitchell went into the room where the body was. Mrs Afilward and I followed her. The body was wrapped in a blanket and was fastened with safety pins. Mis Milward, Mrs Mitchell and Miss Mitchell were in the- room. Nurse Mitchell. Mrs Milward and I carried the hotly to the ear in the yard, and placed it between the front and roar seats. I went t.o tlie wheel. We drove to White Horse Road. and passed MadaimMelba’s place, and continued until the road ended. It was then 4.1.5 a.m.. and the day was breaking.” Mr Scott Murphy: What did von d» then?—We pulled down the rails and took the bo:lv from Hie car. Who carried the body?—Airs Alil-ci.-eIJ. Mrs Milward and myself. Where? —We carried it down u deep gully. Mrs .Milward stopped half wav. but- Mis Mitchell and J c.-ulcd it uu further. What did von do with it ?- Wo laid ii down. Mrs Mitchell removed the blanket and covered, the bodv with long f« i*n leaves. On oiir wav bank Nur«e Mitchell said : “ She will be eaten by some animal in a fen- days. Ynbodc will know who she is if they find her.” We arrived back at Bm nlo> Street at Whom did you find there?—-Mrs c nicer and r> .gentleman and his vifr having breakfast. Who «-«3 th** wntl-v.nn? R mfiglio pointed him out in th-' ec’'rt. Mr M<’»«r»hv■: What ”a . he doit." +We ? TTis wMV* was Uu* same bp.si i*< . ~ the nth'-*- "irl.

When you returned to t- 1 e room did you go into the bedroom ?- Yes. Was anything said there?- Nurse Mitchell asked her daughter what she had done with the clothes, and her daughter said: T burned them in the copper last night.” Nurse Mitchell said : ” Good girl... Did you go to West Australia soon after ?—Yes. Did you send wires to Mrs Mitchell for money?—Yes. Did you write her a letter?- Yes. Bonfiglio said he returned to Melbourne ou December 12 and called to sec Mrs Mitchell. After kissing him. Mrs ’Mitchell said. “ You can do what you like. You can tell the police if you like. The body has been shifted and burned under the copper like Dr l eacock’s case.” Bonfiglio described at length the.* shooting incident at Richmond, which followed, stating that Mrs Mitchell fired five shots at him. hitting his arm. Ho fell, and she fired three m ro shots. Mr Ridgeway protested that this evi- ; donee was irrelevant, but the Coroner ! decided to admit it. Witness .said the shots Dim on the i hack and the front. After Mrs Mitj chell had locked the door ho escaped through the window and went to the hospital. Mr Scott Murphy: When did you become aware of tlie business carried on at this house?—About a fortnight after 1 was married. Despite proteste from counsel for the defence, the Coroner decided to allow the evidence on this point. Witness continued: “ A week alter I was married a young woman '-ailed at the house, and 1 became suspicious. J spoke to Nurse Mitchell, and she said she ought to have told me v. hat she was | doing before we were married. I left ! her. ami she induced me to come back, j aml promised that she would give up i the work. J Mr Ridgeway: Was it Nurse. Miti i-heirs suggestion solely that the body should he taken away?—Yes. ; W ere you ever in prison before you wore married?--Yes, I got six months. Were you in prison for keeping a disorderly house?—No. When you -married Mrs Mitchell did you have a motor-car?—No. she bought me one as a present to marry her. 11was worth £sojp. \ou sold it and got rid of the money r —Oh. no, she got some out of me. Did yon often get very large sums of money from this woman?- No. Mould it be wrong to sav you got £9OOO since you married her?— What! I have given her more than she has given me. How many times have you been convicted for assaulting this woman Y Three or four times. I have been couvi c bed unlaw f u lly. Have you been in gaol for assaulting her?- Yes, six months. If Mrs Mitchell said that you were going down to drink her blood, what would you say to that?—T wop Id say it was untrue. Were you divorced' while in gaol? Yes. She says you pestered and threatened her with violence?—Never, on my life. When you wired for money, was the demand for business purposes, or was it plain blackmail?--! have never blackmailed in my life. Have you ever been'in San Francisco?— Yes. j Did you come hero from there? No. 1 came from Chili, whore 1 had been working. Did you ever say you were ;u. artist in the disposal of bodies over there? Oh, no. Mr Shelton: When did the police first see you?—When I was in bed early in January after tlie shooting. I take it that you desired to rid vour soul of sin before you died? Yes. Didn’t you realise that if your story of to-riav was true von did not sin? Yes legal operations? No. You don’t suggest that Margaret ■ Mitchell ’ took any part jri the disposal j of the body apart from her having ! stayed in the car to keep Mrs Mil- | ward company ? No. Did von tell anvhodv that vour wife Laid:. “I love vou ; hut I have to d . | iu? " -No. j You made reference to a “ person ;in one of your telegrams. AY hat did ! you mean? I referred to the burly w, j 1 suppose vou know what saving : your skin means? - -Yes. I Are vou Irving to save vour own skin? No. I Mr Dor in: Did Mrs Milward dc * anything on the night of the operaj tion. beyond giving the girl brandy • ’ No. j Mr Ridgeway: When you sav thai j the girl was in a serious condition die : you not send for a doctor ? I siipj pose you posed as a man? \ didn’l ; When she died did you know join : duty ? - No. Did yon know you slkhiM have nuiii | the police? —T suggested it. but Mi> j Mitchell said,. “ Dqn’t worry, and h i ] You want us to .believe that it wa, I all Mrs Mitchell’s fault, and not innocent Frank Bonfiglio? I thought I was a fool.