STORY OF THE CRIME.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12587, 17 August 1910, Page 7

STORY OF THE CRIME.

The story of the ghastly tragedy which occurred at Bendigo (Victoria) en August 8, was told to the police on the afternoon of that day, when Cornelia McClusky, aged 30 years, who had been living with Farquahar George McIntosh, walked into tba watch-house, and in >a. few commonplace sentences announced that she had killed her three children and set fire to the- house in which their bodies lay. Addressing Detective Commons, Mrs ~ McClusky, who was evidently in. a state of intense nervous excitement, exclaimed :—• "Well, Mr Commons, it has come to this at last. I done it." "What?" asked Detective Commons. "I have killed my three children," replied the woman. " What did yon do that for " continued Commons. "Well." McClusky answered, "he has gone away again to-day." "Who, Mclntosh?" Commons ventured. " "Yes," replied the woman. I hit them with a tomahawk, and then cut them with a carving-knife. By this time the house will be on fire. I left the breakfastroom on fire, and the place will be all burnt." The theatre of the fearful drama was the breakfast-room of the house. On entering this room the detectives were confronted by a fearful sight. At the top of tho stone steps lay the dead body o fone of the children iv a. pool of blood. Close by was a tomahawk, and tho room was full of smoke. The party rushed into the room, and found a quantity of books and paper burning, and in the passage, lying at the foot of the stairs, was revealed the dead and mutilated body of an infant boy. He had been savagely hacked about the head. . The fire having been extinguished, tho detectives sought hurriedly for the third'child, a little girl. She was disco^er■ed in a pool of blood on the side path, and was evidently trying to make her escape when the mother caught her sine1, cut her down. The mutilated.bodies were taken inside and laid side by side on a spring mattress. The axe had been used with ghastly effect, and the knife had left long gaping wounds. Dr Boyd, who was summoned, could only pronouncG life,.extinct, and note the extraordinary number of injuries on the children's heads. ■_ Later in the evening McClusky made a statement to the detectives. She said that she had been living with Mclntosh for nine years. Mclntosh came to Bendigo in January last as manager of the local jam factory. The couple had had several quarrels, and ,accordi ing to her statement, she had been 3ealI ous of other women. Only that morning pho objected to his going away from home, and told him to be prepared for tho worst when he came back at night. Mclntosh arrived at six o clock. He .was appalled by the news of what had occurred. He stated that tho woman had been nagging, at him for some time. She had also mads charges against him, which he emphatically denied. She was alwa-vs of a jealous temperament, and would not accept an explanation, lor Koine time she had been threatening all kinds of things, and as a precaution ne always took the razor out with him. The following letter in McClusky s handwriting, was found in the house: "j have just posted two letters in the uillar-uox here. You have blamied me before. Now I have done it ,and told thorn everything fully and clearly, and will soon tako effect after being searched into. So look out, my lord, you will, get your desserts, as you deserve them.—C." McC -Sunday: "E-G. Mclntosh. Now you will he' satisfied, you double-dyed traitor; you hound. Yes; you told mo lies and excuses as you have done these last few months. May your life be a curse to you. Yes; I curse you, you dog, and the day I ever took up with yon That is all. May every misfortuno befall you. You will say I m mad. but I'm no such thing.—C. McC McClusky was remanded to appear at the local Court on August 15, and she