SYDNEY SENSATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 13 March 1925, Page 5

SYDNEY SENSATION.

ATTACK ON TWO WOMEN. DEATH OF ONE OF VICTIMS. ;'ress Association —Electric Telegraph—CopyrlgSYDNEY, Thursday. Airs Smith, one of the two women attacked in a house at ltedfern, who was 45 years of age, died shortly after lier admission to hospital. Her daughter is in a critical condition. The details show the first indication the neighbours had of the affair was a woman’s scream. They heard the sound of several blows, and after this all was quiet. A few minutes later a young man boarding in the house ran into the street, shouting, “Run for the police!” He returned to the house, but reappeared a few .minutes later, shouting ‘ ‘ Aim del'! ’ ’ The police were informed, and on their arrival found both women lying in .bed, with bedclothes pulled over their heads, which were badly battered by a tomahawk. The first report that the women were shot was caused by neighbours seeing one of Smith’s sons, aged about 34 years, who, hearing cries of “Alurder!” became terrified, and climbed on ’to the roof, where ‘he was fired at by another neighbour, who thought he was a burglar. Aids Smith was living apart from her husband, who is living at Woy Woy. Alice Quirk is Airs Smith’s daughter by a. previous marriage. The boarder who gave tire alarm told the police he was awakened early in the morning by a revolver shot, and scream. lie ran downstairs and sawtwo men leaving by the back door.

The elder boy said after being awakened by the screams of liis mother he heard a man approaching the room where he and. his brother, aged four, were sleeping. He became frightened, and climbed out bn to the roof, while the younger boy hid under the bed. As the boys’ room is right at the back of the house, and upstairs, and flic women’s room is downstairs, one theory is that the murderer intended to kill the boys also, but became alarmed at the noise and 'lied.

So far there is no clue or motive for

the crime. The police detained a suspect.—P.A. BOARDER DETAINED. (Received Friday, 0.40 a.un.) SYDNEY, This Day. Tim name of the woman murdered at Redfern is not Smith, but Quirk. She lived under the name of Smith with Alfred Smith. It, has been established that Smith was at Woy Woy when the crime was committed. The police detained the man Avos, who was boarding at the house. —B.A.