MELBOURNE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 22, 17 June 1865, Page 5

MELBOURNE.

THE MURDEIt IN LATROBE- STREET ATTEMPTED SUICIDE BY THE MURDERER. (From the Argus, j\lay 30.) A murder was committed, late on Sunday night, at No 10G", Latrobe-streeteast, situated nearly opposite the Police Barrack, when a young woman named Catherine Sarah Jacobs, aged about twenty years, was killed by a man who had for some time been living with her tit that place. The man charged with committing the act is named Peler Dotselaere, aud was arrested directly after the occurrence. He is a native of Belgium, and has been engaged in the hospital as a mat-tress-inuker, &c. The girl Jacobs was for some time a ballet-girl at one of the Melbourne theatres. Deceased had, as stated, been living for some time in the house at which the murder was committed with tho man Dotselaere. She had, however, been courted of late by a young man named William Orchard, who recently came down from Wood end to see her. From the Argus of tho 31st May wo take the following particulars of tho INQUEST ON THE BODY. An inquest was held by the c".i strict coroner yesterday, at the Supreme Court Hotel, on tho body of Catherine Sarah Jacobs, the woman who was murdered on Sunday night, at 106, Latrobe street east. Peter Dotsalaere, the man who, from the evidenco brought forward, appears to have committed the crime, was present during the investigation, having been brought from the gaol in custody of tho police. The following witnesses were examined : — Emily Wilson deposed : I am a, single woman, living at 106, Latrobe-strect east. I knew the deceased. She was also a single woman residing in the house. I know the prisoner, who went by the name of Peter. On Sunday night, about ten o'clock, while in bed, I dreamt I heard some one screaming. I at once jumped up, and lighted the candle. I went half-way down stairs, when I saw Peter standing against the bannister. He said to me, "I have done for Florence." I said, " you hare not hurt Florence, have you P" and he said ho had not. He then told me to dress myself and fetch the police. I opened the windows over tho staircase, and called out to Ellen Jones to come in. Just then I heard some one coming through the yard, and Peter went down the kitchen stairs towards tho back door. William Orchard came up the back stairs immediat >ly afterwards, and went in Florence's room, aiul brought up a candle. I then saw deceased lying in the passage with her throat cut. She was resting against the side of the passage. Ellen Jones and John Uollison had come up the stairs at this time, and Orchard ran down. Soon afterwards Sergeant Summerhayes came in, and after a little while Dr Barker arrived. I went to bed about six or seven o'clock that evening. I saw the deceased and prisoner in bed about nine o'clock, having come into the room for something. They were not quarrelling at that time, but seemed very quiet. I don't think either of them had been drinking. I then went upstairs again, aud about an hour afterwards I heard the scream. I fancied I heard the do ceased groan while lying in the passage, but she was dead when we brought the light. To Inspector Hare : I was at the market on Saturday night with Peter and Florence. The latter changed a £'5 note at the Adam and Eve Hotel. She received two sovereigns and two £1 notes, with some silver, in exchange. I heard Florence say that afternoon that she would not go out with Peter again. The later slept on the sofa on Saturday night. He remained in the house the whole of Sunday, and eookod the dinner. I identify the purse produced, which was tho property of the deceased. The divss produced is the one which Florence wore on Sunday morning. There was a light in the room when I went in on Sunday evening ; but J. did not notice that a kerosino lamp had been broken, or that there was any disorder in tho room. I do not know when Petrr and Florence made up their quarrel. The first time I saw them after the dispute was when they were in bed. When I saw Florence lying in the passage she was about three feet from the prisoner, who was leaning against tho wall. Prisoner gave deceased money sometimes, but not often. To the Jury : The back-door was not fastened that night. This was not usual, as the door was generally fastened by the last person downstairs. Orchard never came iv at the back door before. Ellen Jones, who said she was a single woman, deposed : I lived iv the same house as the deceased. I have been living there about two months. Peter was in the kitchen I all day Sunday. About eight or nine o'clock in the evening I went into Florence's bedroom to ask for the key of the street door, as I wanted to go out. Peter was in bed with her at the time. Peter said he did not know where the key was, and went to the front: room window to speak to Rollinson. Whilst he was there I went and dressed myself in Florence's room. I then went to tho front room and saw William Orchard. I went and told her that " Bill" was outside. She jumped out of bed, and said " Bill, go round to tho back ; you know the way." At this time prisoner was at tho window, telling Rollinson that he could not find tho key to let him in. I then got through the frontroom window, and went with Rollinson and Orchard to the Supreme Court Hotel. We remained there about half an hour, and then went home the back way. Orchard got to j the door before us, and went up-stairs. I followed him, and saw the deceased lying on the ground dead. I did not see the prisoner at that time. Deceased was in her nightdress. When I went into tho bedroom, deceased and the prisoner appeared to bo friendly, and nothing was in disorder. ! The kerosene lamp was burning. I gave deceased two half sovereigns and 3s, She put the money in her purse. The purse I produced is tho one. The dress produced i was worn by the deceased on. Sunday morn-

ing. On Saturday night, I heard Peter say that deceased should never go out with any one else. We met orchard at the Hay market Theatre about a fortnight before Christmas, and Florence told me they were going to be married. I heard Peter say that Florence should never be Mrs Orchard while he was a hying man. Prisoner has been living with deceased since we have been in that house, which is about two months. Prisoner must have hoard deceased tell Orchard to como in the back way. To a Juryman : —When Peter told deceased that she should not go out with any one else, she laughed at him, but no quarrel took place. A^ illiam Orchard deposed : I am a cardriver, living at Mount Macedon. I had known the deceased since about a fortnight before last Christinas. I was engaged to be married to her. I came down on Sunday j last with the intention of marrying her, and ' taking her up the country with me. In the \ evening, between nine and ten o'clock, I ! went to the house in Latrobe-street. Eollinson was at the window talking to the prisoner. Eollinson said "la that you, Bill P" and j wanted mo to go and have a^Srink. I heard the deceased ask me to go round the back way. Ellon Jones soon afterwards jumped out of the window, which was immediately closed. I went to the door, which was locked ! and they said they could not find the key. ! We all three went to the Supreme Court Hotel, and remained there about half-an-hour. On our return we went round to the back. I went first. When I got to the back door, I saw a man and heard his footsteps. Just as I got there the man closed the door, and I asked, " Is that you, Peter ?" lie said, " Don't come in for a moment, Bill." lat once pushed the door open, but could not see anything as it was dark. I ran upstairs and saw a while form lying in the passage. I took the light from the bedroom, and saw that the deceased was dead, although she was warm. Her throat was cut, and there was blood running down her ] breast. I called out, "He has cut her throat — he has killed her :" and ran down stairs to Grid prisoner, but could see no one. I then ran to the police barracks, and returned with j a policeman. Sergeant Suramerhayes came soon afterwards, and I then saw the prisoner running down the stairs of the loft in the yard. Sergeant Summerhayes then arrested him, and he said he would go quietly. Prisoner was in his shirt sleeves, and had no hat on. To the jury : The prisoner and I wero on good terms. We never had a quarrel. John Charles Eollinson, assistant to Lawrence Benjamin, a cloth'-T, deposed, — On Sunday night I went to U- ■ house in Latrobestreet, and knocked at i •: door. Prisoner came to the window, I af " 1 for Ellen Jones. He said tho door was I. 'red, and the key lost, and ho asked me i i go round to the back. I refused to go to \'.,<>. back, and Ellen Jones then came to the window. Orchard then came up, and we went with Ellen Jones to the Supreme Court Hotel for drink. We went back after some time, Orchard going first. When I got to the house Orchard came out, and said that Florence had been murdered. I remained outside until the police came. I did not want to go in to eeo the body, but the police pushed me forward and made me. No ono touched tho body while I was there. Sergeant Summerhayes deposed : About a qiiartci- to eleven o'clock on Sunday night, I received information that a woman had been murdered, and Iwent to the house in Latrobestreet. I saw deceased lying at tho foot of the staircase. She was lying on her back, and her feet were against a projection of tho wall. Her throat was cut and she was quite dead. I got a light and went to the back yard, and in the farther corner of a small hay-loft, about ten j'ards from the back door I saw the prisoner, with a knife in his hand. I culled out for the other policeman, and the prisoner walked towards me down the steps. I retired to the foot of the ladder, and then told him, that I arrested him for tho murder of the woman, and that if ho made any resistance, he would have to suffer the consequences. He held out his hands. I searched him for the knife, which, he said was in the j hayloft. I cautioned him not to say any- ' ! thing, when he commenced to cry, and said " I am guilty. Take me to tho watch-house." I then found that he had made an attempt to commit suicide, his neck being covered with blood. Both his hands were also covered with blood. I told him I should hare to take him to the hospital. He said " Don't take me there — take rue to tho watch house." I took him to the hospital, ■where it was found that he had three small wounds on his neck. The doctor dressed tho wounds and the prisoner having washed his hands, was taken to the watch-house and searched. I found a watch and chain and a purse in liia possession. The purse contained two ,61 notes, two sovereigns, two half-sovereigns, a shilling, four sixpences, a threopenny-pieco, and 2.Yd in copper. I found the dress produced, with the pocket turned inside out, and covered with blood. There was also blood upon a pair of tongs, which was about j two yards from the body. Everything in the bedroom was in confusion. The kerosine lamp was overturned and broken. ' Numerous articles of clothing and ornaments ' were filso scattered about the floor of the bedroom, and in the front room glasses and bottles were lying about the floor. There were two slight stains of blood on one of the pillow cases, but no pool of blood in the room. There was a large pool of blood where the deceased had fallen. '< To a Juryman — I got in by the back door, the front door being locked. Tho prisoner : was not intoxicated. He was pale, and apj peared to be stupefied His hands up to the wrists were literally covered with blood. Constable Mawhiimy deposed, — I went with Constable Martin to tho house on Sun- ! day night, and saw the deceased lying in the ! passage, about three feet from tho staircase, i with her throat cut. She was quite dead. I remaiued in charge of the premises, and allowed no ouo to leave, while Martin made ; a search. In about ten minutes Sergeant Summerhayes arrived, and I saw him arrest the prisoner, who said he would go quietly. I afterwards went up iuto the loft, and found on tho floor tho knife produced, and the key of the street door. [Tho knife was an ordi- , nary table-knife, but apparently very sharp, . and was much stained with blood.] On tho • table in the front room I found a handker- . | chief stained with blood, which appeared as ! if it had been rolled round the handle of the i knife. The Prisoner, — the handkerchief has never j been round the knife. Edward Baker, deposed, — I am a legally 3 ' qualified surgeon, living in Latrobe-street. L A little before twelve o'clock on Sunday - night, I was called to see the doceased. I

found Ike body lying on. its back in tlie passage, with the head towards the front door, and the right leg against a projection of the wall. The body was partially covered with a chemise. The hair was in a very disordered state. There were some spots of blood on tho face, and a large quantity of blood on tho neck, and some frothy mucus issuing from a wound in the throat. There were also spots of blood on the right arm and side. The body was pallid and cold, but not rigid. By the side of the body I noticed a quantity of blood. After making this examination I ordered the body to bo removed into the front room. I have since made a post mortem examination. On removing tho blood from the neck, T found seven or eight ragged incised wounds, just cutting through the skin, on the right side of the neck. There was also a large wound about | four inches long, commencing on the right and extending to the left side of the neck, which had divided several nruscles and the windpipe. Both the external and internal jugular veins of the left side were divided, the wound extending upwards and baek- | wards. The cause of death was hemorrhage and obstruction to the respiration, caused by the division of the jugular vein and windpipe. The wound was probably inflicted with some blunt-cutting instrument. The ! knife produced would havo caused such I wounds. The wounds could not have been self-inflicted. I think the deceased must have beon lying down when the wounds were inflicted. Death must have taken place in two or three minutes, and from the nature of the wounds the deceased could not have screamed out. From so little blood being found in tho bed-room, my impression is that the woman's throat must have been cut in the passage near where she fell ; and from the position of her legs, I think she must have had a struggle in the passage. Robinson was called, and questioned by the prisoner with reference to the handkerchief found by constable Mawhinny. He j snid that he could not identify the handkerchief, but that he had used a similar one to stop the bleeding of his finger, which he had on Saturday while taking a razor away from the deceased. There had been a row between the deceased and the prisoner, and the former had taken up a razor, which witness took from her. To the Coroner : I have known the prisoner for three or four months. I never noticed anything iv his conduct that would lead me to suppose that ho was insane. To the jury : The deceased was very much excited when I took the razor away from her, and appeared to be almost hysterical. She was not intoxicated, but might havo had a glass or two Ido not know what caused the quarrel between her and the prisoner, in answer to the customary question from the coroner, the prisoner declined to say anything. The jury, after consulting together, found that the deceased had been killed by the prisoner, whom they pronounced " Gruilty of wilful mu7'der." The prisoner was then committed to take his trial at tho next sittings of the Criminal Sessions, which will be held on the loth of June.