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SHOCKING MURDER IN LYTTELTON
Lyttelton was thrown into a state of intense excitement on Saturday afternoon, by a rumour that a double crime had been perpetrated there.
At first the report was discredited, but on inquiry it was found to be true that a most barbarous murder had been committed, the victim being a young girl but thirteen years of age.
The facts, as far as at present ascertained, are as follows: -
The murdered girl is a Miss Isabella Thompson, aged thirteen years, the daughter of a shipwright employed on the tunnel wharf.
She left home in Dampier's Bay about a quarter to five on Saturday afternoon, to proceed to the new Borough school to procure tickets for the forthcoming school picnic at Riccarton.
These she obtained, and left to return home shortly after five o'clock.
About six o'clock, two boys, named J. Bailey and G. Simmonds, employed driving cows, saw in a paddock, near to the Rev. F. Pember's garden, a white pocket handkerchief.
On going towards it, they saw in an opening leading into the garden, something that they thought at first was a drunken man, but which afterwards they saw was a girl lying dead.
An alarm was immediately given, and the police on arriving found that murder had been committed.
The body presented a pitiable sight, the limbs from the waist were exposed, the drawers were torn, and it was found that the girl's dress near the breast and the waist had been rudely torn away, showing that a desperate struggle had taken place.
The throat was cut from ear to ear, evidently with a blunt knife, as two cuts on one side of the throat had been made.
The right hand was covered in blood, and the hair was full of gorse blossoms.
The legs showed marks of ill-usage, one bruise having evidently been made by a boot.
The cuts on the throat clearly show that it must have been held whilst the deed was being perpetrated.
That such a deed could be perpetrated in broad daylight without someone knowing something of the matter was thought to be incredible.
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Little by little, and link by link the child's goings were traced, and yesterday afternoon the police arrested in Christchurch a man named Alfred Osborne, who lately has been discharged from gaol, and charged him with the crime.
The excitement in Lyttelton was intense on Saturday, and hundreds of persons yesterday visited the scene of the murder.
The gap in the fence is large enough for two persons to sit in.
It is supposed that the murderer lured his victim to the place.
An inquest on the body will be held this afternoon at half past three o'clock.
ANOTHER ARREST
Another arrest was made this morning, the man arrested yesterday seemingly not being the culprit.
It is only fair to state, however, that Osborne, who was detained yesterday, was not arrested by the police, but went down voluntarily from Christchurch to answer any charge.
The arrest of the second prisoner, George Mercer, is a somewhat singular one.
The accused man was formerly cook on board the schooner Canterbury, but on Saturday he shipped on board the schooner Cleopatra, in the same capacity.
The man was seen on Sunday by Mr. E. K. Saunders, of the Mitre Hotel, in such a state as to cause him to observe how he was dressed, and the condition of his clothes, was such as to lead him at once to give information to the police.
This morning, Captain Russell came to the Lyttelton Police Barracks to give information that his late cook had been on board his vessel, had thrown the stores overboard, and broken the cabin fittings; he further gave a description of the man.
Sergt.-Major O'Grady and Detective Feast went off the vessel, and on seeing the man, concluded from his appearance, he was the one when they were in search for the murderer.
He was at once arrested and brought on shore.
His clothes showed signs of blood, and gorse prickles were on his trousers.
The police are in possession of further particulars.
An inquest was held on the body at the Mitre Hotel this afternoon, before J. W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner, but had not finished when our report went to press.
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