TOWITTA TRAGEDY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 310, 10 January 1902, Page 2

TOWITTA TRAGEDY.

THE INQUEST. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Adelaide, J an. 9. The inquest on the body of Bertha Schippan has opened. The evidence of the brothers threw no light on tho tragedy. When awakened by the elder sister, they sought assistance from a neighbor. On his advice, they went for a constable a mile away. They were afraid to eutor tho room where tho man was alleged to be. Aftor discovery of tho body, all left the house, and stayed at the constable's till morning.

A cablegram received on Wednesday morning stated :—Startling developments are expected at tho Towitta iuquest on Thursday. The police have a clue to the murderer of tho girl Schippan, but are taking extraordinary precautions to prevent a leakage. A previous cable informed us that In the middle of the night a man entered a room whore two sisters named Schippan wore slecpiog. Tho elder escaped, and when she returned with assistance, her sister Bertha, aged 14, was found dead, with a terrible gash in hor throat, and tho assailant was gone. The parents of tho girls wore away on a visit to Perth. The girls were awakened by a man throwing himself across their bodies. The elder jumped out of bed and the man grabbed her and knocked her head against tho wall. In the struggle tho assailant dropped tho knife, and while he was groping for it the girl escaped. Two brothers who were sleeping in an adjoining building were frightened by the noise and sought assistance half a mile away. Besides the wound in her throat, tho girl Bertha was gashed about the head.