Shocking Tragedy.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 568, 10 February 1891, Page 3

Shocking Tragedy.

TRAM CONDUCTOR MURDERS HIS AFFIANCED. A murder was committed shortly before midnight of the 26th ult., at Clifton Hill, Melbourne. It appears that a domestic servant named Stella Louisa Marks, aged 24, was engaged to John Wilson, aged 23, a tram candnctor, who became jealous of a young sign writer named Thomas McEwan. On Saturday evening, when on bis tram, going down Bourke Street, Wilson saw Miss Marks walking arm-in-arm with McEwan, and early on Sunday morning he went to St. Hilda, where his bride-elect was at service, for an explanation. Some words passed between them. He would not leave, however, remaining in the shed the whole day till she should be free to accompany him to Clifton Hill. In the evening they left together, and proceeded to the house of Mrs Reid in Collingwood, where Wilson’s sweetheart used to stay when out of service. Abcut half-past ten Wilson asked her to go out for a walk, as he wished to say something to her about Thursday, which had been fixed as the day of their marriage. Mrs Reid opposed their going out, and Reid advised his wife to keep the girl in, as, he now says, he noticed Wilson appeared “ a bit off.” Miss Marks, however, said she would go out “ to bid him good-night to please him,” and they walked towards Darling Gardens. From subsequent events it appears that he asked her about the Bourke street affair as they sat on a waterpipe together, when he made an attack on her. She rose, and he slashed a razor across her throat, nearly severing her head. She staggered a few yards and fell dead. Wilson ran away. A man named Swan witnessed the girl fall and Wilson run, and he hastened to her and found what had occurred. He hurried for a constable, who then unsuccessfully chased Wilson. The latter made his way to Hodgeson, his brother in law, and on the way slightly cut his own throat. He told of the affair, and Hodgeson took him to the police station, where he gave himself up.

It is stated that after seeing his sweetheart in McEwan’s company iu Bourke street on Saturday night, Wilson went to Mrs Reid’s, and not finding the girl there told Mrs Beid what he had seen, and on leaving remarked: “It Stella went on like that he would do for her.”

He was brought before the Collingwood Bench, and remanded to the inquest.