TELEGRAMS

Inangahua Times, Volume VII, Issue 1209, 18 December 1882, Page 2

TELEGRAMS

, »-»',; ?» — — ■ (FROM OUR OWN correspondent.) Auckland, 10. The following additional particulars have come to light regarding the alleged murder of Hamilton by Mrs. Hamilton and a man named Priestly, her alleged paramour. The murdered man, it will be remembered, was said to have gone home intoxicated, and falling across a bedstead, sustained severe fractures of the skull. On enquiries being made by the police, a variety of evidence presumptive, and in some cases direct, was obtained tending to show that Priestly and Mrs, Hamilton had been very intimate. That the domestic relations of Mr and Mrs Hamilton had been for some time pasttof an unhappy character, and thafrthe unfortunate deceased was jealous of his wife. No absolute proof of improper intercourse between the accused pair was obtained. In order to ascertain what Priestly had to say for himself, Mr. Thompson determined to introduce him in person, and accordingly a messenger was sent for him, and he was hi the afternoon found in the house of Mr Alexander Neilson Hamilton's brother-in-law) in the Eden Terrace district. Mrs. ; Hamilton has been residing there since the inquest' and Priestly had been making occasional visits there, r Priestly readily accompanied the messenger back to the police station, and was duly questioned. He made so many contradictory statements, however, that the police suspicion was strengthened against him, and when Mrs Hamilton was seen, and she also gave contradictory information, it was resolved to lose no further time in proceeding to action. The dwelling places of both prisoners were visited, and sufficient evidence Avas obtained to justify Superintendent Thompson in issuing warrants for the arrest of both Hamilton and Priestly. In the woman's house an old and greatly used American axe-was discovered, which to a casual observer presents no unusual appearance. The critical eye of a detective, however, perceived some dark stains upon the blunt edge of the iron head ana along contiguous portions of the handle. Both the wood and metal looked as if there had been a recent attempt madoto clean them, but the assumed effort to erase the suspicious looking stains had been entirely unsuccessful. The officer was besides convinced that these were blood stains, but this remans to be proved by medical analysis. No o titer fresh traces of blood seem to have been seen in or about the house, bat there is one oth r collateral fact bearing on Hamilton's alleged inebriety, that is held to be significant. It was ascci tamed that after returning 1 honiu he returned the Lodge Books in their accustomed place, and in accordance with his habit took his watch away from hi?, waistcoat and carefully hung it up. These are looked upon as singularly exact precautions for a drunken man to take. Among Pi-iectly's clothing further suspicious evidence was brought tc light, A pair of dark tweed trousers, somewhat worn in appearance, were found loosely packed away in his trunk, with other clothing, and after a cursory inspection a moist and dark colored spot of blood was detected at the very bottom of the legs ; the searchers also wine across a handkerchief stained here and tliere with blood. A warrant for Prie;?tly's arrest was put in execution this pfternoon by Detectives Walker and Stratford. Priestly was found at h.r loggings in tho dwcllu\v of -fr

Anulscn, Mount Eden, at which house Mrs. Hamilton also resides. When the officers made known their business, he made no statement, j having apparently been fully pre- ' pared. Mrs Hamilton was taken into custody at a later period. Later. Priestly, who was represented by Mr. Tyler, and Mrs Hamilton, defended by Mr Theo. Cooper, were charged at the Police Court to-day, with Hamilton's murder. The prisoners were remanded till Friday. Priestly was calm, but Mrs. Hamilton was much agitated. Priestly has made three statements, each contradictory of the other, in reference to his whereabouts on the night of the supposed murder. Auckland, December 16. Thoiton, the chemist, remanded on a charge of attempting to murder Mrs Rayne, at Devon Point, was found dead in a cell at the Mount Eden Gaol, at three o'clock this morning. An inquest is to be held this afternoon. It is supposed that the prisoner committed suicide by poison. It is said that, tho money Hardy spent in his fatal dissipation, was a legacy of £2,000 received on his mother's death. Tawheo professes indifference as to the Kingites accepting patches of confiscated land ; that he expects them to remain true to Kingism. As for himself, he will remain at Perongaha either may disturb him, but he will disturb no one. Patea, 16. The affairs of the Patea County Council have for some time been in a rather peculiar state. The auditors report is published in tho Mail, and shows that there are considerable deficiencies in the County Fund, caused through the clerk not accounting for moneys received. Christchurch, 16. About half past 4 this morning the Court House was found to be on fire. The brigade turned out immediately and succeeded in extinguishing the fire before it had got a good hold. Timaru, 15. At the Supreme Court to-day, in the case of Rooney v- the Union Insurance Company of New Zealand, a claim for £2,000, for wrongful imprisonment, the jury returned a verdict for £800, for the plaintiff. O AMARU, 15. A man named Finch has been arrested for criminally assaulting a Maori girl. He has lived with the Maoris for 12 years. It is stated that this is the third time the Maoris have brought accusations of the same kind against Finch. Inyercargill, 15. The civil action in the Supreme Court, before Justice Williams, Lewis v. Southland Times Newspaper Com pany, £5,000 damages, for libel in publishing a letter which was alleged to reflect on the doctor's professional ability and attention, was finished tonight by a verdict on all the issues for the defendant. Dunedin, 16. The whaler Splendid, belonging to ,Otago owners, which arrived at Lyttelton a day or two ago, has made a lucky find, 'in the shape of ambergris weighing, it is said, over 7,000 ounces, being worth some 20s an ounce. The find is truly a lucky one, and the owners are in a state of remarkable jubilation. At a meeting convened by the Mayor to-day relative to arranging to entertain Sir Julius Yogel at a banquet, about forty guests 'attended. It was resolved to give a public banquet on Wednesday evening next. The Star to-night says : — A rumor was current in town to-day that the P. & O. steamer Afghan had gone ashore in the Red Sea. Wellington, 16. . The broker for the Rock Drill Co. reports that during tho past week between 6 and 7 thousand shares have been applied for, and tliere is no doubt that tho whole issue will be taken up in a very short time. Enquiries for prospectuses are coming in from other provinces, which shows that interest is not confined to Wellington, and the immediate neighborhood. The decision of the New Zealand Shipping Company, which was announced some weeks ago, to commence at once the running of a line of direct steamers between New Zealand and Great Britau, has now assumed the j practical shape of an advertisement announcing the departure of the pioneer steamer, the British King, from London, on the 20th prox., and fi'om New Zealand on tha 31st March, to bo followed a month later by the British Queen, and thence forward by a monthly service cf similarly firm steamships.