THE DUNEDIN TRAGEDY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1042, 5 January 1884, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN TRAGEDY.

The inquest on Matilda Hancock was resumed yesterday. The first witness was Annie Feidal, a neighbor, who had gone to see tho woman after she had received the wound. The woman told her Pearce had stabbed her. Witness bathed and dressed tho wound and told Pearce ha ought to go for a doctor, but he did not. Witness asked Pearce about the stabbing, and he said they had a few words and he did it in a passion. Sarah Boyd, also a neighbor, next gave evidence. In her examination in chief she said Mrs Pearce told her she got the wound by falling in the yard on a piece of glass. To Inspect tor Weldon : Witness said after tho Po-

lice Sergeant had taken the deceased’s clothes away several women were in Pearce’s house, and one of them, pointing

to a knite on the mantelpi.co, said.—“ I wonder if that is the knife.” - said, if it was it should be put away. Pearce then went tc the mantel-piece and put somethin'; in his pocket, and coming over to witness, whispered, “ Can I put this in your house?”- Witness answered, “Oh no, nothing in my place.” Pearce went out, and did not return for fully half an hour. Thomas Lawson deposed that on the Saturday night prior to deceased’s death, Pearce and she were quarrelling about the back of the house. r Both were very drunk. On Sunday afternoon he heard the woman had been stabbed, and on Monday ho was told she was dead. Witness 1 ' wife took a shilling’s worth of beet into the house, and witness went in to get a share of it. He (witness) was then pretty “tight ” There were several knives on the mantelpiece, and some one said the knife should be done away with. There was a general knowledge that the woman had been stabbed, and a fueling that as she was dead it would be a pity to see Pearce get into trouble. One of the knives which was on the mantelpiece when ho went in was not there when he went out. The knife was lying there after the police took away the deceased’s clothes. Another neighbor, \.nn Proven, deposed that the deceased had told her she Was stabbed by- iJidy (Pearce). After the death Pearce said to witness “I may be taken up for this case. Will you take charge of my fish knife 1" But witness replied “ No. ” The further evidence given was corroborative of that previously taken, and Drs Coughtrey and Copland also gave evidence. Dr Gop’and stated that he had been called in within an hour after death, which occurred about midnight, and told Pearce he co aid not give a certificate, but recommended him to communicate with the police. Pearce did so about fivo or six o’clock. The jury returned a verdict equivalent to wilful murder, and theCoronercom uit'.ed Pearce for trial.

[by telegraph ] Dunedin, To day. The jury returned a verdict of “ Wilful murder ” against William Pearce, who was committed for trial.