THE CASTLEREAGH STREET TRAGEDY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1676, 30 September 1887, Page 3

THE CASTLEREAGH STREET TRAGEDY.

BORSBOOM ACQUITTED OF THE OHAKGE OF MUKDEIt.

The trial of Henry Bor*boom, for the alleged murder of his wifo at the Great An6tralian Coffee Palace, Oastlereigh street m June last, waß commenced at tho Central Criminal Court on August 31st, before Hia Etonor Mr Ju&tico .Stephen Tho accuped was the keeper of tho Great Australian Coffee Palace, Custlereagh streor, and lived there with his wife, who was about 32 yeara of age, They had been married about 2 years, and had one child — a girl between three and four yeaia of age. They did not appear to have lived very happ ly together for a month prior to the occurrence, and on the previous day they had had a quarrel, occasioned by the deceased finding a lady's gloi-e m her husband's pocket. On this account tho deceased threatened, m the presence of the accused and her little sister, to leave him and take a house of her own She did pack up a few things that day — whether with a serious intention ol going away or merely for the purpose of frightening the prisoner does not appt-ar She, how° ever, slept at the Coffee Palace that night, and early on the following morning the tragedy took place Tho fist person on the Bcene was Charles Henry Kershaw, a cook, who slept m a room on the same floor a? the prisoner and the deceased, about 9 yardn distant, and who heard thu report of a firearm at about a quarter to 6. Shortly afterwards ht> heard a door being [ unlocked and distinguish" d the sound of ' groans apparently proce ding from Bors- s boom, who at the same moment knocked i at his door, and called out, " For God's sake come out. uiy wife has shot herself." Kershaw immediately jumped up and accompunied Borßboom back to hie bedroom, where the deceased lay m a composed attitude, shot dead through the temple, and the bedclothes apparently m order. Others who lived m the house also entered the room, and the police End medical assistance were sent for. During the whole of this time the prisoner appeared greatly agitated— walking up and down, gesticulating arid embracing the corpse — and when an inquest was instituted ia'er on during the day he gave evidence of hia wifo having shot hereel&j After the ac dresses of counsel, the jury retired to consider their verdict at 3 o'clock, and as they had not arrived at a decision at 7 o'clock they were locked up until 9 o'clock. At 9 o'clock His Honor returned, and tho jury were called into Court The foreman then stated that they had not agreed upon a verdict, and that they were not likely to agree upon a verdict. 'Jhey wore then locked up until 9 o'clock on the following morning, when they returned a verdict o£ " .Not Guilty." The Sydney " Telegraph " adds : "'iho three days of terrible suspense caused a gradual change m Boisboom's appearance, and he grew more care-worn and auxiouslooking on each day. although his manner waa extremely quiet. When the jury entered the Court oa Saturday morning, his expression of eagerness was positively painful to witness, and on the utterance of the glad but solemn words ' JNot Uuilty,' the reaction was too great for him, and he sank baok on his float, sobbing painfully. He was immediately released from the dock — instead of traversing the underground passage to the gaol which he had trodden bo many times— and joined hia friends m tho precincts of the Court, they crowding around him with hearty congratulations. 1 '