VICTORIA.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 180, 6 August 1870, Page 2

VICTORIA.

MUEDEE OF ME. WALSHE.

The betting market still continues in a very languid state, but it ia evident that Barbelle is going to run Tim Whiffler hard for the first place in the odds for the Metropolitan. She is now the most fancied for that race in the double-event betting. Phyrrus is also coming forward in public estimation, and it is believed will carry the stable money. For the Melbourne Cup but little has been done beyond long shots. Little Dick was backed yesterday at 1000 to 25, Trump Card at 500 to 10, and Miss Wilkins was backed for Tasmania at 1000 to 8. For the double event Barbelle was taken with Glencoe at 1000 to 5, and again with Florence at 1000 to 4; she was taken with Palmerston and Flying Duchman at 1000 to 3. Phyrrus was taken with Manuka at 300 to 1. Tim Whiffler was backed for a place for the Cup at 50 to 20, and the Earl at 30 to 10.

The Fire at the Varieties.—The inquest on the body of Mary Tucker was concluded on the 20th ult. The coroner having briefly summed up the evidence, one of the jurymen asked if it was not possible to attach a rider to their verdict, expressing an opinion that all three of the men who had been concerned in the rescue of the girl were entitled to equal praise. The coroner said that while he had no doubt that each of the men had done their best to rescue the girl, the present inquiry had nothing to do with that point, but was merely to find out bow deceased came by her death. The jury then, after a few minutes' deliberation, returned a verdict to the effect that deceased came by her death from burns accidentally received at a fire at the Varieties on the morning of the sth inst.

The trial of Gerald H. Supple for the murder of Mr. J. S. Walshe, took place yesterday, at the Criminal Sessions, and resulted in a verdict which will cause an argument before the full bench. The jury after a most protracted sitting of fourteen and a half hours, returned a verdict of guilty of murder; but added that the discharge of the pistol had been accidental. Law points, upon this finding, were reserved. The court was densely crowded throughout the day, and great interest was manifested in the proceedings. The prisoner maintained a very composed demeanor, but made two or three interjections in the course of the sitting, after the same manner as he did at the inquest. He remarked at one time that he had attempted the assassination because the ]aw provided no way of punishing his slanderers, and referred at another to a statement be had prepared, but this wan not read in court. He stands remanded for sentence. Now that the question of the sanity or insanity of the prisoner has been disposed of, we would merely remark that those of his friends who have been making extraordinary exertions in his behalf appear to have overshot the mark. Ihe evidence brought in support of the theory of his insanity proved too much. The majority of the witnesses in his favour were more or less connected with a journal —the Argus — to which he was a constant contributor up to the time when be committed the crime of which he has been found guiity. His brief connection with the Age was more dwelt upon than his more recent connection with other journals, although it is hardly creditable that madness and the calm discharge of literary duties could co-exist for a long series of years. Some of his later contributions might have been referred to as affording the best of evidence as to the state of his mind. Reference to his opinions on articles written twelve years ago, concerning which the witnesses themselves must have an indistinct recollection, and about which they are, not improbably, quite at fault, was overstrained and far-fetched in the extreme, and had a tendency to defeat the object of getting prisoner off on the plea of insanity.

A living female infant, about a fortnight old, was found on Friday evening inside the gate of the Hon. Wm. Highett's residence, Richmond. A sheet of note-paper attached contained the following, in a woman's handwriting : —" Oh do, for God's sake, be kind to my dear babe, for her broken-hearted mother will not forsake her long, but must, as I have no friends or relations, and my last shilling gone. Call her Beatrice. You shall hear from me as soon as I earn some money. From the most unhappy creature in existence." The child was on Saturday remanded by the local Bench, in order that the police might make inquiries.

At the criminal sessions yesterday, Frederick William Musika, a publican, residing at Williamstown, was charged with shooting at one James Davis, with intent to kill him. Davis, a young man of about 30 years of age, was lodging at the prisoner's at the beginning of this year. Whilst there he seduced one of the daughters of his landlord, and after wards went to Gipp's Land. Musika first learned of his daughter's condition in the beginning of this month, and he became so exasperated that he threatened to proceed at once to Gipps Land and shoot Davis. Davis, who was ignorant that Musika was aware of his relations towards his daughter, returned to Williamstown. on the sth of July, and at once went to the hotel, as he said, with the intention of marrying the girl. Musika, who was very much excited, fired a pistol at him. Three of the nipples had been plugged, and two attempts to fire failed, but on the third attempt the bullet lodged in Davis's side, the wound turning out to be a very slight one. Davis's manner of giving evidence excited general disgust in Court, and an attempt by him to throw the blame of his conduct on the unfortunate girl, caused the Chief Justice, in summing up, to designate him as " a being," retracting the tsrm " man," which he had previously applied to him. The jury found the prisoner " Guilty," and he was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.

The command of the large steamship Wonga Wonga, now running from Sydney to Honolulu, has been given to Captain John Steuart, of Melbourne. Captain Steuart is well known as having long held command of the s.s. Aldinga, and there is no doubt that he will be equally popular in his new

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