The Invercargill Tragedy.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 242, 30 June 1874, Page 7

The Invercargill Tragedy.

The Times ef the 17th reports, i-T-Vesterday Mr M'Culloch attended at the hospital ' to take the depositions of the dying girl, who had returned to consciousness. A Bible was held by Mr M'Culloch in the girl’s feeble hand, and the oath administered. She kissed the book; and then said, in answer to the questions put:—“ I know Jack the Sailor ;it was him who cut me! I think he struck me ■on the head. I think it was yesterday. I don’t know what he struck me with. Some time before* he struck me he said he would kill me. T don’t know why he did so; I never did-anything to him.” He sometimes asked me to go to the theatre with him, and I went once with him. On the prisoner, who was present,"being brought quite close to the girl, and. speak, she said, “I don’t ■see him, but I voice. The man who. is speaking struck me,” afid voluntarily; “ I hope he will be forgiven,” Prisoner, deeply agitated, “ (Jod bless you ! ; Not oh thiH-mrth —I don’t wish it.” On being asked if he had any quetsions to put to the girl, the prisoner said, “No question. She was always good and never did any harm. It never would have been, only for one thing which no one will ever know.” Hall, the girl’s father, saw Brennan in the gaol yesterday, during which the prisoner asserted that there had been no difference between the girl and himself. He had tried, to do her all the good he could, but she spurned him. She would not answer him when he spoke to her. He asked her for a drink, btytshe refused him. He would have given his own Hfe directly after he had committed thd deed, he was so fond of the girl. When she refused him the drink, she said, ‘“No, not half a one;” that was the only word she had spoken to him for a week or two. It was a cowardly act. He was driven to what he did by seeing others. There were a lot of people talking mischief. The adze hj which the brutal act was committed was of the description used for tussocking, and was hanging in McCarthy’s kitchen. It appears certain that two blows at least had been struck with the edge of the weapon. The Times of Saturday says ;—“ Our readers will be no less surprised than grati, fied to learn that the young girl, Mary Hallwho was so murderously assaulted on Monday last, begins to show very encouraging signs of recovery. On inquiring late last night, we found that she was then, and had been during the day, able to see, hear, and epeak with tolerable ease and distinctness.” And the News observes ; “ Notwithstanding the fearful injuries inflicted on the girl Mary Hall, she was alive last night and apparently recovering somewhat. She had no convulsions for about thirty hours, could speak better, had partially regained her sight, and was better able to swallow liquid nourishment. Sensation, too, which was dormant for the first three days, had returned, and she complained of suffering acute pain,”