ACQUITTED OF MURDER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1085, 25 March 1911, Page 5

ACQUITTED OF MURDER.

A MELIiomVNE ra'A'GEDtf' By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrieht (Rec. March 24, 10.10 p.m.) Molboumo, March 24. Percy Finch, 21 years of age, lias been acquitted of tho murder of Archibald Steaue,'tho young man whoso body was found il».tho Edinburgh Gardens, North Fitzroy, on New Year's Day. Finch had been "seeing the old year out" in Melbourne! and was returning home on i\'ew Year's live in company with two girls. As they were about to enter tho gardens, a young man carno hurriedly after them, and. asked him (Finch) for a cigarette. Pinch gave him one. _ As ho lit it the stranger Mild, "You're greedy with so many f*irls; can't I see one home?" Then, turning to one of the girls, ho continued'"l'll see you home." "A'o, thank you," replied tho girl; "rav friend will see us both home. I don't know you." "Oh, well, I suppose I'm in tho way," rejoined the stranger, and walked away. This is the narration given by Finch of what took place. Proceeding with bis story, Finch said that he, with tho two girls, then entered the gardens, resuming their way, but they had not gone far from tho gate' when tho stranger rushed after them, and —according to Finch's story—catching hold of ono of tho girls, ho grossly misbehaved himself. The girl told liim (o desist, and Pinch told him to "put up his hands." A fight ensued, during which tho stranger pulled out a revolver, and, presenting it at Pinch, said, with an expletive, "I'll blow your brains out." Pinch says ho then jumped forward, tore tho weapon out of the man's hand, and struck liim several times on the face with it with considerable force. AVhilc tho struggle was in progress, Finch savs, tho stranger knocked him down and mado a kick at his head, but missrtl him. After he had hit tho stranger with tho revolver, the stranger ran awav, and Finch threw tho revolver down without inspecting it closely. Ho did not know, lie says, (hat he had inflicted such serious injuries upon his opponent. He walked with the girls, to their homes, and then went to his ov:n home, thinking nothing more of the matter until, upon reading the paper next morning, lie saw that a man's dead body had been found near the gardens. ■ lie then informed tho police of what had happened.