MURDER MYSTERY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1824, 9 August 1913, Page 5

MURDER MYSTERY.

FATE OF 'A' 'POSSUM HUNTER. By Islourajli—"rasa Awoolatlon—OopjrrlflM Hobart, August 8. The inquest concerning tho death of William John Mullins, a farmer who had resided at Mathinna, near Hobart, who mysteriously disappeared on Juno 20 last wihiLo on an opossum-hunting expedition, is proceeding. , Tho ovidcuco chiefly centres round tho movements of a farmer named Jones, a neighbour of Mullins's, between whom and Mullins there had- allegedly beon bad blood over land and other transactions. On tlio day of tho tragedy, Jones explained, ho had been 'possum-hunting at tho time of tho supposed murder, which would account for shots then heard. Mullins, residing at Mathinna, a gold mining township north-east of Hobart, left homo on Juno 20 to visit opossum traps two miles away, and never returned. On tho same day a number of shots wcro heard in the direction of the traps. Mullins was fairly well-to-do. Bad feoling hqis existed in tho district for years past among certain parties, politics being an element therein. When it was suggested to Mullins that ho should carry a revolver owing to certain events that had occurred, ho laughingly replied that if he got into trouble ho would depend on his fists. Searchers discovered tho debris of a huge firo in a depression on tho hillside, containing human-bones, teeth, a staple used for traps, and a quantity of melted lead. Mullins was wearing heavy boots, with iron-oapped heels, and a bolt. No traco of these was found. Tho footprints of a largo and simill bcot were discovered, also impressions of horses' hoofs. Tho theory is that Mullins, when examining opossum traps, was shot by a person lying in wait, and tho body thrown-across a horse and carried two miles to tho spot where the pyro had baon prepared.