MAYFIELD TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1886, 22 October 1913, Page 8

MAYFIELD TRAGEDY.

« THE INQUEST HELD. BIDDLE HELD RESPONSIBLE. (By Telegraph— Press Association.) Ashburton, October 21. An inquest toucniug. the death of Rosanna Lilley was held at tho watchhouse at the police station to-day, before the coroner, Mr. V. G. Day, S.M. A doctor had stated that the prisoner Biddlo was still too'weak to go to'tho Courthouse. 'Superintendent Kiely, of Christchurch, conducted the case for tho policc, Detectives Fahey and Gibson also being in attendance. . Biddlo sat opposite the Coroner. He looked considerably better than when arrested on Sunday, but was still very shaky. 'When asked by the Coroner at the end of each witness's statement if he had any questions to ask, he replied firmly in the negative.' Ho followed all tile evidence with interest, and mado interjections several times. Evidonco was given by tho bereaved husband, John Alen Lilley, by Charles E. 11. Rendle, medical practitioner, by Leonard Lilley, eldest sou (aged eight) _of deceased, by Robert Montgomery (a neighbour), and by Constable Turner. Merely facts were disclosed, except tho nature of tho injuries shown by medical testimony. Dr. Rendle minutely described the injuries on the head, which wero of a shocking nature. Dr. Rendle further said he had examined tho body for signs of the alleged assault, but could not say whether there had or had not been an assault. Death had been due to fracture of tho skull, the wounds being such as could havo been inflicted by the hammer produced. When asked if he wished to give evidence, the prisoner replied: "No; I am not in a fit state to give ovidence." The Coroner said that tho evidence was very straightforward. After summing up he found that the cause of death of Rosanna Lilley was a fractured skull, wilfully caused by Alfred Mortran Biddlo. Biddle was then further remanded to appear at the Ashburton Police Court on Tuesday next. PRISONER REMOVED. THE CURIOSITY OF THE CROWD. Ashburton, October 21. Biddle was taken from Ashburton to L.yttelton. Gaol by the first express this He will receive medical treatment thero prior to appearing beforo the Magistrate on remand at Ashburton next Tuesday. On Monday morning a crowd of people had assembled at the Courthouse expecting to see Biddle charged, but, as he was in a weak stat-o, he was brought beforo Justices at tho police station this morning. An oven larger crowd assembled at tho Courthouse expecting that the inquest, which Biddlo had to attend, would oventuato thero. Tho prisonous' weakness, however, made it necessary to hold tho inquest at the police station, and the curious ones were foiled. Many wero determined to see the prisoner, however, and tho rumour of his impending removal attracted them to .the railway station iiv largo numbers. The police easily frustrated them by bringing Biddle up in a motor-car at -tho last moment, and bustling him into a reserved compartment at the end of the train, opposite to what might havo been expected. Thoy drew tho blinds just as the crowd came along the platform with a rush. [It is understood that the arrested man, Biddle, belongs- to a Wellington family. He spent his boyhood here, and worked as a smith until a few years ago.] -- '