THE MURDER TRAGEDY IN THE SOUTH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3049, 10 April 1917, Page 4

THE MURDER TRAGEDY IN THE SOUTH

ACCUSED MAN IN COURT,

INQUEST ON THE VICTIM

By- Telegraph—Pre6s Association,

Christchurch, April 9. Charles Butler, charged with thd murder of Henrietta Foster, at, Visw Hill yesterday, appeared in the Magistrate's Court to-day,-looking very dejected. He was remanded, on the application of the chief detective, to_ appear at the . Oxford Court oil Friday next. . ' '. . ■ At the inquest on the victim, Mr.; Bailey, S.M., returned a. verdict thai: the cause of death was syncope, following on the throat of the girl bavins been cut, and that tho evidence pointed to the-fact that tho act -was committed by Charles Butler.; v ' ■ Dr. Bagley save evidence that three and a half weeks ago Butler consulted him about Lis mental condition, and • witness sent him to Ohristchurch. : 1 The Coroner pointed out that this evidence could only ho taken at the subsequent proceedings. . ■ . . Miss Foster was engaged to . a resident of Lyttelton. ; Butler was apparentlv jealous, and stated to some peo- • pie," including the girl's father. - "I 1 will get Hetty, yet." _ . When Butler reached the View Hill Post Offico, at mid-day on Sunday, he said to a resident: : "Fve dona for Hetty Foster." In reply to a. question, Butler re^. peated his remark. There was Mood on Butler's right .hand,', shirt, collar, and cuff. ,He was very, excited. He told this witness that: to had tried to do away with himself l)y getting into a .well, but there was not' water enough: to drown him. : > .1;; " Butler told the constable, who arrived shortly afterwards:: "I'm : ,done! I'm done! T killed Hettx Foster." , The constable who examined ■ th'fi bodv said' that there, were no signs of . a struggle. An open : razor, covered with' blood,, was found near the body, and beside the razor was a piece of baner on which was written: . "You will find, my body in a well over the river." : The girl was in led when Tier parents left to go to church. The evidence showed that she had got up ! late. and had got. Butler's breakfast. .Presumably they breakfasted togetlien ,