HORRIBLE MURDER AT WARRNAMBOOL.

Evening Post, Issue 124, 3 July 1865, Page 2

HORRIBLE MURDER AT WARRNAMBOOL.

We take the following particulars of a cold-blooded murder near Warrnamhool, from the Warrnambool Examiner : — " One of the most attrocious murders ever committed iti this district, aud equalling that of poor Constable O'Boyle, took place ou Saturday evening last, at Russell's Creek. The uutbrtunate victim, James Sweeney, died at the hospital, yesterday morning^ and au inquest was held on his body at that institution, before the police magistrate and a jury of twelve, last evening. We have no room for the whole of the evidence, but, from the statement of the principal witness, it appears that James Sweeney, his murderer, a man named Thomas Meynard, or " Yankee Tom," John Haw, and John Wales, were all in the employ of Mr. Johu R. Evans, the contractor, and slept in four separate bunks in a house close to their employer's residence. On Saturday evening, Wales, Sweeney, and Haw went to bed about the usual time, and at that time Meynard. was lying on his bunk undressed. Between eleven and twelve o'clock Haw was awoke from his sloep by hearing two shots fired at poor Sweeney, who was lying on hia bed wounded, and who evidently received the third shot. Haw and Sweeney then went outside after Meynard, but returned to dress themselves, and whilst doing so

Meynard seem 9to have returned and fired a fourth shot, but without effect, after which no further trace has been seen of him. Sweeney was then assisted to Dr. Evans's residence, when Dr. Boyd was sent for at once, and also the police. Dr. Boyd found Sweeney suffering from three distinct wounds, from one of which he extracted a conical bullet. Sweeney was as , speedly as possible conveyed to the hospital, where he was well attended to, but without avail, for the poor man died in great agony at about two o'clock a.m. yesterday morning. The only cause assigned for the murder is. that Sweeney aud Meynird had a quarrel whilst at work, on Saturday, when Meynard took no a pick to strike the other, but wa9 pre\euted. It is supposed that Meynard then waited until Sweeney was asleep, when he deliberately shot him. The parties appear to have been perfectly sober during the evening. The deceased was a single mau, and aged about twenty-six. We regrtt to hear that up to the hour of going to press Meynard was at large, although the police here have been in active search for him since the occurrence. The inquest was not concluded uutil eight o'ciock last evening. We are indebted to the courtesy of the foreman of the jury, Mr. M. R. Evans, in supplying us tue following verdict:— "We find that James ?Sweeney did die at the Warrnambool Hospital, on the 12th day of June, and the cause of his death was hemorrhage caused by a gunshot wound inflicted on him by Thomas Meynard, alias Yankee Tom; and we iurther find the said Thomas Meynard guilty of the wilful murder of the said James Sweeney."