THE INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY.

Evening Star, Issue 3532, 18 June 1874, Page 3

THE INVERCARGILL TRAGEDY.

further particulars. We are indebted to the Commissioner ©f Police for the iollowing additional particulars of the attempted murder at Invercargill, onJMonday last r—ln the kitchen of the of r rin Hotel, after Brennan bad struck the girl Hall, she was found lyii g in a large pool of blood, and Brennan standing at her side in a somewhat defiant attitude When arrested by Inspector Fox, and on his way to the gaol, he frequently admitted the crime, and said that he djd not know why he did it, but that the “demon” must have got hold of him. Fresh bier d was found, upon his clothes, his hands, and face, a>td a large drop of bloou upon his coat. The weapon with which he Committed the crime was a large adze used by MacCarthy for “ tussocking. ” The adze Was found by the girl’s side, and had blood stains on the blade and head, as also on the IjMfdle. Hall was examined by L)i Grigor, ppiMje surgeon, and shortly, afterwards re. moved to the hospital, whereupon closer in apsetiou a second dangerous wound was found on the back of the right ear, the other wound being a large and long gash from.the top ,of her head down abqut four inches towards the neck. She remained unconscious from the time she was struck, but some hours after said, “li’a very cold, keep the cold away,” and that was all. At the time deceased was struck she was not heard to cry, and it is believed from the way on which she lay on the, floor that she must have been struck down when ironing and, while her back was towards' Brennan. Both doctors say that there is ne hope of Hall’s recovery. JDr Maclure pointed out to the police some matter in the blood which he called a portion of her organs, and he said it was impossible for her to i ecover. Brennan, when in the gaol and charged with the crime, in thelpresenoe of three witnesses and Inspector Fox, made apd sjgned the following statement:—“ Sixpence lj?oq,ld hfcve save# her life, I dpn’t know how it was. I asked her for a drink and she refused to give it to me, I suppose I’ll have to swing for it; that’s all. I don’t know how the ‘ demon’ put the axe into my baud. I generally had the name of being a good-hearted fellow. I don’t know what got over me—l suppose the devil got hold of me when I did it. 1 have got nothing else to say.” On the blood on Brennan s clothes and hands and face being pointed out him, and on his being questioned as to it, he replied that he got the blood upon him after he bad dqne the deed, and that he d d not thiuk he had struck very heavy blows. It appears that although Brennan was forty-five years of age and the girl only fifteen last April, it was understood that there was a kind : b£ expressed attachment towards her oh his part. The girl’s character is good. Prisoner is sft sin or s£t 6in, As stated in our Invercargill telegram yesterday, Brennan was charged before Mr M'Gulloch on Tuesday with the attempted murder of Hall, and was remanded for eight days.