BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3947, 19 October 1875, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Bluff, October 19. The B.s. Omeo arrived here at 7.30 this morning. She left Melbourne on tin 13th inat., at 2.30 p.m., and brings four saloon and fifty two steerage passengers ; 290 tom of cargo, COO sheep, ami 09 horses for all ports. She sails for Dunedin at four o’clock this afternoon. Passengers for Dunedin—Mr Newman, Mrs Tomkin, Mrs Solomon, and twentyfive in the steerage. Also twenty-seven horses and 175 tons of cargo. Grahamstown, October 19. An inquest was held yesterday on the body of Patrick Henry Wall, one of the children murdered on Saturday. Mrs Wall, who was in attendance, became very excited, and had to be removed aftor identification by witnesses. Her husband’s evidence was to the effect that his married life had been happy, and his wife had not till lately been addicted t.o excessive drinking. She was a very kind mother. T'he evidence was conclusive as to the woman having killed her children, but showed she was laboring under insanity. Tho inquiry lasted over five hours. The jury deliberated for half-an-hour, returning a verdict ‘‘That P. H. Wall was killed by Margaret Wall, but the latter was in a state of mind rendering her not responsible lor her actions.” Christchurch, October 18. The boating season opened on Saturday with a procession and scratch rams. Thirty boats and over 100 club members took part in the me ting. At the Philadelphia Sxhihition Committee this afternoon the various sub-committees re orted that veiy few exhibits had been promised. It was decided again to ui'ge the Wellington Commissioners to extend the time f ,r receiving exhibits to ten or twelve days, so as to enable exhibits of wool, produce, and manufactures to be selected at tho Metropolitan Agricultural and Pastoral Exhibition on November 9th. Unless this is done Canterbury will be very badly represented. . .. T , . Lyttelton, October 18. At the Local Marine Boaul, an inquiry into tho conduct of John Mitchell Willi,ms, late second _ officer of the ship Waikato (certain allegations being laid by Captain Hose) commenced t-'-day, before Comm s-doners ap| ointed by the Governor, consisting of Mr W. 1 »onald, Cap’ain t>ibson (Harbor master), and Captain Sutherland. The charges were drunkenness, refusal of lawful commands, and resisting the captain. Mr Nalder conducted for the proscoutor, Mr Wynn Williams appealed for a passenger named Gibson, Mr G. Harper for the New Zealand Shipping »’ompauy, and Mr J. J\ Joynt conducted the defence. he day was occupied in bearing Captain Rose, Cabounw (the mute), and the boatawaia’a evidence

for the prosecution. The charges appear very trivial, and favor the mate. The evidence will not be published until completion.

Auckland, October 18. The whaling barque Bartholomew Gosnold has arrived at Bussell from the Antarctic whaling grounds, with 2,150 barrel* of oil, all told, vhe is forty months out, and had put into Abouk'r Bay, Solomon Group. The ship was leaking very badly. Landed pa't of the cargo on the reef, and lightened the ship, which stopped the leak, arc! then proceeded to Bussell for supplies. She will sail in a few days for New Bedford. Captain Wills said he found the Solomon Islands in a state of warfare and cannibalism.

(From our own Corespondent. )

Auckland, October 18, The shocking doub'e murder at the Thames is causing groat excitement. In a small close between Golden Crown street and Owen str et there is a cottage occupied by an industrious miner named John Wall, with his wife and two children. About two o’clock on Saturday afternoon some boys playing at marbles in the vicinity observed the mother striking her children with an axe. Both children were then lying on the ground with their mother standing over them with the murderous instrument, making repeated brutal blows at the forms o! her poor little offspring. A lad named Baxter at once gave the alarm, and a man who was near looked down the close and saw the woman deal two more frightful blows with the axe upon the little girl. He rushed towards the spot, and a number of neighbors also ran in. '1 ho poor children were lying on the ground a few feet from the vorand th of Wall’s house, covered with blood. The woman when she saw Elliott andolhers, laid down the axe with the utmost coolness and advanced towards tin in, making some remark about being “ told to do it.” Information was despatched to the police, and Detective Brennan found t e children lying side by side. The boy’s head seemed to have been battered in with the thick end of the axe, the skull being frightfully smashed, and the brain protiuding between the smashed bones, The little girl had cvideritlj r been struck with the sharp edge across the temple, splitting open the skull. A second blow had cut open her neck, inflicting a sickening wound. Both children were alive when found, but beyond the hope of recovery. The little victims were laid side by side in bed, with their hands stretched out towards each other, ami there they died, the boy in about an hour and the girl in about an hour and a half after. Ihe wretched mother was at once taken into custody, but continued to exhibit the greatest callousness. The father on learning the dreadful calamity that had befallen his house was in a ten ible state of distress. During the eight years he has resided at the '1 hames he has borne the character of a straightforward, honest, hard-working miner. Both he and his wife ate North of Ireland people, and arrived from Belfast in 1864. Mrs Wall appeared an intelligent, well-con-ducted woman, but was given to drink. 6he is of very stro g build, and took in washing. Her husband has constant work, so they were not in want, but the house was very bare of furniture, and most of the woman’s earnings were spent by her in d'ink. She is not known to have procured much during the three days previous to tha murder, and this stoppage is supposed fo have rendered her temporarily insane. Her husband says he went to work as usual on Saturday morning, when hit wife appeared in her usual beal hj and spit its, but some neighbors state that she had been rather strange for two days. On being taken to the watch-house her clothes were covered with blood, and in reply to questions from Inspector Bullen as to the house she said, “I must be mad.” The Inspector said “ Why, what makes you say that?” She replied, “ Because I have killed my children—but tney told me to do it.” It is not clear who was meant, but it is thought that she imagined she heard voices and was in a state of delirium. At the inquest to day the husband gave his wi’a a high character, and said they lived very happily. She Lad never showed any cruelty towards the children.