THE LYELL MURDER.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 71, 21 February 1883, Page 3

THE LYELL MURDER.

CONFESSION OF TWO MURDERERS. (pes united PBESS association*.) Lyell, Feb. 2i>. John Davidson last night confessed to complicity in the murder of Deois Quinlan here, on the night of the 28th of Jan last A woman named Mary Gramatica is also ia custody oa the same charge. There is great excitement inconsequence. The inquest reopened this morning. M ary Gramatica is making a clean confession to the inspector of police, which he states is nearer the truth thau that of Davidson. Later. John Davidson and Mary Gramatica have, .been committed on a Coroner's warrant, for the wilful murder of Quinlan, upon their own confession.

Davidson's Co-Tfession. John Davidson made the following statement:— l was going to be married to Mrs Gramatica in six or seven weeks from the time this affair happened. I oame down here on the Sunday evening, -_BthJaa. Before I turned in on the aofa Inearlydrank halfa boltleof brandy. I beard Mrs Gramatica singing out that she was dying for a drmk. I said nothing. I went to Sloan's and got half a fcottle of biandy- In going home I picked up a bottle of brandy. Mrs Gramatiea started to tell me about leaving the door open. We had three or four drinks. I went to look for some snatches and I saw my shirt with blood on the sleev« of it. I asked Mrs Gram.atiea Uow it came. She told me that she had saved my Ufe last night, for my brains would hay« been knocked out on 4he sofa. I asked ler if anyone had •come home with her, and she said no, but that a man eanie after her, and had a billet of wood. ia : hi« ■ hand, and his hand -was all blood. He saw my shirt hangihg <up to dry, and wiped his hands upon it. He then rose the billet of wood to hit me with it, and Mrs Gramatica saw lum in the act, and knocked him down. -She got a bottle of brandy, and told me not to me Idle with her. I got a bible aad took the oath. I asked her if any person saw fths man coming with her. She said, 4 Yes ; he left Rosy Boyle's with her, and that it was Dennis Quinlaa. I then said, 'You will be hung.' She said, *No by God.' 1 the* asked her who it was that killed him. She replied she was coming along by Little Ben's and he tried to take liberties with her; that Little Sen heard the row and came out, and wanted Ben to come with her to get Quinlan aw ay- The two men came aloug fche road after her, and she was trying to get away from them, and she 100-ed behind aad saw Little Ben knocked <down- and. Quinlan pulling off his coat. .tShe^toodfor a minute on the road, a fewyaTds away from them, and observed Quinlan fall aod said, "OGod." I sigaiu advised her to lay an information to the police, a»d then she swore by the heavens and earth that she would never .divulge a word. I said, 'I will be tried for this -as well 1 as you, as I was in the house and would never denj being there.' — 'Signed, Jb_in DavidsonMsts GaAMATirj-'s StatemextMrs Gramatica endeavors to implicate Davidson and to put tbe whole blame of t c crime upon bim. >he says Davidson and Quinlan began to talk cross to one another, and Quinlan threw off his coat to hit Davidson, but did not get time. Quinlan was stabbed ia the wrist which •bled Very much. She bound up the wound. . Davidson sent , her to bed, and iv. the moraiag ordered her to remain in her room with her child.' He' threatened to kill them if they went out After Davidson went away she gofj up and saw Quintan's body wrfcpped in blankets. When Davidson returned to her he told h-T he had taken' Quit-Jan's heart's blood. She was sent to bed by Davidson, and she heard him drag so-hetlimg out of the house by the back door. He had a dagger which he threw over the terrace in the morning. He then (changed tie shirt and -.annei. There Was blood on the flannel. This statement she made of her own tfree will and without any questions >bei_tg put to- h*r-