FRIGHTFUL MURDER.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 87, 10 September 1874, Page 3

FRIGHTFUL MURDER.

The following account of a frightful murder at Schnapper Point is given by the Argus of the 28th ult.:—“The usually quiet locality of Schnapper Point was in a state of excitement r on Wednesday last (our correspondent writes), in consequence of a report that a man had been murdered near the big plain adjacent to the Tubba Rubba diggings, and'thc sequel proves the report, to be true. The deceased, John Moriarty, has been living in the vicinity of Schnapper Point for several years past, and was well known as an old servant of Mr Rennison, and as a harmless, inoffensive, and industrious man. He was the owner of a’small freehold near the Point, but had of late been living in a hut near the Tubba Rubba diggings. He had saved a little money by years of patient, perseverance and recently selected a lot of land, about 100 acres, at a distance of about a mile from the hut, and at the time he was murdered was grazing about 800 sheep of his own. On the 15th August he sold to Mr Raines, near Dromana. 200 sheep, for which he received £SO in gold and notes, and it was generally known that he intended to bank the money on Saturday. 22nd, his usual day for travelling to the Point to obtain his week’s provisions. On Wednesday last information was given to the police that he was missing. His dog was also missing, and his sheep were scattered. Mounted- constable Shannon, and some neighbors, started in search, and found Moriarty’s body about 200 yards from his hut. The head was smashed in at, the back, and the jawbone severed by a fearful blow, as if done with a tomahawk. The body had been dragged by the murderer to a spot where a small tree, in falling, had caught its boughs in another tree, and where it was partially sheltered. An axe belonging to the murdered man was near the spot, and a shingling hammer, with suspicious marks on it, was also found. Superintendent Hare arrived on Thursday, and every exertion is being made to discover the murderer. We may the account of our correspondent by the statement that Detective Williams and Fook Shing were yesterday despatched to the snot to assist in clearing up the matter. The object of sending the latter was to ascertain whether any Chinamen had a hand in the deed. The information of the deceased being absent was given on Wednesday by his mate, Patrick Shanahan, who stated that the deceased was missing from the hut. The police then went in search, with the result above stated. There was no money found on the deceased. The police in Melbourne yesterday received information that Patrick Shanahan had been arrested on suspicion.