THE PARRAMATTA RIVER MURDERS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1165, 23 April 1872, Page 3

THE PARRAMATTA RIVER MURDERS.

The Sydney Morning Herald has the' following ptrticulara regarding these horrible murders :— Bridger wai a young, man of some j25. yean'oi age, and' very stout. ' "His countenance was a very pleasing one. He is spoken 61 by those who have had transaotioni with Hhn in his capacity as wardroom steward of the Bosaria. as urbane and gentlemanlike. - His clothes, joamphorwobd Box, and carpetbag, have been traced to the house in Strawberry wbicb had been engaged by the prisoners, Nichols' and Lester. Those of Walkerihave been traced to this 'house. AjTNichols's residence, in Prince street, jmb found a shingling hammer, with what axe believed to be stains of blood. Portions of a few light-colored hairs, whether human or not has not transpired, were also found on this weapon. In a box in tiie house, at Strawberry Hill was found a life preserver, on which was discovered distinct traces of blood. Among Nichols's effects was also discovered a "kris," a weapon used by the Dyaks of Borneo, and the n§tiyes of the Malay Archipelago. Bridger is. conjectured to have been engsgeq to fi|| tne situation alluded to in the following, advertisement, which appeared in the Herald, of March 10 :— " A steady man required for country store, drive, pair-horse waggon. — T. Y.C. , Harold Office. In the same day's paper appears ike subjoined' advertisement, which it is believed was applied for by Mr Walker : —"Cleric wanted, active, intelligent, for country store ; liberal salary to competent perron.— T. V C, HeraW." It is believed that both men came to a lamentable end while on the way in pursuance of what they had, or seemed to have some reason-to believe, were bonafide engagements. luone of the boxes was found a rough diagrsm in pencil, representing two human legs* with stone attached by a rope, the drawing showing with striking clearness the sailor-like fashion alluded to by detective Elliott, of tying the ropes. Whether this was drawn before or after the first murder will probably remain a matter of conjectore. Another coincidence is that the ropes tied round the neck are apparently of the same description, being juiavy" property, and having m the •ftJentre what is known as the thief strand. The stones, though of different kinds and forms, are each about 1501b* weight. The bodies of the two men were found not far from one another. The manner of their disposal, also bears a striking resemblance — toe stone being around the feet in one case, and the neck in another. It is clear that the two prisoners, Nicholls and Lester, or Fronde, were out all night on Thursday weekend on the evening of Friday week in a. boat. On three) if not four occasions, .prisoners

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hired a boat from Mr Bnckloy, watermajp. of Miller a. point. On none of these occasions does the boat appear to. have. been returned till the morning after the day pn whioh it was hired. ' i^j Kepons wexe cun 6itye?t« flay that fw« bodies— one of a female, and the' otherof Mr Irving, a gold digger^froinTambaroora—had been found-^the .one in*tte bnsb, not far -from* paramatta; . arid the other in the *ivery close, to' where Mr Walker's, body was picked tip. Inquiries were sett oil foot, and search was made, the result being that nothing transpired '-to confirm the rumors. - In an article on the Paramatta murder* j the Yc|» Courier quotes a brief extract front a work on Thuggism, as farnisHmr a striking parallel to the recent trajjc occurrences :— " The practice of Thugs is not restristed to adventures on land. The, rivers of India also are infested by bands of robbers, who have sinvlar habits to those of the land Thugs. They generally go in parties— the one assuming the dress of travellers of respectability, the others acting as boatmen. The. travellers intended for. their victims ara inveigled on the high roads, and murdered inside the boat, while some of the gang sing and play. At a signal given by these that all js clear, the weighted bodies of the murdered men are thrown, into the river/ The Courier contends we are too kind' in Australia in treating our incipient Thugs, Atri suggests the adoption of the "nutmeg grater,' r system.