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THE RECENT MURDER IN CHRISTCHURCH.

[LYTTELTON TIMES, JAN. 10.] An occurrence unequalled in our provincial annals, and fitted to be classed amongst the worst deeds of personal violence, startled the city from its wonted equanimity yesterday afternoon. The details were at first received, even by the most credulous, with complete disbelief, but enquiry unfortunately showed that horrible as they were, they were but too true. The tragedy comprises the death of one female, and tiie almost miraculous escape of another —all being the act of one man, their fellow-servant's violence. The scene of the affair was Mr W. Robinson's town house, at the junction of Canterbury Terrace and Salisbury street. The servants in the house were Simon Cedeno (a native of Panama), aged 28, butler; Bridget Murray and Margaret Burke, two housemaids. During the afieruooii the two latter, it appears, chaffed Cedeno, who was about to be married, when he became violent, and about 4 o'clock he attacked the girl Murray with a long bladed bread-knife, whilst she was upstairs. He struck at her head, but a backward movement so diverted the blow that it fell upon her face and breast, the breast bone happily preventing fatal results. The unfortunate girl, on being struck, at once fell to the ground, and Cedeno, doubtless thinking he had killed her, returned to the kitchen, where he found the girl Burke. The Utter, seeing the knife covered with blood, and noticing Qedeno's excitet] manner, ran screaming towards the diningroom, where were seated Mrs Bobinson and Mr P. Campbell. Cedeno followed her, aud, Burke stumbling over some article of furniture, he felt upon her, stabbing with the knife several times. Mr Campbell., immediately followed by Mrs Robinson, at once rushed upon Cedeno, and seized him. The aid came too late, hpwever, for the unfortanate girl never moved afterwards. Cedeno struggled with Mr Campbell a short time, but was ultimately overpowered, and the knife taken from him, Mrs Robinson receiving a wound in the hand during tsie struggle. With the aid of one of Mr Robinson's grooms, named Price, Mr Campbell at once conveyed Cedeno to the Police depot; and ia the meantime medical aid was promptly called in to the two victims of iiis violence. Drs Turnbull and Prins at once attended, but in Burke's case their services were unhappily uot required, for she must, from the nature of the wounds, have died almost instantaneously. The stabs, three in number, were all in close proximity. The kuife had entered under the left breast, and penetrated the heart, the force of the blows being such that although the blade of the knife was fully six inches long, a portion of the handle had also penetrated the body, Of the gjrl Murray, we have happily to report that although very severely cut, she is ia no immediate danger, the information given at the flospital last night being that she was progressing very favorably. The knife, on examination, proved to be a silver-handled bread knife, with a narrow blade, and a very sharp point. [By our other Cauterbury papers we see that the name of the surviving girl is not "Bridget Murray," tygt Catherine Glenn.]

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBT18710117.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 919, 17 January 1871, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
528

THE RECENT MURDER IN CHRISTCHURCH. Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 919, 17 January 1871, Page 2

THE RECENT MURDER IN CHRISTCHURCH. Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 919, 17 January 1871, Page 2

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