MELBOURNE MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 11 December 1920, Page 3

MELBOURNE MURDER

COLD-BLOODED CRIME

ST. KILDA SENSATION: ENGINEER SHOT DEAD.

A neat tile-roofed brick villa, surrounded by lawns in Tennyson street St. Kilda, Melbourne, was the scene on tho afternoon of November 2nd. of one of the most cold-blooded . murders that has occurred tin Melbourne for many years, the victim being Mr David Davidson, aged sixty years, engineer of Latrobe street,' Melbourne, a muchrespected citizen of St. Kilda. I Cup day often provides a harvest for housebreakers owing to the large numger of “solitaries”—a name in common • U sage among thieves to denote houses ! from which all the inmates are tempor- ' arily absent. About 1.10 p.ni., Mr Henry Frnmpton of Newry street, Windsor, a gardener, was proceeding along Tennyson Street, St. Kilda, and on passing No I—the scene of the tra- . gedy—he noticed two .men lurking about the premises in a manner which excited his suspicion. He thereupon went to Mr "White’s house, a few doors away, and suggested that the men should be questioned. To this . Mr White agreed, and enlisting the assistance of Mr Davidson and the latter’s son, Mr D. C. Davdson, the four men went to No 1, which is occupied by Mr Douglas, of the Douglas Bath Heater Company, Bourke street. Mr Douglas - and all tlie members of bis household were absent. Messrs Frampton and . White remained at the front of the house whilst Mr Davidson, senior, intercepted the intruders at the rear, Mr* Davidson, junior, on the advice of his father having gone away to communicate with tho police. When Mr. Davidson questioned them as to their business there, tlie suspects stoutly denied that they were there for any unlawful purpose and declared tliat they had called "to see Mr Dodds” Mr Davidson demanded that he should be told the reason for their having forced open the side gate, which opens on to Tennyson street. They denied having forced the gate and Mr Davidson , accepted their invitation “to come and see for liimself.’’ Mr Davidson and the two suspects were then joined by Messrs Frampton and White, and an

argument ensued between them regardin” the forcing of tho gate. The five men were now standing m a narrow pathway at the side of the house, Mr Davidson being alongside a corrugated fence. Suddenly and with-, out warning of any kind, one of the aspects took a. small automatic revolver from his hip-pocket and pointed it at Mr Davidson, with the command "Look out! Get hack out of this A* he uttered the words he fired and the bullet entered'Mr Davidson sheart. Instantlv he fell forward gasping: Oh mv God.” Mr Frampton and Mi White immediately ruhed to lus assi- - anec, and as they did the two men dashed through the gate, and, mounting bicycles which they had left on footpath, rode off. Mrs Davidson, on hearing the revolver shot, rushed on ’ on to the roadway, and seeing tlm two 1 men oh bicycles endeavoured to s P i them hut without success, for one point 1 ed a revolver at her, and thus they etfected their escape. Medical aid for Mr t Davidson was sumoned, but on arrival 1 Dr Lawrie pronounced life to be ex--1 tinct. , , . The men who rode awy on bicycles 2 were both about 25 years of age. The information has since been cabled ' that two brothers named Pearce liave " been arrested with the crime, n