Accused of Murder.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 January 1922, Page 4

Accused of Murder.

TEITSCHKE MURDER. ROSS COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAJU.E AjSOUIATION. MELBOURNE, Jan. 26. At the inquest on t!io girl Tritsclike to-day, Sydney Harding, a prisoner in the Melbourne gaol, who is awaiting trial, gave evidence that the accused Ross, while in the gaol, had confessed to him (Harding) that he had outraged the girl .Tritsclike, and that he then had lost his head, and strangled her with his hands. Then, lie said, lie tore the girl’s clothing into strips, and thro wthem in the river. The Coroner committed Ross for trial on a charge of murder. SYDNEY, Jan. 18.

After fifteen days of what at one time appeared to be hopeless investigation, the arrest of a man in connexion with tlie murder of Alma Tirtschke, the twelve year old girl whose naked body was discovered in Gun Alley, a back lane in the heart of Melbourne, has been responsible for a good deal of local excitement. For that reason the police had to take steps to prevent a demonstration on the part of the large crowd that gathered outside the Melbourne City Court when the suspect was charged. Colin Campbell Ross, be accused, is a man of good appearance, 28 years old,

and was for a considerable time tho licensee of a wine shop in the Eastern A r.-ade, which leads on to the alley where the body waft discovered. The wine shop was delicensed on December 81, the day oil which the body of the girl was found. Ross is said to havt appeared quite indifferent during the aunt proceedings, and protested against a remand, claiming that lie had witnesses to give evidence as to his movements on the night of the murder.

As an indication of the casual way in which Ross takes his confinement, the incident is related that, because , the tea supplied at the City Watclij house was not to his liking, he re- ! fused to drink it, and assured one of j the attendants that as soon as: lie got out he would subscribe live shillings a week for llie provision to detained persons of tea of better quality. Rrcv-ions to the arrest the Government bad increased the reward to L’IOMO, and bad also announced that a full pardon would bo grab led to any accomplice giving information leading to the arrest and conviction of the nuirdcicr. Of the many strange suggestions that' were offered to the authorities nrior to the arrest, probably the queerest was a proposal that, at a given time, ever} adult in the Commonwealth should point an accusing finger towards Melbourne, and “will” that the Gun Alley murderer should give himself over to the police. The originator of the idea suggested that if everyone said aloud: “Give yourself up and confess,” an irresistible wave of electricity would be directed towards the murderer. WiU countless fingers directed at and countless voices insisting on his confession, the murderer would find if impossible to resist the pressure, unless he was absolutely devoid of nerves and imagination. Needless to say the authorities did not adopt the suggestion.