THE SUSPECTED MURDER NEAR LYELL.

Kumara Times, Issue 2012, 9 February 1883, Page 2

THE SUSPECTED MURDER NEAR LYELL.

♦ There can be no question that the man Quinlan, whose body it was stated yesterday had been found down an embankment near the town of Lyell last Satui'day, came to his death by foul means. At the inquest held at Lyell on Tuesday last, it was stated that the head was detached from the trunk, and four of the deceased's ribs were broken. The deceased was last seen alive at Mrs Grammatica's house at ten o'clock on Sunday night, the 28th ultimo. The man John Davidson, who attempted suicide near the same place two days afterwards stopped at Mrs Grammatica's on the night of the 28fch, and two days afterwards was found lying insensible across the road. The Lyell Times of the 3rd inst says that " Examination showed that the man Davidson had cut his throat with a razor, there being an incised wound in the neck about five inches long, with rough ill-defined edges, severing the front portion of the throat and penetrating the windpipe, showing that the stroke had been made rapidly, and that the flesh had doubled in folds before the instrument. From the appearance of the locality where the deed was perpetrated, it would appear that the . man had struggled considerably after inflicting the wound, as quantities of blood were found some twenty yards from where -the body was lying and the razor was about ten yards away. The sufferer was at once brought into town, and lodged in the lock-up, where he was attended by Dr. Campbell, and made as comfortable as circumstances would permit. He was brought before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M., yesterday, and committed for trial at the next sitting of the District Court at Westport." We learn that Constable Keating searched Mrs Grammatica's house and found an axe, a flannel, a hat and some socks (which the woman said had been left at her house by Davidson to be washed). Detective Quinn has been despatched to the scene of the supposed murder, and Mr Emerson leaves for the Lyell at once, when a full investigation will be made into the mysterious and suspicious death of Quinlan.