THE LYELL MURDER.

Kumara Times, Issue 2015, 13 February 1883, Page 2

THE LYELL MURDER.

The inquest at the Lyell touching the death of Denis Quinlivan (or as he is said to be more familiarly known as “ Denny Quinlan ”) having been adjourned from 4 o’clock in the afternoon of the Bth lust, to the 19bh instant, the publication of the evidence not being permitted at present, and the would-be suicide John Davidson being under committal to the District Court of Westport on the charge of self-murder, very little more is yet known concerning this at present mysterious tragedy. We gather from our exchanges that although the head of the deceased was much injured and almost denuded of hair, the rumours which stated that it was severed from the body are said to be unfounded. It appears that on Sunday or Monday night, the 28th or 29th ult., a resident in the nighborhood of MrsGrammatica’sdwelling-house, which is about a mile from Reefton, and which both men were known to frequent, heard what he describes as a repetition of “ terrible cries of anguish,” and, assuming that these proceeded from the unfortunate deceased, it certainly strengthens the suspicion of his having been murdered, and points very conclusively to their having been two or more parties concerned in the murder. The Inangahua Herald describes

Quinlan as a man of powerful build, about 6ft. 10|in. in height, and of florid complexion :—“ His person will be familiar to many on the West Coast, as he was a somewhat notorious character. It appears that when sentenced by Mr Dutton, ex-R.M. at Camptown some fourteen years ago, he made one dart from the Court, and escaped from the police, who fired at and missed him. Later, in Havelock, he made an attack upon a storekeeper, and endeavored to burst in the store. Persisting in this, despite several warnings, he was fired upon and shot down, the charge lodging in his hip. He was then arrested, and charged with being an escaped prisoner, but succeeded in gaining his liberty, Mr Dutton’s sentence being quashed by the Judge as illegal, in consequence of its sentencing Quinlan to gaol for a longer period than was by law permitted.”

The Westport Times of the 9th inst. states : —“Quiulivan was employed in the United Victory Company’s mine at Hew Creek. He was about 38 years of age, and a native of Tipperary, Ireland. Some six or seven months ago he was an inmate of the Westport Hospital. He was last seen alive on the night of Sunday, January 28th, in company with Mrs Grammatica, who, we are informed, lives near the place where the body was found. As deceased worked at such a distance from the township (eight miles) it is not surprising that he was not missed ; his mates would doubtless think he was at Lyell, while his friends in town would fancy he was away at work, and thus there was no suspicion of his fate until the body was discovered by Mr Patrick Carroll about 4 p.m. on the 3rd instant, about 50 yards from the scene of the late attempt at suicide. Mr Carroll’s attention was attracted by the unbearable stench arising from the body. It was a noticeable fact that horses showed disinclination to pass the place for some time before the discovery.”