THE STRANGE DEATH OF A GIRL AT SYDNEY.

Kumara Times, Issue 3015, 2 July 1886, Page 2

THE STRANGE DEATH OF A GIRL AT SYDNEY.

+ Sydney, June 21. The inquest in connection with the death by drowning of the girl Elizabeth Martin, at North Harbor, has been continued during the week. The prisoners, Griffiths, James, and the woman Brown were present in custody. Great interest has been taken in the proceedings. Griffiths, who has been charged with assaulting the deceased girl, made a long statement. He said he first became acquainted with the girl Brown and deceased on the 4th inst. The appointment to go to the camp at Manly was made on Monday, the 7th. The girls knew where the camp was situated, and their inteution was to go to the camp and have tea, and return to Sydney by the ten o'clock boat. The fact that they stayed in the tent all night was entirely due tn the accident to the girl Brown, which resulted in her clothes getting wet. Deceased went to camp quite willingly, and appeared in good health and cheerful enough. She laughed and talked, but was strange in her manner sometimes, as she would sudden'y cease laugkinr. The tnarkß on arms might have been caused through skylarking or in lifting her into the boat. When they reached the camp they had tea, and remained talking a long time. Deceased lay on a stretcher, which was about six inches away from the one occupied by witness. Deceased got up and left the tent about three o'clock, and the search for her did not prove successful till the morning. Skylarking took place early in the evening Witness stoutly denied being guilty of any improper behaviour, or of violence towards deceased. Henry Thompson, the campkeeper, said that after supper on Wednesday night he heard Griffiths speak in an indelicate way to the girl Martin. He also heard James make an observation which was unfit for publication. Next morning James told him to say that the deceased left the tent about four o'clock. The inquest was concluded last night, when after six hours' retirement the jury found a verdict that the girl died from drowning but there was no evidence to connecr any persons with her death. There were extremely suspiciouscircumstances, and they recommended the police to probe the mystery.