THE DUNEDIN TRAGEDY.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 104, 19 March 1880, Page 3

THE DUNEDIN TRAGEDY.

SUSPECTED M URDER. i'll ere is ever', reason to oeiieve that this >- j.,, (,;,!■ rosuit oi a brutal murder, •j v ■, ’ ;:i' j and unconscious man was U,,. . v :Rv, and ;;iuif ;t deliberate \. . Lie ti CO.; coal .di eviuenco iee e Ane ■ uttruing '.town tile house in v.-Jnoli tile deed done, ino :a st tiling known oi any of too members of his family on Saturday n giitJ- , teat Grant travelled by the tram car irom South Dunedin to the corner of St. David street, whence, no doubt, lie proceeded home. The next tiling we hear m connection with the family Is that, about 4 o'clock on Sunday, morning, a neighbor named Henry Hay don, who happened to lie up for a few moments saw a. light in one of the front rooms of the house. From this till close upon 7 o’clock nothing was known. Shortly before 7 o'clock, Mr Robb, soil., who lives hi Lambeth Place opposite, noticed smoke issuing from the residence of the Grants. His son being a member of the Fire Brigade, the father "naturally aroused him after satisfying himself the smoke was really coming from that house Robb, jun., donned his uniform and ran across tho street. He called to the inmates, but got no answer. He tried the front door, but found locked and ran round at once to the hack. At this time he was certain the house was on fire, as smoke was issuing from underneath the eaves of the window. He found the back door open, and rushing in he went up the passage and into the bedroom. He found the smoke so thick that lie was prevented from seeing anything distinctly. To prevent suffocation he went down on his knees, and groped in his way, then he felt a body lying on the floor. Catching hold of it ho dragged it out, and placed it halfway in the sittiiigroom. As he moved it he heard a groan, which convinced him the person was alive, and when he got it out it was that of a woman. He then obtained assistance, and quenched the lire. During this time Robb found Grant himself lying ou a bed, bit seeing lie was quite dead, r .d 1 wing got the lire under, lie did not move the body. At the head of the bed w-sail ord'uary American axe, whie 1 beloved to tho house. 1 ant had a severe blow on the head inflicted by this instrument which was covered in blood. Blood was also o . the pillow, and over the bed and spattered over the waks. Dr Brow a states that there can be no questio but Hat the blow was given while Grant was quietly sleeping, and that it caused death immediately. Mrs Grant had three v mils inflicted also by t.ie ae. J lie v .Hints we e also inflicted while the woman was in bed, for s.ie lias some severe bruises about her body and 1 us, and her nightdress also burned. The baby had no signs of bio rsupon it. After the blows had been si ick, the axe was placed at the head of the bed, and a lighted candle, which had been placed on the bed. partly burned the clothes ; d the mattress, and a hole thro igh the floor. _ It is a strange thing that r«>ne of the neighbors heard any noise. The parents of the decease are living immediately in the rear, and they saw nothing of any of the family p'ler between three or four o’clock on Saturday afterm m. ''’he, Ms no reason to believe that robbery was cr imitted, as Mrs Grant's jewellery remained untouched on the chest of drawers in the bedroom. The house was in perfect order. When she was admitted to tho Hospital, Dr Brown at once treated her wounds and as the result of this during the afternoon she breathed more freely, and slight hopes were entertained of her possibly recording consciousness.?.

All the papers urge the Government to ofi'er lai'i'e reward for the apprehension of the murderer.

The police at Waikouaiti haveaarested a man named Butler ai»<* Donnelly, charged xrith the murder of Grant, wife and child. W lien arrested ue drew a revolver, but did not. us it He had been recently discharf.in ter serving a sentence for Vmrgiarv at Bishop Mo: ,n’a aesidence. He will ,e brought to Dr to din to-night.

it appears that prisoner Butler, alius Donnelly, alias Medway, alias Lee, who had been recently discharged from gaol had been lodging at the Seotia Hotel within a fyw mimaes. y.ruk omhe hotr-e of the murdered , .-.ii, ()<! did not oecuoy his lodging on j ; ~ v ,5- y;.*,ui'div-' nigli! but retu-tied on > .- ir Mu,': v. all in iiaifr.ii-hour of the ,;o .-:\ -■. rlvnurdei and after paying h:s i.ii: ..--walked to Bmeskiu, changing ii:.- ov the way and dipping oil his i!t>,ache When airested he had a 1 x fid-.- ’ m i.ver and a number of ca fridges but was secured oc/ore he could use it. lie is a small sharp-looking man under :)0 years of age.

THE BENEFITS OF LIBERALISM. This is the sort of thing that may exist miller a “Liberal” dictatorship:-Strik-ing cases of terrorism in ths departments have from time to time occurred under too Berry rri/hne. (saysthe '‘Australasian ), arm with regard to subordinate officer* as wed as heads of departments. Mr James I lynn, a stoker on board the \ ictora, »v:r- quoted as confirming a story told !.*y t. 1 1 Secretary in the House, that in CqAim Stanley s time the bilges of the \ ietoria we:'" in a “beastly and “filthy ‘•■om..tiimi. Mr Flynn expluincil that he min been misunderstood, ioi lie mea.it nothing of the sort. He was drummed out of the service immediately. Mr W. N. Bird), a ganger on the Ararat line, attendee. .« political meeting, and when the \ ohim grant was mentioned he interjected, los a swindle,” The man bore a fiist-class character as a workman. Hut he was summarily dismissed, and his offence was stated as a warning to others. Mr R. Clark (Wimmora) brought under the notice of the Assembly, July 15th, 1870, the conduct of the Minister _ station-inaster._ In introducing a deputation to the Ministei Mr Clark remarked that the station-master had said to him that a single line would never takeaway all the wheat from Horsham. Upon this ho was interrupted by Mr W oods, who gave orders on the spot that the station-master should he removed or dismissed for conversing with a member. Mr Clark contended that the action of the Minister was an insult to the House, and was calculated to strike terror into and demoralise the Civil Service. Ihe interposition was of partial good, It was stated in the House that the station-master was reprimanded and removed.