A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1161, 21 October 1913, Page 3

A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

WOMAN DONE TO DEATH

A blacksmith ARRESTED

Ashburton, Oct. 18

The Mayfield district, some twenty-three miles south-west of Ashburton, was the scene of a shocking tragedy on Wednesday evening. About 1.30 this morning Mr John A. Eiliey got into communication with the Ashburton police from the Mayfield post office, and informed Sergt. Emerson that he had been awa} r from his home (about two and a-half miles from the village of Mayfield) for some days, and that when he returned on Friday evening he found that his wife had been away from home since Wednesday night, When she had gone to see a neighbour, whom she was informed was ill.

His suspicions were aroused, and on making a search found his wife s body lying among the tussocks about six chains from the house. He did not at the time notice auj r marks on the body, but covered it with a cloth and communicated with the police. His wife, he said, had been ill for some three mouths previously, and had suffered from pains in the side. Sergeant Emerson despatched two constables to Mayfield at 4 a.m., and when they went out to view the body, they found evidence which pointed in an umuistakeable manner of a fiendish murder having been committed, for the poor woman lay in a pool of blood, with her head battered in, and her dress disarranged. The body was lying iace downwards. The left arm was under her bead, and the right arm bent with the fingers turned. Her left boot was off her foot, and was lying five feet away Irom her body. The right boot was half unplaced. A small sledge hammer was lying three feet away from her head, with hair and blood on it. Her head was terribly mauagled, the face being covered with blood. The body was lying in the paddock about 270 yards from Lilley’s house.

The spot where the body was found is situated about two miles from Biddle’s blacksmith shop and two and a-half miles from Mayheld. The hammer with which the murder was committed was soon identified as belonging to Alfred Biddle, blacksmith, who owns a forge about half-a-mile from the village. The police immediately made enquiries about Biddle’s whereabouts. They discovered that the smithy had been locked up and that he had been absent since Wednesday evening, when he rode away on a bicycle. Biddle had been in the neighbourhood tor the past four years, and was a well-known man to the farming community. He is about 29 years of age. Enquiries show that the last seen of Biddle was on Thursday afternoon when he had called upon Bernard Kennedy (a labourer) at his hut. Biddle was then wet through, very white and shaking. He told Kennedy that he - was very ill and was going to the hospital. He left soon after he arrived.

At 1 p.m. Superintendent Kelly, of Christchurch, with three detectives, arrived at the scene, and the Sub-Inspector and a detective also came from Timarn. A vigorous search was at once instituted, special attention being paid to the course of the Hinds river, which passes within half a mile of the Mayfield township.

The search was not without result, for traces of the missing man were found in the midst ot almost inpenetrable tangle ol high-grown gorse on the riverbed, about one and a-half miles above MayfieldIt was plain that he had attempted to do away with himself. A bottle which had recently contained poison was discovered. The neck of the bottle had been broken off, and the contents swallowed, lor the wretched man had vomited considerably. His tobacco had also been left.

CHARGED WITH THE MURDER. Ashburton, Oct. 20. Biddle was arrested this morning. The suspected man was in a very weak condition, and made no resistance. It is understood that he made a statement. At the Ashburton Police Court this morning, before three Justices, Alfred Mortran Biddle was formally charged with wilful murder of Rosanna Lilley, at Mayfield, on October 15th, 1913. The prisoner was still in a very shaky condition, having to lean on the arms of detectives, one on each side of him. Otherwise he appeared calm. Sergeant Emerson applied for a remand till to-morrow, prisoner stating he had no objection. *■ The inquest will be opened to'morrow morning.

■ Mrs Eilley (who was only 29 years of age) had four children, the eldest being a boy of eight years of age. This little boy was in charge of the house and his sister and two small brothers till Friday night, when he got alarmed and went to a neighbour’s.