The Auckland TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 33, 4 January 1883, Page 2

The Auckland TRAGEDY.

The New Zealand Herald thus narrates the origin of the suspicions which led to the arrest of Priestly and Mrs Hamilton on the charge of murder: — " Elizabeth Hamilton^ aged fifteen or sixteen, the sister of the deceased, and a very intelligent girl, was accustomed to go frequently to her brother's house to see the family. On the afternoon of the day of her brother's death she went from her parents' residence, at the Do* main Gardens,to the house of her brother at Newton. She stopped there all night, and assisted to nurse the baby? which was ailing. She noticed the blood spattered at various points m the bedroom where her brother was supposed to have met with the accident, and Mrs Hamilton, pointing to one of the blood marks, which seemed like the smea,r of fingers, remarked, ' see what the poor wretch, has been doing.' In the fore- i noon the girl was sitting m the kitchen, when Mrs Hamilton came through the front passage into it with a broom, carrying the axe behind it, and passed into the scullery and out into the yard. " Her action seemed singular, and she instinctively rose and went to the kitchen window, which commanded a view of the yard, and she saw Mrß Hamilton lay tha axe down m the yard m the grass, and flatten the grass over ib with her hand. This was- only done once with the hand, and no further attempt was made at concealment. On the girl returning to her home m due course, she pondered the matter over m her mind. On the day of her brother's burial Mrs Hamilton made the remark to her daughter, ( Hugh's death seems a very curious affair.' The girl replied, * You would think so if you had seeu what I.saw,' and she recounted the . incident to her mother. Mrs Hamilton, sen., was so impressed with it that she at once hastened to inform her husband. He, feeling that the step he was taking was not lightly to be undertaken, carefully considered the matter, and on the following day communicated with the police authorities. The sequel is known." •