THE WARRNAMBOOL TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 6, 5 December 1883, Page 2

THE WARRNAMBOOL TRAGEDY.

m Horrible Murder of a Girl. The "Warrnambool correspondent of tbe Argus furnishes the following additional particulars concerning . the above tragic occurrence :— The victim of this fearful tragedy was a little girl named Margaret Nolan, nearly 10 years of age\ residing abo >i l two miles beyond the township of Panmure, on the right-hand side of the road, m the ! Gavvuc _ direction. ■ On Saturday last | Margaret was scut to the township | with some butter, and bring out with her some small articles required for domestic purposes. She carried a small black bag, which was lying boside her when the body wa9 found. At about four o'clock Margaret was seen on her way home. At this time a man named Henry Morgan, a selector, cultivating a few acres of land on Moun) Warrnambool, which is distant about 20 miles due north from the township, about 18 miles from Warrnambool, was standing outsido of O'Brien's hotel catting up some tobacco with a pocketknife. Tbe girl passed along the main road but of the township m the direction of her home, aud when about a little more tbau a quarter of a mile distant from Panmure she was seen walking by the side of a horse ridden by the man Morgan, who appeared to be conversing with her. This was the 'last time the murdered girl was seen alive. As she did not return home it was naturally thought that she was detained m the township, or that she might have called m at one of tbe neighbouis living on the road side. As the time paased, however, and she still failed to appear, it was deem; d necessary to make inquiries to her whereabouts. The fears mat were beginning to be felt were somewhat allayed when, it became known that the child had passed through the town T . ship,as itwa^thought.tbatshe would not be likely to leave the Geeloag-road unless to visit some friend. It was never for a moment anticipated by her parents that on one of the highways of the colony upon which there is a constant

traffic, iri broad daylight, within half A mile of the township and 200 yards ef a house on the roadside, and only about ft mile and a quarter from her own home, their daughter would be found foully and brutally murdered. At about eight o'clock m the evening the forebodings that some fatality had occurred culminated m a thorough search of the locality where the girl was last seen. Fifteen of the neighbours undertook the sad duty, but* it wa-s four o'clock yesterday morning before the remains were found ; and, strauge to say, the first to make the sad discovery was the father of the I murdered child, he being at the heart of a party who were about to abandon the search m this particular direction where tho body was discovered. The deceased was lying on her back, her feet being towards the road, with her clothing disarranged. Her little bag was lying by her side. On the left side of the neck there was a frightful gash, evidently iuflicted by some sharp in*ti ament, fully three inches m length, and two inches m depth. In fuct, the head was nearly severed from the body, about which there are a number of bruises. One of the fingers of the deceased's left hand was nearly cut off, evidently done while she *-as m the act of protsefcing herself from her assailant. The mouth was wide open. The spectacle was one of the most bonifying that could be witnessed. Dr Macnamara examined the remains, and at once arrived at the conclusion that a criminal assault had been attempted. As already stated, there is an inhabited house about 200 yards from the spot where the body was discovered, but such is the cover afforded by the fern* that the house is completely hidden from view, and the ferns are so thick and high that, if anyone had been coming along the Framlingham track towards Panmure, they could not have seen anything, though cries of distress might have been heard. As it was felt that everything might depend upon finding the weapon by which the deed had been committed, the search fo. it was continued throughout the day, the waterholes and all other likely places being subjected to a close scrutiny. Arrangements were also mado that a party of volunteers should commence the first thing next morning to cut down all the ferns and have them removed, so as to ascertain if the murderous m--81 rumen I bad been concealed anywhere m tho locality. Since the finding of the body some of the ferns have been trodden down just m the gpot where it was lying, and there are some impressions of the footsteps of those who paid the place a visiu yesterday. These will be subjected to a minute examination)' and for this and other purposes a black tracker has been sent to assist the police m their operations. ; Morgan was arrested."