THE MOUNT GAMBIER MURDERER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4591, 7 December 1875, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE MOUNT GAMBIER MURDERER.

“ One very curious feature in Page’s case is worth noting,” writes the Border Watch. “ Up till the time he made his confession he had scarcely any perception of the gravity of the crime he had committed. On the night of the murder, and after he had carried the body to the hole where it was ultimately buried, he did not feel the slightest fear, nor did it strike him that he had done anything out fof the way. When the unfortunate man Jung shot Garroway, he told us that no sooner had he done so than he thought all the trees shouted ‘ Murder.’ But Page walked home after 'getting a nobbier at Krull’s in as happy a state of mind as if he had been to church, and thoroughly enjoyed his supper and the chat with Mrs. Mitchell’s servants previous to going to bed. He went out at midnight and buried the girl without the slightest fear, except that some of Mrs. Buchan's family might drop upon him before he finished. After going home and getting to bed he fell asleep in a few minutes and never as much ;ia dreamed of anything terrible. If he had got clear away the fact that he had committed murder would never have disturbed his conscience. After his confession jthe gravity of his crime began to dawn upon his mind, but it Is questionable if it ever gave him any great pain. That moral obtuseness that led him practically to regard ‘killing no murder’ evidently waited upon him to the last; and though

he was no doubt much changed and benefited by the religious instruction he received, the constitutioual defect in his nature still largely existed, and his moral sensibilities were far from keen. This was well illustrated on the night proceeding his execution. He was engaged in conversation with the Bev. Mr. Caldwell up till half-past nine o’clock. He retired to rest at ten and slept soundly till called next morning. In fact, he frequently stated that his crime never caused him any uneasiness. "We incline to the opinion that Page was a great moral maniac, and that it is hard to say how far he was capable of deceiving himself and .those who came in contact with him. In the interests of science, Hr. Jackson is anxious that a cast of his skull should be obtained. He is inclined to the view that such would help to illustrate a phase in human character to which scientific medical men have recently been , giving a good deal of attention. The doctor is fully satisfied that Page was a moral maniac; and almost as little responsible for his actions as one of the lower animals. It is stated in the Border i! otvh that “some days ago a telegram was received at the Mount Gambier Gaol, addressed to William Page, making inquiries about a girl named Lucy Schiller, who was reported to mysteriously disappeared from Mount Gambier some months back, and was last seen in the company of Page. Page denied ever having seen the girl at Mount Gambier, and stated that he believed she was with her father at Mount Bemarkable. It would be satisfactory to the public here if the whereabouts of this girl was properly accounted . for. If at Mount Remarkahle with her father there should be no difficulty in getting to know this for certain.’