MURDER AT SANDRIDGE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1081, 1 June 1882, Page 4

MURDER AT SANDRIDGE.

One Woman Kills Another. A murder of a < o d-blooded and outrageous character, the result of a drunken brawl between two women, occurred the other night, at Brewsterlane, Satidridge. The principals lithe tragedy are women who have be fore this made themselves notorious by their conduct, and the neighborhood is the lowest part of Sandridge. About six weeks ago a woman named Jane Vann, about 33 years of age, and the mistress of a man named Allister, obtained a warrant for the apprehension of a neighbor named Catherine M'Kean, a powerful woman, about 40 years of age, who had smashed in her windows and destroyed her furniture whilst in a passion. The Sandridge bench, recognising the gravity of the offence, fined M'Kean £5, or 14 days’ imprisonment, and as she was unable to pay her fine she went to gaol. (Ju Saturday night, at 9 o’clock M'Kean came to Vann’s door, and in an insulting tone remarked “ that she had not come this time to smash windows and furniture, but heads.” Womanlike, Vann at once came out and asked what she meant, when the latter replied with a well-directed blow which knocked Vann down. She tried to rise, but whilst she was in the act of doing so M'Kean knocked her down again. By this time the assailant had worked herstelf into a fury, and deliberately jumped upon the unfortunate woman, and danced on her body for several minutes. The entreaties of the fallen woman seemed only to increase the pleasure M'Kean took in continuing her murderous assault. At last 1 ami showed unmistakable signs of exhaustion, and very soon afterwards became quite unconsieous. The woman M'Kean then got off the body ■of the woman, but before leaving kicked Vann several times on the head and body. Vann was left lying in the gutter till her paramour came home, and found her in that condition. He removed her to her bed, and left •shortly afterwards and returned at about midnight, quite drunk. Being in this condition, he, of course, did n»t notice the condition of the woman but threw himself on a sofa in the (kitchen, where he slept till five o’clock yesterday mornnng. He then addressed the woman and fancied she spoke to him. Allister left shortly after this, and on going outside met a woman, to whom he expressed a belief that Vann was dead. She immediately went into the house, and found this ■was the case. No communication of the occurrence was made to the police till after the return of Allister, who informed Constable Gardner of the •circumstances, and that officer removed the body to the morgue. There were few’marks about the face and body to indicate that violence had been used, but they were not of a serious character. In the meantime M'Kean, hearing that Vann was dead, and that the police would in all probability arrest her, locked herself up in the house, and, to make the windows and door secure, she nailed them several times. Three constables under the charge of Senior-constable Johnson, arrived and demanded admission but of course received no reply. The officer in charge, instead of breaking open the door, smashed the window but no seoner did he put his haed -through than he was welcomed by a blow from a saucepan, levelled by the band of M'Kean, which had the effect of making Johnson retire. A civilian then, ou his own responsibility kicked in the door, and M'Kean was rushed upon and seized while she was in the the act of swinging a small sledge hammer at random. She was taken to the Saudridge watehouse and locked up.— Age.