A BRUTAL MURDER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2333, 8 September 1880, Page 3

A BRUTAL MURDER.

An old man named Andrew Booth, 70 years of age, was on Wednesday last missed from his home at Inglewood. Information was given to the police, and the friends of the old man engaged in a systematic search after the missing one. However,up till yesterday morning, says the <! Ballarat Courier” of Saturday week no trace of his whereabouts could bo found. At last, in a hole forty feet deep, some distance away from the town, Booth’s dead body was discovered, on being brought to the surface it was apparent that a foul crime had been perpetrated. The throat of the old man was cut, and bis head smashed in, the latter injury' supposed to have been the result of the fall down the shaft. The discovery caused intense excitement in Inglewood, and no one could suggest a motive for what certainly appears to be a case of deliberate murder. It could scarcely have been for the sake of plunder, for the victim was in very poor circumstances. Some few of the residents suggested that Bootli might have committed suicide, but it seems very unlikely that be would first cut liis'lliroat and then throw himself down the claim. The opinion therefore commonly expressed is that (he old man must have been murdered first, and his body thrown down the shaft. But the occurrence is altogether a mysterious one. for though the locality was inspected, no spot was discovered bearing traces of a recent struggle or murder. Our Inglewood correspondent briefly informs ns by telegram that in the afternoon a magisterial inquiry was hold,and an open verdict of found dead returned.”