THE CARLTON MURDERARREST OF THE MURDERER. A CONFESSION OF GUILT.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 391, 7 August 1889, Page 5

THE CARLTON MURDERARREST OF THE MURDERER. A CONFESSION OF GUILT.

The mystei'y surrounding the murder of the woman Annie Thornton, nee Gorry, alias Wilson, alias Hilton, appears to be now absolutely cleared up, and the murderer to be safe in custody. It will be remembered that the dead body of the woman, with the throat feai'fully fgashed, was found in the house in which she had lived in a lane off Drummond-atreet, Caribou, on the 17th ult., and that it was evident that the woman had been murdered several days previously. The detective police, who have had the case in hand appear to have worked with considerable diligence and judgment, proceeded to Antonio's restaurant in Flindersstreet West, near Spenser-sbreeb, and demanded to see a young man named Philip Costello, who was employed there as second cook. Costello made his appearance, and was requested by the police to lead them to his room. Costello thereupon showed them te an apartmont which he shared with a Frenchman named Pierre Snuag. The detectives then asked Costello if he knew the deceased, whom they named in succession as Gorry, Thornton, Wilson and Hilton. He denied that he knew any such person, and on the detectivea showing him a photographic portrait ot the deceased woman he repeated his denial that he had any knowledge of her. He was closely questioned as to whether he had nob been with the deceased at the Druids Hotel, Russell-street, on the Bbh ulb., when th6y had drink together, and this he also denied with apparent confidence. On Cosbello's box being searched the police found in it a large plain gold wedding ring, a silver watch and a fancy gold ring, from which one of the stones was missing. Costello on being asked where he got the watch, stated that he bought ib from a man some time ago, bub he was unable to tell the time, bhe place or the name of bhe man. As to bhe rings, he denied all knowledge of them, and insisted that they were nob his, and bhab he could nob account for bheir presence in his box. On a shelf at bhe head of Costello's bed Sergeant O'Donnell found a clasp knife wibh a large blade, very sharp, and which appeared to have been recently cleaned. The police then made a careful examination of all Costello's clothes. They found that the sleeve lining of che coat which he wore was largely besmeared with blood. He accounted for this 'by saying that it was caused by his carrying raw meat. An undershirt and a Avhite waistcoat of the prisoner's were also found to be staind with blood. On the detectives concluding bheir investigations bhey arrested Costello on a charge of murder, and he was taken in a cab to the station house in Swansbon-street. On the way thither Costello made a confession of his guilt. Ho stated that on Monday, the Bth ult., he had a " row" with the deceased at her house, that she struck him, and that he thereupon seized her and cut her throat with the same knife bhat bhe detectives had found in his room. He furbher stabed that the watch and the two rings which were found in his box had belonged to the deceased, and that he removed the rings from her fingers afberdeath. Ibwill be remembered bhab bhe back and fronb doors of bhe deceased's house were found locked and bhe keys missing when bhe body was discovered. Costello nosy stated bhab after killing the unhappy woman he locked the doors and threw the keys away. He also stated that he cub away the shirb which he wore when he committed bhe murder. He mentioned further that (as was evidenb when bhe house was iirst entered) he washed his blood-stained hands in a basin in the deceased's house, and wiped them on a bowel which was found in bhe place. A No. 14^ " Shakespeare " collar was found on a dressing-table in the house. Similar collars of the same number and bearing bhe same brand were found in the possession of Cosbello. A necktie, soiled with blood, and a hard brown "boxer" hat, sprinkled with blood, were also found by the police in bhe man's room. Costollo is a native of Manilla, and a man of small stature. Some articles of jewellery besides those mentioned, and said bo have belonged to the deceased, have also been found.