THE BOURKE TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 269, 23 March 1911, Page 5

THE BOURKE TRAGEDY

SANKOVITCH'S TRIAL. By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, March 21. The trial of isankoviteh, 'who is charged with the murder of Eismond o.|i September 24 last, has begun. Accused pleaded not guilty. The Russian Consul-General was ollieially present. The evidence was similar lo that at the inquest. PRISONER'S RETRACTIONS. Received 22, !).20 p.m. Sydney, March 22. In order to solve the question of the admissibility of certain statements which Senkovitch made to the police in Melbourne, prisoner went into the box, and, speaking through an interpreter, said he made the statements because he thought that, as in Russia, lie must answer the policeman or be imprisoned. In reply to another question he dedeclared that he did not believe in the existence of God. A body was found in a calico bag in the Darling river, near Bourke; It was suspected to be that of a Russian named Eismond, and his servant, Senkovitch, was' subsequently arrested. According to tlie story San'kovitch .told a fellow countryman, lie and Eismond were fello\V students at the Gatschinski Institute, St. Petersburg. Eismond's parents were rich, and Sankovitch's poor. As a result of reading sensational novels he decided to seek adventures. Eismond drew £750 of £12,0(H) he had in the bank, and after a visit to various continental cities, came to Australia. He intended to buy a boat and make a trip along the from Sydney to the Gulf of Carpentaria. The Russian Consulate dissuaded him. Then he went to Bourke, seeking adventures in the interior. Until he reached Bourke the thought of hurting Eismond had not entered Sankovitch's mind. Suddenly, one night, came a prompting "'kill him and get his money.'' Eismond was rolled in blankets anil asleep. Sankovitch seized a hatchet, struck him on the head many'times, rolled the body in the tent, and threw it in the river.