THE QUEENSLAND MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 136, 30 November 1911, Page 5

THE QUEENSLAND MURDER.

CINGALESE'S CONFESSION. DETAILS OF THE DEED. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Brisbane, November 29. Police Court proceedings have commenced at Mackay against George Silva, a Cingalese, who is charged with the murder of Agnes Ching and five children. Accused was employed on Ching's farm. The arresting constable detailed a conversation with prisoner, who said that when Ching left home he was shooting a hawk with Ching's gun. Afterwards he went to sleep near the railway, and met Ching returning. He told him that he had not seen his family. Vfter the victims were discovered prisner went to inform the police. He •irried the clothes he had been wearig during the day in a parcel, but as it was galling his knee he threw it away.

Witness said: "You're fooling. You know who murdered the family." Prisoner replied: "God knows they were good to me. I never murdered them." When the bodies of the two missing children were found, prisoner broke down and cried. Tracks near where they were found were similar to those made by prisoner's boots. Another police witness declared that prisoner admitted burning the clothes he was wearing on the day of the murder. Witness found in the remains of the fire a portion of clothing, a gold watch, razor and medicine bottle, which prisoner claimed. Prisoner told witness that he, a neighboring Hindoo farmer, Dooley Khan, and a white man, conspired to murder the family a few Sundays before. He added: "Dooley Khan shot the mother and killed the baby beside her. I shot Maudie and Hughie, and when Eddie and Dolly returned from school told them that their mother and the children were waiting for them in the back paddock. We went together. Dooley Khan was waiting with a pea-rille, and shot them. Khan wanted to marry May Ching and get the farm. I wanted Maudie, but her mother objected." Prisoner admitted that he used a revolver to shoot Maudie and Hughie. After searching a cane paddock, witness found the weapon.