THE TROTTER MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 204, 17 January 1913, Page 6

THE TROTTER MURDER.

A MELBOURNE SENSATION. WIFE'S TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. A recent Melbourne cable stated that a laborer named Harold Thompson had been arrested and formally charged with the murder of Arthur Trotter. The police had been shadowing him for days, and surrounded his house. Thompson denied the charge. Australian, papers to hand supply the following details: — A robbery and murder unequalled in its bold and outrageous character took place at 2 a.m. on the 7th at the home of Arthur Trotter, George street, Fitzroy, Melbourne. Trotter was shot dead in his own bedroom, and before his wife's eyes, by two armed and masked burglars, who secured from under the mattress of the bed a bag containing £llß in cheques an& £BB in cash, the amount collected by him during the day for the firm of MaeRobertson and Co., for whom he actei as chief collector. TWO WITNESSES. The only two witnesses of the occurrence were Mrs. Trotter and her only son, Harry, aged five years. Mrs. Trotter's account of the tragedy is as follows: —"Mr. Trotter had been out on a big collecting round, and brought home the money according to his custom. He had a big day, as it was the first collection after the Christmas trade, and he got about £2OO. He placed the money under the mattress, anil we retired as usual. '■' At about 2 o'clock I was awakened by the flash of an electric light. I saw two men masked up to the eyes with white handkerchiefs. Both had revolvers, and had my husband and myself covered. "GIVE US YOUR MONEY." "My husband awoke and said, 'What is the game?' The men said, 'Give us your money.' Trotter replied, 'I have no money.' They repeated, 'Give us you monev. We know vou have it.' "They said to me, 'Do not be afraid, missus; we will not hurt you. Give us the money. That is what we want.' "I said to my husband, 'They arc only I playing a game. Arthur. It is someone playing the fool.' The men used horrible language, and kept on demanding the money. My husband said, 'I have no money but the boss'.' "Arthur then leapt out of bed and struck one man a heavy blow on the face. Thereupon one of the men stepped back and fired point-blank at him. Arthur fell to the floor, and I screamed." Trotter was obviously well to do, as. he lived in a good house and kept a motor car. The burglars chose a day when he would have more money than usual on his return from his collecting trip. The fact that they knew exactly where to place their hands on the money is most remarkable. Mrs. Sullivan, who lives opposite, states that for several days she hail seen evil-looking men hanging about. DISTR ACTED NEIC! lIBORS. The sound of the shot and Mrs. Trotter's screams aroused the neighborhood, and many neighbors rushed in. So districted was everyone that they were running about looking for a cab to send Trotter to the hospital, forgetting that his motor car was in the garage. Suddenly George Johnstone, a friend of 1 rotters remembered the ear. He was able to drive the motor, and the unconscious man was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital, where Dr. Lee at once pronounced the case hopeless. There,was a great gaping wound between the eyes, and one eye was hanging half out, Trotter lived for three hours, but never showed any sign of consciousness.