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THE VIEW HILL MURDER.

STOP.V OF THE CRIME

GIRL CAUGHT UNAWARES,

Fuller details of the View Hill murder reveal a shocking crime. On Sunday morning Mr. Foster, who is eurotaker at View Hill, with Ins wife and two small daughters, set out for Oxford to attend Mass at the Roman Catholic Church. Their daughter Henrietta was left behind at the house. On the station at the time, were one or two workmen, and Charles Butler, who, for the last two years> has been working there as a rousealjout. Some time after Mr. and Mrs. Foster had left for Oxford a young man called at the station to borrow some cartridges as he was going out shooting. He was given a box, and as lie was going away he saw Butler, and told him that he had got the cartridges. It must have been very 50011 after the sportsman left the place that the crime was committed. There were no signs whatever of any struggle in the room where the girl was murdered. The murderer must have caught her practically unawares. When the body was found it was lying face downwards in a pool of blood, and it was obvious that Miss foster had only risen to her feet, made one step forward and fallen, and hardly moved again.

j One of her hands was still encased in the stocking she had been darning, and In tiie other the needle and wool were still gripped. On the table in the room was found a piece of paper which had been torn from a packet of tea, bearing tlie words, "My body will foe found in the well." When arrested Butler's clothes were wet. Apparently there was not enough water in the well to drown a man. Some time afterwards Butler called at a small post office about a mile from the station and terrified the young woman in charge* by stating that he had killed someone. She immediately ran out and told Mr, Joseph Clark arid Mr. Robert Mounsey what Butler had said to her, and the two men set out for Foster's house expecting to find that Mr. Foster had been the victim. Instead they found the body of the girl. They immediately communicated, with the police, Constable Leahy at once proceeded to the View Hill Post Oflieel where he found Butler sitting in the bed of a watercourse near by. He arrested the man and charged him with the crime, which Butler, who was in a state of nervousness, admitted. He submitted to arrest without any resistance. Constable Leahy handed Butler over to the custody of two returned soldiers while ho went on to the house to make investigations.

Shortly after 2 p.m. Superintendent Dwycr, of Ciiristchurch, received word of the tragedy and, with Detective-Ser-geant Mcllveney, immediately motored to Oxford. They received a report from Dr. Bagley, of Oxford, who had examined the body. It would appear that there was no sign whatever of any improper interference with the girl, the case being one of plain murder, Butler is a short, thick-set man of 40 years of age. He has dark hair and a rather heavy moustache. He appeared to be in a highly nervous condition!, and during the journey he hardly spoke a word. When ho was spoken to he would reply coherently enough, but would start when a remark was addressed to him. He has resided in the Oxford district for some years, and apparently is s thrifty man, as he has nearly £SOO to his credit in the Post Office Savings Bank. °

The victim, Miss Foster, was a girl of very prepossessing appearance and very popular in the district. She was to have been married shortly. View Hill Station is (some ten miles beyond Oxford, towards the hills. Mr. Foster's house stands some distance back from the road. In its viciniy are several farm buildings, bub the nearest house is a considerable distance away. It is understood that Butler was go--ing to leave View Hill Station early this week and the suggestion is that tills upset him to some extent.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19170413.2.55

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1917, Page 7

Word count
Tapeke kupu
684

THE VIEW HILL MURDER. Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1917, Page 7

THE VIEW HILL MURDER. Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1917, Page 7

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