MURDER OF LITTLE GIRL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1922, Page 5

MURDER OF LITTLE GIRL.

THE MELBOURNE SENSATION. EVIDENCE AT THE TRIAL. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Melbourne, Feb. 21. At the hearing of the Tirtschke case, Frank Uptou deposed that he went into Ross’ saloon at one o’clock in the morning on the day the body was discovered. On finding the door unfastened he entered, and heard a woman’s voice say: “Oh, my God! darling, how are we going to get rid of her?” Ross said: “There’s somebody hero.” and rushed at witness like a lunatic. Upton asked for a bottle of wine and Ross gave him the bottle and pushed him out in a hurry, but failed to take payment. Witness alleged he saw stains which he believed to be blood on Ross’ hands and on a towel he was carrying. Afterwards he found bloodstains on the wine bottle. Received Feb. 22, 1.10 a.m. Melbourne, Feb. 21. At the Tirtschke murder trial, Olive May Maddox gave evidence that she was in the wine saloon on the afternoon of the tragedy, and she saw a girl like Tirtschke sitting there with a glass before her. She said to Ross: “She is a young kid to be drinking.” Ross said: “Oh, if she wants it she can have it.” Six days later Ross said to her: “You don’t want to tell the police anything if you know anything. The papers say she was a goody-goody, but that is only for the sake of the public. She was a cheeky little girl.” Ivy Matthews, who had been employed by Ross, gave evidence that she saw the child sitting in the private saloon on the afternoon of the murder. Witness then detailed’ a story that Ross met her the next day and said the child came up to him and asked him for a drink. He took her in and gave her a drink of lemonade without evil intent. Witness added that Ross further said: “You know, in the company of children I feel I cannot control myself; it was all over in a moment.”