COLD-BLOODED MURDER AT SANDRIDGE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 906, 19 January 1882, Page 3

COLD-BLOODED MURDER AT SANDRIDGE.

A murder of a cold-blooded and outrageous character, the result of a drunken byawl between two women, occurred (says the Melbourne Age of 10th December) at Brewster’s lane, Sandridge. The principals in the tragedy ate women who have before this made th emselves notorious by their conduct, and their neighborhood is the lowest- part of Sandridge. About six weeks ago a woman named Jane Yann - about 33 years of age, apd the mistress of a man named Allister, obtained a warrant for the apprehension of a neighbor named Catherine M‘Kean, a powerfully set woman about 40 years of age, who had smashed in her windows and destroyed her furniture whilst iu a passion. The Sandridge Bench, recognising the gravity of the offence, fined McKean £5, or 14 days’ imprisonment, and as she was unable to pay her fine she went to gaol. On Saturday night, at nine o’clock, M‘Kean went to Yann’s door, and in an insulting tone remarked “ that she,, had not come this tivne to smash windows and furniture, but heads.” Woman-like, Vann at once came out and asked what she meant, when she replied with a well-directed blow, which knocked Yann down. She tried to rise, but whilst she was in the act of doing so M‘Ke;ui knocked her down again. By this time the assailant had worked herself into a fury, and deliberately jumped on the unfortunate and danced on her body for several minutes. The entreaties of the fallen woman seemed only to increase the pleasure M‘Kean took in continuing her murderous, assault. At last Yann showed unmistakeable signs of exhaustion, and very soon aftervyayds became quite unconscious. The woman M‘Kean then got off the body of the woman, but not before having kicked Yann several times pn the

head and body. Vann was left lying in the gutter till her paramour came home, and found her in that condition. He removed her to bed, and left shortly afterwards, returning about midnignt quite drunk. Being in this condition he, of course, did not notice the condition of the woman, but thiew himself on a sofa in the kitchen, where he slept till five o’clock yesterday moyning, He then addressed the woman, and fancied she spoke to him. Allister left shortly after this, and on going outside met a woman to whom he expressed the belief that Vann was dead’ She immediately went into the house and found that this was the case. No cornmunicafcio'n was made of the occurrence to the police till after the return of Allister, who informed Constable Gardner of the circumstances, and that officer removed the body to the morgue. There were a few marks about the face and body to indicate that violence had been used, but not of a serious character. In the meantime M‘Kean. hearing that Vann was dead and that the police would in all probability airest her, locked herself up in her house, and to make the doors and windows secure, she nailed them several times. Three constables, under the charge of Seniorconstable Johnston, arrived and demand ed admission, but received no reply. The officer in charge, instead of breaking open the dooJ, smashed in the window, but no sooner did he put his head through than he was welcomed by a blow from a saucepan, levelled by the band of M‘Kean, which had the effect of making Johnson retire. A civilian then, on his own responsibility, kicked in the door, and M'Kean was rushed upon and seized while she was in the act of swinging a small sledge hammer at random. She was then taken to the Sandridge watch-house and locked up.