Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Temuka Leader, Issue 1040, 7 December 1882, Page 4

Archibald Forbes at Dunedin. —The Garrison Hall, Dunedin, was thronged on Monday night, when Mr Archibald Forbes delivered his first lecture. Two thousand people must hare been present. On coming on the platform wearing his numerous decorations, Mr Forbes received a most enthusiastic ovation. The vast audience were highly delighted with the lecture. Terrible Tragedt Hear Auckland.— A dreadful affair happened on Monday morning at Ho wick, 15 miles from Auckland. A farm laborer named James Crowley, working on the estate of Mr David Ha than, murdered his wife with a flat-iron, pounding her face into an unrecognisable mass. When he was arrested ho said he could not help it, the woman was continually ‘nagging, at him. It appeared that the w r oman was the second wife of Crowley, and by his former wife he had a daughter to whom it is alleged the murdered woman was rather unkind. The consequence was that they were continually quarrelling about the child. Mr and Mrs Crowley were accustomed occasionally to walk to Howick (o attend morning mass at the chapel there. There is reason to believe that the wife was about to set out for Howick to attend mass when the tragic affair took place. It is stated that Crowley also intended to go, as he had on his black cloth suit, but Mrs Crowley had not ironed his shirt for him, and refused to do so. Crowley thereupon got the iron to iron a shirt for himself, and it was while he had it in his hand that, frenzied with her refusal and her * nagsring,’ he lost all control over himself, and committed the horrible deed in the dining-room. The unfortunate woman was found lying on her back. She was fully dressed, as if to go out, and her shawd and umbrella lay oi» the table, and ber bonnet at her feec, where it had fallen in the struggle. On searching for the weapon with, which the murder had been effected, a patent steam box-iron was found splashed with blood and ' much battered and bent. Dr Fitzgerald was of opinion, from the dreadful character of her wounds, that the woman must have died almost immediately. Mary Crowley, the daughter, has since denied that her stepmother w r as continually ‘nagging ’at her father. It was her father that was constantly ■jawing’ at her mother. Her mother always treated her very well. An inquest on the body of the murdered woman was held ou Tuesday at Wbiteford Park, Taurauga Creek, by Captain Kcllop. Mr Hesketh watched the case for the prisoner, who was present under police escort:. The evidence of the daughter of Crowley went to show that the affair was the result of a sudden frenzy on her father’s part. Mr Heskoth’s crossexamination of the witness was with a view to set up the plea of temporary insanity. Some of the jurors wanted to add a rider of temporary insanity, but they were told that was not a question for their consideration ind a verdict of ‘ wilful murder’ was resumed.