A SENSATIONAL MURDER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1188, 7 June 1884, Page 1

A SENSATIONAL MURDER.

A cable despatch to the New York World from London, under date of May 7th, is to the following effect:—A terrible tragedy is reported to-day from Devonshire. Hugh Shortland, a rich barrister from Australia, has been spending the past few months in that county, enjoy'ng a vaeafion. He made the acquaintance of a Misg f Dimes, daughter of a 'wealthy country gentleman, and connected with some of the most Aristocratic tamiliee, and he proposed marriage to her. Mr Dimes howjver, objected to Mr Shetland's attentions, having heard some disreputable stories about the barrister's habits, which Mr Dimes had been convinced were too much those of a dissapated and p rofiigate man. Shortland, being clever in address and skilled in intrigue, managed to induce M«* Dimes to postpone his final decision until he could be confinced that his impressions were erroneous, and then maintained his entree at Mr Dimes's residence. Taking advantages of the opportunities afforded by his probation, the Australian pressed his suit with the young lady, and finally induced her to elope with him, and thev were duly married. Soon after the elopement the young lady's dead body ras found in a pond on her father's estate. The head was battered in, in a way that might hate been caused by a violent suicidal plunge into the pond, or bj a single heavy blow with a blunt instrument in the hands of i another person. At the time the body wag discovered, Shortland, it was reported, left Devonshire, having told several persons before the discotery that his engagements made it necessary for him \ to return at once to Australia. It was generally supposed Mrs Shortland had become morbid by brooding over her, estrangement with her father, and the' long prospective absence of her husband after so brief an experience of married life, and had committed suicide in a fit of despondency. Thii view was confirmed by a letter received from Shortland soon after the finding of the body. It was dated Brindisi, Italy, where European voyagers take the Oriental Navigation Company's steamers for the Levant, the Suez Canal, end Australia. The letter was full of loving messages to Mrs Shortland, mad stated that the writer had had a successful voyage thus far and w»e about to embark from Brindisi for Australia-. Phis letter completely lulled all suspicions which might be entertained, and the Coroner's jury found a verdict that Mrs Shortland camt by her death by suicide. To-day, however, Shortland was recognised at Plymouth, and it wag asserted he could not possibly hare returned from Australia if he bad sailed at the time he had stated in hit Brindisi leiter... An investigation was made,and it was soon ascertained that he had not left England at all since hit marriage, and had written the Brindisi letter at Plymouth and sent it under cover to e friend at Brindisi, having it poajted there in order to cover hie track, Shortland was promptly arrested and taker, hack* to Devonshire, where the trial, which promises to be one ef the most sensational in English criminal records, will be held. All efforts to find a reason for the marder have thus far failed, and Shortland refuses to make any utter- '* ance upon the subject.