THE STRANGE DEATH OF A GIRL AT SYDNEY

Temuka Leader, Issue 1526, 1 July 1886, Page 3

THE STRANGE DEATH OF A GIRL AT SYDNEY

The intucst in connection with the death by drowning of the girl Elisabeth Martin, at North Harbor, wai continued during the week ending the 21st. The prisoner!, Griffith!, James, and the girl Brown were present in onitody. Great interest was taken in the proceedings. Griffiths, who has been charged with assaulting the deceased girl, made a long statement. He said he first beoame acquainted with the girl Brown and deceased on the 4th inst. The appointment to go to the camp at Manly was made on Monday, the 7th. The girls know where the camp was situated, and their intention was to go to the camp and have tea, and return to Sydney by the ten o'clook boat. The faot that they stayed in the tent all night was entirely due to the accident to the girl Brown, which reiulted in her plothes getting wet. wan* to the camp quite willingly, and appeared in good health and cheerful enough. She laughed and talked, but was strange in her mind sometimes, as she would suddenly cease laughing, Tho marks on deceased's arms might havo been caused through skylarking or in hor into the boat. When thay mooed ihe camp they had tea, sod remained talking a long time. Deceased lay on a strctoher, six inchet away from the one occupied by witness. Deceased got up ai:d loft tho tent about three o'olock and the seßrohforhar did not prove successful till the morning. Bky larking took place early in the evening. Witneßß stoutly denied being guilty of any i impropar behaviour, or of violence toparda j deceased. Henry Thompson, the oampkeeper, said that after supper on Wednesday night he heard Griffiths speak in usi indelicate way to the girl Martin, He also heard Janice make ah obrervation which was unfit. for publication, Next morning James told I him to say that deceased left the tent about

four o'elook. At t.h« conclusion o( the inquest, riter uix hours' retirement, the jury Lur.d a verdict that the girl died from drowning, but there wai no evidence to connect any perro23 nllh her d"«th, Thcrs were extremely auspioioua oiroumitancei,' and they reoomm»uded the police to probe the mystery.