DREADFUL MURDER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1545, 21 August 1886, Page 3

DREADFUL MURDER.

Sydney, August 10th.

About seven o'clock last Thursday morning, a miner named Powell, who lives on the Beach at the village of Srookton, near Newcastle, assaulted his wife vith a shovel, and cut her fearfully about ihe head whith he nearly chopped off. The unfortunate woman has since died from the effects of her injuries. A young maa living near the house hearing the woman's cries, went to ber assistance. Powell set upon him and severely assaulted him. Constable Sherlock and a man named Copelajd went to his assistance. struck at the policeman *ith the shovel, butmifesed andOopeland hen struck Powell with a stick and knocked him down. The man is now 'n custody. He has been suffering for a considerable time from hallucinations which are attributed to the effect exercised upon his mind by attending frequent spiritualistic seances which he andsome miners and their wives had been in the habit of holding at one another's houses. He is laboring under the delusion that God seDt him a messenger, saying the sum of £l5O had been lodged to his credit in the Stockton Post offioe. He proceeded to that place on Monday and demanded the money, and on a reply being given in the negutive he proceeded to bis house and asked his wife to give him the money, as the postman had left the order. He afterwards threatened her, «ud in cowqueiica ahe spent Wednesday night at a neighbor's, roturnicg at daylight on Thursday morning, Powell asked ber again about the post-office order, and struck her three blows on the forehead. Deceased picking up a piece of wood struck Powell on the head." Powell flying into a passion retaliated by striking deceased on the head with a hervy piece of wood, which knocked ber down into a basket containing crockeryware. A boarder residing in the house went for the police and assistance. On returning and going into the bedroom a horrible sight met his gaze. Deceased was lying on the floor weltering in her life'* blood, her hce and head being beaten beyond' recognition. The mouth and upper lip were black and swollen, and the right ear was almost toro asunder. A large iron shovel, with which it was presumed Powell had committed the deed, was found in an adjoining room. Whilst the inquest was proceeding Powell had to be removed, owing to his violent conduct, behaving like raving maniac. The jury returned a verdict of " wilful murder." Powell's two children, aged uine and six, are being cared for by a neighbor. The affair hus cast a heavy gloom over the quiet village of Stokton.