A STRANGE STORY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1765, 19 July 1888, Page 3

A STRANGE STORY.

An inquest was held at Sydney on July 9th on the body of a man named Ossian St. Clair, found shot through the head in a shrubbery at Parramatta. A statement found on the body related a marvellous history. Deceased was young and stated to be a Spaniard by birth, and had been a sailor. The document went on to say“ During a passage from Monte Video to the port of Bio I attracted the attention of a beautiful young lady passenger, 1 named Isidora de Alviney. We soon formed an acquaintance, but she being a first-class passenger our meetings were always kept secret. When the other passengers had retired to sleep we would sit on deck and talk loveThings went on till we reached Santos, the next port to Eio, where the young lady went ashore. 1 kept up a correspondence with her, and in several of her letters she hinted at marriage, but I only regarded them as jokes. When I had made the next trip and had once more arrived at Santos, I got an initiation to go up to the house of ' her brother, Senor Gale de Alviney, with whom Isidora was staying. She looked more beautiful than ever. Her brother would not hear of such a thing as marriage between us, in consequence of which my betrothed left her brother’s house and went to an hotel. I went to the hotel where Isidora was staying and got married to her. Along with my bride I received the sum of £SOOO, her father having died and left £IO,OOO between her and her brother. After our marriage we went to an island some distance from Santos, called San Sebastian, and bought a good sized , . house and a coffee plantation and a .*■ number of slaves. About three months after our marriage my wife’s brother condescended to pay us a visit. When he saw how comfortably we were situated he became very friendly to us, and together we used to drink a lot. One day after having drunk more than we could stand, he went into the house and insulted my wife. I called him outside, and as he made to draw his knife on me, I drew my revolver and shut him. As he fell I rushed in and kissed my wife, who was crying like to break her heart. I snatched her photo off the table and then I ran to the wharf, got a boat to the mainland, and then I changed my name and went to Eio de Janeiro, where I hid myself, as I wanted to know what would be done before I left for England. Then I saw in the papers a paragraph to the effect —“ A few days ago, while D’Alviney and Santi Clara were amusing themselves, the latter’s revolver accidentally went off, the bullet lodging in the thigh of D’Alviney. It is not believed to be a fatal wound. Senor Santi Clara, thinking he had killed his brother-in-law, fled, and it is feared he has committed suicide, as no trace of him can be found, The affair is causing great excitement in the island of San Sebastian. Later—Senor De Alviney is dead. Mortification set in, and he was past medical aid. Later.—We regret to announce the death of Senora Santi Clara, who ..died this morning. It is believed she died from grief through her brother’s death and the strange disappearance of her husband. Since committing the crime, some "" five years ago, the writer states he has been wandering all over the world as a sailor or occupied in other ways. He had got through all his money, and in trying to suppress the memory of his crime he had become a confirmed drunkard. .Finally, regretful and despairing, he had put an end to his existence by shooting himself with a revolver. The body was well dressed, but only some coppers and workmen’s tickets were found in the

pockets of the clothes, which show the man to have been residing in Sydney for some time. A verdict of suicide waa returned.