THE PARRAMATTA RIVER MURDERS

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 167, 22 April 1872, Page 3

THE PARRAMATTA RIVER MURDERS

Since the days of Burke and Hare there has probably not been told a more horrible tale of murder than tiiat by the Sydney Press. Twomen, Nicholls and Lester, one of them a mere lad, appear to have deliberately entered into a partnership as robbers and assassins. Scarcely belonging to the recognised criminal class, because their antecedents, prove them to be fairly educated and respectably connected, the criminal instinct in tnein was strong enough to stifle ail scruples of conscience. The plan they adopted to entrap their victims was the insertion of An advertisement in the newspapere for a

clerk or storemen. When tho applicants appeared they represented that their business was up country ; they inquired whether an advance of salary was required, and if the reply was in the negative they evinced a friendly interest in the position of their future employe, and generally managed to worm out of him what available means lie was possessed of. A few pounds only, as in poor Walker’s case was sufficient to tempt their cupidity. They engaged the man, met him on the wharf, and departed apparently for their destination up the Parramatta river. On the way they knocked him on the head with a life preserver, rifled his pockets, and then threw the inanimate, but not dead, body, bound hand and foot, overboard. Thus they assassinated and robbed the steward of the Rosario, and poor Walker, formerly a local preacher on the goldfields of this colony. The evidence on Walker's body fully brought home tho crime to Nicholls aud Lester, and when they left the Courthouse a large body of police was necessary to prevent tho excited propulacc taking summary vengeance upon them. It is impossible at present to determine tho the extent to which these -wretches have carried out their system of assassination, but the Sydney police have exhibited so far a praiseworthy smartness in tracking the fellows, and there is little doubt that fresh horrors will he revealed before Nicholls and Lester are brought to trial for the two murdors they at present stand charged with committing.— Leader.