CHRISTCHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2934, 11 July 1878, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

This day. The Murder at Oxford.

At the inquest on the body of Mrs Hoff, the evidence showed that Hoff and his wife and a man named Barrett lived in the same house, which only contained one room, and belonged to Barrett. Hoff was a lazy, drunken fellow, and constantly used violent language !o deceased, who Was a hard working woman, and took his abuse very quietly. Hoff was very jealous of deceased, but Barrett asserted that he never knew the latter give any cause for it. Barrett provided all the food for the house, and Hoff paid nothing for himse.'f and wife living there. Hoff, when arrested, admitted having killed the deceased. He said he was cutting scraps in the garden and he walked inside when he was hungry and wanted some tea and bread, which his wife would not give. He then got a tomahawk and walked to the table and cut some tobacco with theiomahawk. Hewas & owling, but she would not give him his breakfast. Deceased walked inside and took an iron aad wanted tf> strike him. He turned back and took the tomahawk and gave her a clout on the head. Afterwards he aaid be walked to the fire, took a light and put it in the bed, and then cleared out; The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder. A man named Timothy Holshan has been arrested for a criminal assault on a girl niDe years of age.