The Murder at Howick.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4347, 6 December 1882, Page 2

The Murder at Howick.

(from oue own cobbespondent.)

Auckland, This day

People upon the farm and in the district appear to regard the prisoner's demeanor before the murder as queer and eccentric, and one or two think it probable that his brain may hare been affected by an accident. Hack, a farm laborer who has worked along with the prisoner for the last two years, says that he was a quiet, sober, and industrious man. About ten days ago they were engaged in taking some posts out of the ground when prisoner fell off the log he was standing on icto a gully. He fell upon the back of his heed, and was partially stunned. The fall produced an abrasion of the skin, and the prisoner afterwards complained of a pain there. The murdered woman is described as being slightly above the average statue of the sex, well made but not stout, and seemingly on the sunny side of thirty. She bad a cast in h< r eye, and this may have (ended to give her a sour appearance. It is well know v that the pair did not agree well together, but it is doubtful where the fault k .

Mr Alfred Nathan was at the farm c:i Sunday week, but did not observe anything unusual in the relations of the husband and wife. Crowley was then complaining of the effect of his accident, and told Mr Nathan that he had been taking medicine. He gives the man a good character for steadiness and industriousness, and expresses himself as tonished at the commission of the crime.

The Inquest—Verdict: Murder.

(Peb Pbess Association.) Auckland, This day. The inquest on Mrs Crowley took place yesterday at Wbitefoord Park farm. Mr Hesketh, who was retained by Mr D Nathan, watches the proceedings on behalf of the prisoner, who seemed the least interested person in the Court. His manner was listless indifference. He seated himself on the hob of the fire place, and did not move for hours, or manifest the slightest comprehension of what was transpiring. Towards the close, apparently wearied of the sitting posture he bad assumed, he stood up, and a pitiable object he seemed to be. His manner was vacant, his features were pale and set off by his dirk scrubby whisker? their pallor seemed greater. The evidence of Crowley's daughter, Mr Prater, and others was taken. Several witnesses gave evidence to the effect that since a fall prisoner sustained a fortnight ago his manner has been strange. One witness, Ambrose Trust, deposed.: The change was in his raanper as well ps well as his looks. He did not seem to be as lively as he was before, ©r so communicative. , He appeared depressed and to have lost his spirit 3. He was generally communicative with me when we met, but he was not so ou this occasion. It appeared to me that the man's health was failiog, and that he had suffered some shock ten days ago. I advised him to see a doctor, and this wes repeated during the week, and again it was repeated last Saturday by Mr Prater, Mr Hack, and myself. Dr Fitzgerald, who examined the body of the murdered woman, deposed there was a large wound on the right temple, a triangular wound four inches wide and five inches long deep into the base of fche brain. Cloie to that, over the right eye, was another triaugular wound, four inches wide and four inches deep, also into the brain. The whole of the orbit of the right eye was gone, and the forehead was smashed to bits. The roof of the mouth, upper jaws on both sides, and teeth wre gone. The lower jaw was gone on b ih sides, and there was not a whole tcoth in her head—all were smashed to powder. The first wound would cause instant death; others were given after she was dead. v

After a verdict of wilful murder had been returned, the prisoner had an interview with his daughter, and the former subsequently made 1 provision for his daughter's maintenance.