Death of Hugh Hamilton.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4355, 15 December 1882, Page 2

Death of Hugh Hamilton.

ADULTERY A#D MURDER.

(Pbk Pbess Association.)

Auckland, This day

, Warrants hare just been issued for the arrest of Miriam Hamilton and Thomas Priestly, charging them with the wilful murder of the former's husband, Hugh Aitkeu Hamilton, who was supposed to have met met his death, on' the night of the 28th ult., by falling head foremost upon the edge of an iron bedstead while in a state of drunkenness. The Coroner's inquest resulted in finding ra^-verdicfc 'tba^-tie'eeased "met his death accidentally by falling against an iron bedstead. This, however, did not satisfy deceased relatives, and at tlioir solicit"! - lion the police bef»an to make further investions, as in the meantime some ugly rumors were being circulated. It was alleged that the widow had been improperly intimate with a young theological student who taught in the same Sunday school (St. James' Presbyterian) as deceased, and who lived.next door in her mother's house. The police saw both parties separately, and each of them .made contradictory statements. With great patience Supt. Thomson and Detective Strathen followed up the trail, and yesterday, having got all the outside testimony , possible, they had the prisoners' property and abodes searched, the result' being the discovery of a pair of dark tweed trowsers in Priestly's box bearing traces of comparatively recent blood, and of an axe in the widow's houße, which also showed faint marks of blood, as if there had been an attempt to wash them out. The afiair causes a great sensation. Priestly was a convert from Catholicism, and Hamilton secretary of an Orange lodge, while Mrs Hamilton was a Scotch Presbyterian. ■ „M.