MURDER OF THE REV. MR. HILL IN PENTRIDGE STOCKADE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 514, 8 June 1869, Page 3

MURDER OF THE REV. MR. HILL IN PENTRIDGE STOCKADE.

A horrible murder was committed at the Pentridgo Stockade, on May 13th, by George Ritson, who, it will be remembered, somo time ago made a cold-hloodcd attempt on the life of Mr Kinsclla, in the Eastern Mf.rket. The victim on this occasion was the Rev. William Hill, a minister of the Wcsleyau church. The rev. gentleman visited Ritson in his cell, and after being locked up with him, no one but the wretched murderer can tell what transpired. The only words heard by the warder outside were " Mercy, man !" Shortly afterwards, however, he heard a blow, and he immediately tried to open the door, but found it barricaded. After a violent effort he succeeded in forcing it open, when a terrible spectacle appeared. On the floor, weltering in a pool of blood, was poor Mr Hill in his death agony, wdiile at the further end of the cell, the murderer was standing erect, but pale, and trembling violently, still grasping in his right hand the weapon with which he had committed the foul deed—an iron bar taken from the bedstead. The warder sprang in upon Ritson, and after a brief but violent struggle, succeeded in mastering him. Mr Hill has left five young orphan children, whose mother died suddenly a short time ago. Public subscriptions are being made on behalf of the orphans, and the Victorian Government have promised to give something. Some four or five thousand persons were present at Mr Hill's funeral, besides two or three hundred ministers of the Wesleyan and other denominations. The wretched maniac Ritson stands committed to take bis trial for wilful murder.

Accounts have reached the Oamam Times, which speak very favorably of the Maerewhenua gold field, where there are now, we understand, between seventy and eighty miners at work.