HACKED TO DEATH.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 804, 20 April 1871, Page 3

HACKED TO DEATH.

The following account of a horrible murder committed near Orange, flew South Wales, is one of the most shocking we have ever met with. 'lt is abridged from the Western Examiner" : On the 13th March, information was conveyed to the police by two youths, named Daniel M'Guinness and Edward Crampton, that they had discovered the remains of a man in the bush, near Gosling Creek, about three miles from Orange In the afternoon of the same day the police magistrate proceeded to the spot indicated, where the remains were pointed out by the boys, and fearful evidence was at once apparent that a foul deed had been committed. The boys, it would appear, were lookin" for a horse, when one of them intimated that close to the locality they were in he once had a good swim in a waterhole. It was decided they should do so on that occasion, and proceeding to the spot, the ghastly remains of a humrn being were found. The scene of this latest atrocity is about 250 or 300 yards from the ro A, and being in a bight or bend of the creek would escape the notice of persons passing that way unless they went to the exact epot. The remains were found about six paces distant from the ashes of a fire, the ground bearing traces in the discoloration of the grass of the body having been dragged, probably by dogs. The bones were denuded of all flesh, with the • xception of the hands and arms, which presented the appearance of having been baked. The hands were tightly clenched. An examination of the skull at once demonstrated the cause of death. On the left side was a frightful wound, six inches long and about an inch in width, to which adhered a piece of red blanket clotted with blood. The skull and all the bones, with the exception of those mentioned, were completely bare, thus removing all chauce of identification. One peculiarity was noticed in the disposition of the teeth in the upper jaw —as one overlapped the others in rather an unusual manner. This may probably give some clue to identification. Both the legs were gone from the body, and could not be found. One leg-bone particularly bore unmis takable evidence that the leg had been chopped off. On the other the signs were not so clear, as the bone had evidently been gnawed, butfrom what we shall afterwards adduce it would seem feasible to suppose 'that both legs had been cut oft". On raking the embers of the fire, the ironwork of a saddle, the buckles of a bridle, a pocket knife, scissors, pint pot, and some other articles were found, as also the small bone of a "leg and other pieces of bone. A spur was found hanging to a twig on a tree at the foot of which the fire had been built. The remains of the saddle and bridle and spur would seem to denote that the deceased was travelling on horseback. Near the remains, a number of saplings were fownd, cut down apparently with the intention of completing the immolation and destroying every scintilla of evidence of the crime. The stumps from which the saplings were cut seemed hacked as if with a tomahawk, though from the length of the wound in the skull it was at fir. t conjectured that and American axe had been used in the perpetration of the deed. If the Baplings had been cut with an axe, ore blow only would have been needed, whilst from the position the body must have been in when the blow was dealt, a tomahawk would produce such a wound. The young men who made the discovery of the remains, stripped and searched portions of the adjoining creek. Their efforts were rewarded by the discovery of a pair of boots which had doubtless belonged to the deceased. These also present a peculiarity which may assist in directing notice to the identity of the unfortunate man. A portiun of the toe of the left boot is cut out, as if to afford ease to a corn, and one boot was tied with a green hide. Lower down the creek, about twenty yards from the body of the man, that of a large dog was found ; and as barking and howling from a dog was heard proceeding from the direction of the spot about the time the murder is conjectured to have taken place, it may be assumed it was the companion of the murdered man. Though no outward marks could be discovered on the animal from its decomposed state, it was pretty evident that it had met with a forcible death. So far as could be judged from the remains, the murdered man must have been of medium height, not a very robust build, and between thirty and forty years of age. A portion of the hair remained on the skull, and was of a reddish-brown colour. Attached to one of the arms was a piece of the shirt, which was tied round j the wrist by a piece of coloured twine, \ such as is used by srrocers. In the j ashes, the pocket and portion of the trousers worn by deceased were found, being apparently of canvas or duck. Many of the teeth were missing from the jaws, and several were picked from the ashes. It is supposed by the medical men that the remains have been thus exposed about ten or fourwen days, and this tallies with the time the barking of the dog is said to ; have been heard.