WHOLESALE MURDERS AT SYDNEY.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 959, 5 April 1872, Page 3

WHOLESALE MURDERS AT SYDNEY.

The horrible and cold-blooded murder of Bridger, late ward-room steward of the Rosario, whose body was found in the Parramatta river, New South "Wales, with the skull completely fractured, appears likely to lead to the discovery of further crimes of a similar description committed by the two prisoners now in custody on the capital charge. A watch, found upon the younger prisoner, Lester, contained an inscription showing that it had been presented to a Mr W. B. Walker by his congregation. From inquiries made by the New South Wales police, it was ascertained that Walker was formerly a resident of Victoria, and that he only recently arrived in Sydney from Melbourne. It seems that the prisoners, who had proceeded in a thoroughly systematic manner, were in the habit of inserting advertisements in the papers, oifering to obtain situations for persons, and it is surmised that having arranged a meeting with their victims, they first robbed and then murdered them. A telegram received from Sydney informs us that, after a long search, Walker's body had been found in the Parramatta river, with a stone attached, and mutilated, as in the case of the unfortunate Bridger. From the information gained by the police, the chain of evidence against the men Nicholls and Lester would appear to be very strong. Two murders are already laid to their charge, and it is now suspected that they are in some way closely connected with the mysterious disappearance two or three weeks since of Irwin, a Tarnbaroora speculator and mining agent. Nichol's maintains an air of bravado, but Lester, who is a lad of about nineteen, seems terror-stricken. The prisoners have been remanded by the Sydney magistrates for eight days.