HORRIBLE MURER IN VICTORIA.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1179, 26 May 1874, Page 2

HORRIBLE MURER IN VICTORIA.

The Ballarafc Courier relates that on the 25th ult. the people of Beaufort and its surroundings were much excited by a report that a shocking murder had been committed during the previous night at Main Lead, a village about three miles off, on the Raglan road, the murdere:- being a German digger named Frederieh Koch, but better knos?n as " Cranky Fred," and hisyictim one .Tames Dixon, who for several years has obtained his living precariously by fossicking and working on road contracts. It quickly appeared that the rumor was but too true, and the following is a brief outline of the circumstances attending the tragic affair. Dixon left Ecaufort on Friday afternoon, having obtained work on one of the contracts connected with the Mount Cole water supply scheme. In the evening ho was found at Main Lead, lying drunknear the side of the road, hho man who found him took him to ' ; Cranky Fred's " hut for shelter for the night, knowing that ho was going to work in the locality, and had not brought his tent with him. Fred received Dixon with apparent cordiality, and readily consented to give him a night's accommodation. Dixon's escort then left, and what subsequently transpired in the hut (which is in a very lonely locality) can only be gathered from Koch's own statements and items of a circumstantial nature, that will doubtless be brought under the notice of the authorities. About 9 o'clock Koch presented himself at the Beaufort

polieo station, and told Constable Doylo, who was in temporary charge, that he had thrown a hammer at a man in his hut, and believed he had lulled him. Ho said Dixon had insulted him, tormented one of his cats, and finally struck him ; that he (Koch) then took up a hammer and threw it at him, felling him to the ground. Doyle' scarcely crediting that the affair was anything serious, mounted a horse and proceeded to the hut, taking Koch with him. On nearing the place the constable heard a noise in the dwelling, and said to Koch, '• Why, he's all right • he's moving about;" to which he° re! plied, " Those are mine pet cats." On unlocking the door and obtaining a light, a fearful sight presented itself. The body of poor Dixon was before the fireplace, in a half prostrate half kneeling position, with several deep wounds in the skull, from some of which the brains protruded. The body was surrounded with blood, and, horrible to relate, five of the murderer's pet cats were laJppiEg the sickening pool. It was evident however, from the peaceful expression of the dead man's face, that the first blow (on the temple) had stunned or killed him instantly, the remaining wounds having been inflicted after Dixon had fallen from a little stool 011 which he was sitting before the fire. Koch was taken back to the Beaufort lock up, and the body placed in an outhouse at M'Leod's hotel.

It is believed by most of those who have known the murderer for many years that he is insane. Dixon was formerly a mate of his, and Koch has repeatedly declared that Dixon robbed him, which inry give a clue to the cause of the murder. But Dixon was a thoroughly honest, though a rather dissipated man, and the story of the robbery was always set down as a monomania of " Cranky Fred's " Dixon's mother is living in England, and by last mail he received n. letter from her begging him to come home, and oifering to send him £SO to pay his expenses.