A LUNATIC KILLS HIS MOTHER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2388, 29 October 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

A LUNATIC KILLS HIS MOTHER.

On Thursday afternoon a young man, apparently between twenty and thirty yearn of age, entered No. 2 Police Station, Sydney, in an excited state, and said ho desired to give himself up to the police, as he had killed his mother. His statement at first was not believed, but ho insisted upon the truth of his story, anti stated to Constable Davies and Senior-constable Elliott that bis name was August Wells ; that lie had been living for some months past on a farm between Bankslown nnd Liverpool, and that he had thrown his mother down a well. The man. who is a Herman, was taken to No. I Police-station and looked up. Ho is of medium height, sallow complexion, with fair whiskers, and gave unmistakable signs of lunacy. In fact, in tbu coll ho was violent and talked incessantly in a most incomprehensible manner. It was ascertained yesterday that his statement was in the main correct, ns the unfortunate woman’s body was discovered in a well 20 feet deep, with IJ feet of water in it, in the locality mentioned. There were signs of a struggle in the vicinity, as portions of the fence between the bouse and the well were broken down, apparently of recent occurrence. Wells was confined in tbe Central Station until about noon yesterday, when bo was transferred, secured in handcuffs and “ muffs,” to Liverpool, where an inquest was subsequently held, at which a verdict of wilful murder was recorded against him. The prisoner was thereupon committed to take his trial at the next Criminal Court.