THE TUN BRIDGE WELLS MURDER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2581, 26 January 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE TUN BRIDGE WELLS MURDER.

Tilii facts connected with this murder, for which two lads were recently executed, are very extraordinary. At the Tuubridge Weils Police Court on October 15 th, two young men named William (lower, aged IS, and Charles Joseph Dobell, aged 17, were charged with the murder of Bensley Cyrus Lawrence, an engine-driver and timekeeper at the Baltic Sawmills in that town, nearly three months before. From the evidence which came out at the inquest it appeared that Lawrence was called out of his house on the evening of July i!Oth by man who told him that Mr Potter, the manager of the nulls, wished to see hi in at once. Lawrence went out, and a few minutes afterwards he was found shot in the head, his death taking place next day. From the evidence it appears that the two prisoners went to the Salvation Army services where tliey appealto have been stricken by remorse. The following morning Gower went to the Captain's house, and after some further conversation, in which he was exhorted to say whether there was anything on his mind, he at length replied. "There is nothing bad that has been done in Tuubridge Wells but what me and my mate have been at the bottom ot it. V- e have been two bad characters. We were at; the bottom of the sawmills murder/' lie added, "Me ami my mate did it. Wo up as to who should do it." Mr Cottcie! asked why it was done, and he said it was out of spite to the man Lawr.moe, because he had "stopped his time." Mr dotterel put himself into communication with his superiors, by whom he was told to eommuuicatc with the police, aud both prisoners were arrested. (Sower gave up the key of a box, in which was found a loaded revolver. Dobell when arrested denied all knowledge of the crime ; but on being informed of Gower's confession he said, " Yes, yon are right; you have got the mniderer."