Crimes Times of Frankston Victoria

1) THE SCHNAPPER POINT MURDER
2) THE KANANOOK CREEK MURDER
3) ROBBERIES

1)THE SCHNAPPER POINT MURDER
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
AT FRANKSTON.
The Argus
12th December 1876
A married woman named Mrs. Ann Hastings, wife of a labourer named William Hastings, living at Mount Eliza, near Frankston, has been missing since Friday, the 1st inst., and suspicions are entertained that she has met with foul play. Her husband states that at 8 a.m. on the day mentioned his wife left her home for the purpose of going to Schnapper Point to purchase some stores, that she took a £10 note with her, and that he has not seen her since. She spoke of paying a visit to her brother, Mr. Michael Tobin, living in Charles street, Rich- mond, but it has been ascertained that she has not been there. A diligent search has been made by the local police and the residents in the district, but although the surrounding country has been carefully examined and waterholes dragged, no trace of the missing woman has yet been found. Mounted con- stable Kelly was sent from the Richmond depot a few days ago to Frankston, and has been since investigating the case. Mrs. Hastings is described as an Irish woman, 49 years of age, about 5ft. 6in. in height, slight build, dark grey hair, sallow complexion, delicate appearance, wearing brown wincey dress, black cloth jacket, and brown straw hat trimmed with brown ribbon. It appears that on the morning of her disappearance her husband followed their two sons named William and John to Frankston, where they went to attend school, and that
he did not return to his own house until 6 o'clock next morning. Finding, then, that his wife had not returned, he went to Mr. John Woods, a resident in the locality, and stated to him that his wife was missing. On Monday he obtained the loan of a horse from Mr. Woods, for the purpose of riding to Schnapper Point, and telegraphing respect- ing his wife to Mr. Tobin, at Richmond. He went and despatched the telegram, but did not return the horse to its owner until the following Wednesday. Hastings states that on the day his wife disappeared, he attended a concert in a church at Frankston, but it is alleged that this statement is untrue. It is also stated that Mrs. Hastings had not been accustomed to receive uniform kindness from her husband, and at present he is suspected of having been connected with her disappearance. Mrs. Hastings was a quiet, hard working woman, and was held in high esteem by her neighbours. The affair is exciting a good deal of interest.

THE FRANKSTON MYSTERY.
MRS. HASTINGSFOUND MURDERED.
The Argus 13th December 1876
The mysterious disappearance of Mrs. Ann Hastings, wife of William Hastings, labourer, living near Frankston, was solved yesterday by her lifeless and mutilated body being found in a paddock on the farm of Mr. Grice, near Mount Eliza. It will be remembered that Mrs. Hastings had been missing from her home since Friday, the 1st inst., and that her husband could give no satisfactory explanation of her long absence. On the morning of her disappearance she went to Schnapper Point or Mornington to purchase stores, while her husband followed their two sons to a school at Frankston, but did not return to his home until 6 o'clock next morning. The statements made by the latter as to where he spent that night, as also his replies to queries about his wife, were considered contradictory, and in some instances were alleged to be quite untrue. Gradually suspicions were excited among the residents in the locality and the local police that the missing woman had met with foul play, and indeed that she had been murdered by her husband. Bands of people turned out and assisted the police to search the country, and continued to do so for about a week without obtaining any clue whereby the mystery might be unravelled. Yesterday the discovery of the body was made by the children of a labourer named Martin, who were attracted to where it lay by the smell arising from its decomposition. The paddock in which the body was found lies near the beach, and is about two miles from Hastings' house, and one mile and a half from Mornington. On being examined, the body was found to be bruised all over, and the head was battered in both in front and behind. A piece of the deceased woman's hat had been knocked inside the skull as with a hammer. The body was removed by the police to Mornington, and Senior Constable Boyle telegraphed the information to Mr. Candler, the district coroner, who has signified his intention of holding an inquest on the body this evening. William Hastings, the husband, had been kept under surveillance by the police, and on the finding of the body he was arrested on suspicion of having committed the murder. There was at the time no direct evidence against him, but since his arrest an axe stained with blood and with human hair upon it has been found near his house. Although the house has been searched carefully, the prisoner's working suit has not been found. Detectives Williams and Considine were despatched from Melbourne yesterday to investigate the case, and, if found necessary, Mr. Secretan intends sending for two black trackers to lend assistance.

THE MORNINGTON MURDER.
30th December 1876
The adjourned inquest on the body of the woman Ann Hastings, who was found murdered in Grice's Paddock, about midway between Schnapper Point and Frankston, was resumed yesterday, at Kirkpatrick's Hotel, Schnapper Point. William Hastings, the husband of the deceased woman, was present in custody.
James Edward Neild, M.D., examined, deposed - I made a post-mortem examination of the body of Ann Hastings on the 14th inst.
Generally the body was in a condition of advanced decomposition. It was lying on the face, and I first examined it in that position. I removed the clothes. The hair, skin, and bones of the head were in one confused mass. All the bones of the skull, with the exception of the bones of the nose, were more or less broken. There were neither brain nor membranes to be recognised. The soft parts of the neck were all gone. I observed a contused wound on the side of the right fore-arm. The bone was exposed. (The witness having described the appearance of the body, proceeded.) I believe the cause of death was fracture of the skull. I arrive at that conclusion because there was nothing to account for death otherwise. I think the fracture of the skull was caused by a number of violent blows. I do not think the injuries to the skull could have been caused by one blow. The blows were delivered with some heavy instrument, such as a hammer or axe. They could not have been caused by the fist nor by kicking. The contused wound on the arm was about 1in. by 2in., and was oval in shape. I would not like to say positively that the woman was alive when she received the injuries to the skull, as other vital parts were missing, but I believe she was. The dress of the woman when I examined her was to some extent cut in front, but had not been wholly removed. There was no blood visible in the large vessels of the body, but there was dried blood on the bones of the skull.
To Detective Williams. - The axe produced would produce the injuries I observed on the skull of the deceased. Looking at the hat produced (that found on body of deceased) the same axe might also have effected the hole in the hat. The hole is in the back of the hat. There was nothing to indicate with precision the position in which the deceased was when the injuries were inflicted. I could not say whether she was sitting, standing, or lying. The neck of the deceased was not broken.
To the Coroner. - I think I can almost say positively, from the condition of the heart that the deceased did not die from suffocation. I think the deceased was dead about three weeks when I made the second examination of her remains - between a fortnight and three weeks.
Henry Martin, examined, deposed, - I am a labourer. I live at Mount Eliza. I recollect Tuesday, the 12th December. On account of what I was told, I proceeded to Mr. Grice's paddock on that morning. I saw the body of a woman lying there, near the beach. I gave information immediately to Senior-constable Boyle, and accompanied him to the place where the body was lying. I was present at the inquest on the 13th. I did not see the body then, but I would know the clothes the deceased wore. (The clothes found on deceased were identified by the witness.) The hat was tied on the head, or fastened in some way.
William Hastings, examined, deposed, - I am a son of William Hastings, the prisoner. I was 13 years of age last July. I can read and write (The witness was examined as to whether he knew the nature of an oath, and answered satisfactorily.) Ann Hastings, the deceased woman, was my mother.
To Detective Williams. - I recollect the
morning of Friday, the 1st of this month. I was at home about 8 o'clock in the morning. My brother was also at home. We were pre- paring to go to school. My father and mother were at home. My mother said she was to the "Point," meaning Mornington. She said she would bring some bread, tea, and sugar, and leave the flour for Mr. Wood to bring. I don't know whether my father heard her saying so. There are only two rooms in the house, and he was in the ad- joining room at the time, and the door was open. Mother said, in my father's hearing, that she thought she would leave us boys at home that day while she went to the Point, as my brother had bad boots. My father said he had gone to school with worse boots, and that we could go to school very well. My mother then said that we might go to school, and that my brother would have his new boots on the following Monday. My mother had kept us from school occasionally before that day. My father never interfered before. My brother and I started for school at Frank- ston, and left my father and mother at home. I did not see my father again that morning after I left home. I saw him in the afternoon at Frankston. I did not speak to him then. I did not see him again until Satur- day morning, about a quarter to 7 o'clock. I got home from Frankston at five minutes to 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon. There was no one at home. My brother and I went to bed about 8 o'clock. We got up about half past 6 o'clock next morning. My father came in about a quarter of an hour after- wards. I said to him, "Mother did not come home last night." He replied, "I wonder where she is staying." I told him that Mr. Woods had been over the night before, and that he had said that my mother might have stayed with Mrs. Cahill. He said, "I will go over by and by and bring the flour." Nothing more passed between us then. I did not go to school that day. My father left the house about 9 o'clock, and came back about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. He then sent me over to Gordon's to get some mutton. My brother stayed at home with my father. I came back about 7 o'clock. My father was then at home. We had tea afterwards. About 8 o'clock that night I saw my father wash his shirt. He afterwards dried it at the fire. The shirt produced (a checked cotton shirt) is the one he washed. The axe produced belongs to Mr. Davies. It was in my father's hut on the verandah. It has been in my father's possession since the Easter before last. I last saw it on the Satur- day after my mother left. The purse pro- duced was my mother's. The other purse produced is my father's. My father did not send me to Mr. Cahill to make inquiries about my mother. On the Saturday after my mother went away, my father said she had a £10 note with her. He asked me if I had brought letters from the post-office at Frankston. I said I had not. During the next week he again mentioned the £10 note, and said he did not think that people were of opinion she had a £10 note. He said she must have had more than a half sovereign, as a hat and jacket would cost 30s. I went with my father to look for my mother on Friday, a week after she was missing. He asked me to go with him. We went down to Payne's Creek about 8 or 9 o'clock in the morning. We followed the creek from Mount Eliza school to the beach, and came up through Mr. J. S. Smith's paddock. We got home about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I attended at the inquest on the day it commenced. I saw the body of the deceased, and recognised it as that of my mother. The dress was the same as the one I saw her lying with. The hat was also the same I saw her wear. I went with my father to search on the Sunday for my mother. We went on one of the tracks she might have taken coming from the Point. He said she might have got a sunstroke and wandered off the track. We went about half a mile. I never heard my father ask my mother for half-a- sovereign. The axe was always kept in the verandah. There are only two rooms in the hut. I last saw my mother's purse in her hand on the day before she went away.
To a Juror. - My mother cleaned the rooms up every day, and washed them out about once a month. When I came home on the day she left I did not observe anything un- usual in the appearance of the rooms. The beds had not been disturbed. My mother generally went through Walker's paddock to go to the Point. I never knew of her going by herself along the beach. My father wore the shirt produced on the day my mother left, and also on the day he washed it. He was not in the habit of washing his shirts.
By the Prisoner. - I do not know the reason why you washed your shirt. I do not remem- ber you looking for a shirt to put on. I re- member you looking on the fence for a shirt. You said you thought the cows must have taken it.
Eliza Hastings, being sworn, said, - I am a daughter of William Hastings, and the de- ceased was my mother. I am 15 years of age, and live at Frankston, at service with Mr. Davey. My mother was 46 years of age. I recollect Friday, 1st December. I saw my father at Frankston at half past 3 o'clock in the afternoon of that day. I did not speak to him. I saw him again about 8 o'clock that evening at the hotel where I am at service. He came to the kitchen. My father said he thought all of us would go to live in Melbourne. He said nothing then about my mother. I did not say anything to him about my mother. He said to me on one occasion that my mother had a £10- note. I do not recollect when he said it. The Sunday after my mother was missing, I went to my father's house. I arrived about 7 o'clock. My father came home about three quarters of an hour after- wards. I spoke about my mother. I asked him did he know where mother was. He said, "I think she went to Melbourne by the steamer on Friday." I think it was then he said that she had a £10-note and half a sovereign with her. He asked me did I know whether any of my aunts sent her the money. I told him I did not know. I saw my mother at the hotel on the 9th November. She took a portion of my wages then, 12s. That was the last time I saw her. My mother carried her money in the purse produced.
By the Prisoner. - A long time ago she used to carry money in another leather purse. William Davey, examined, deposed. - I am landlord of the Bay View Hotel, Frankston. I remember seeing the prisoner pass my hotel about half-past 12 on the 1st December. He was apparently coming from his own house. He returned soon afterwards and called in for drinks. He at that time told me that he had to meet his wife. He asked me for a shilling to enable him to go by the coach. I told him I would not lend him a shilling, that he would have to walk. He said Mrs. Hastings had gone to the "Point" to buy some stores at Alchin's, and that he was going to meet her and take the stores home.
When the coach arrived at Frankston from Melbourne, I saw him again. After the coach went away prisoner said that he expected Mrs. Hastings to come in to a concert at Frankston that evening. He remained in the bar there until about 7 o'clock. He then said that he supposed she was too tired to come in after walking from the "Point." He stayed about the place until 11 o'clock. He had been fishing and caught a fish. I told him he had better take it home, and he said "I am too tight; I would only lose it on the road." I did not consider that he was drunk. He walked all right. I recollect calling at Hastings' hut on Saturday, 9th inst., I saw Hastings, and said to him, "Where did you get the £10-note, and what sort of paper is it?" He said it was on blue paper. I said I never saw a £10-note on blue paper; that it was on brownish paper I always saw £10-notes. He said he did not exactly know, as it was Mrs. Hastings' money. Before that he told me that he had got a £10-note or cheque from Mr. Rowan. I am not certain on what day he told me so.
To a Juror. - Hastings did not pay any money on the day he was in my bar in my presence.
To the Prisoner. - I remember telling you that.
William Johnson, Government analyst, examined, deposed. - I received several articles from Detectives Williams and Considine. The first article examined was the shirt produced. I found on it several stains of blood in front, some of which I cut out and others still remain. (Witness pointed out the position of four stains) Under the microscope these spots of blood agree exactly with stains of human blood. I believe the stains were produced by human blood. The knife (produced - a pocket-knife) was also marked with human blood. The three flooring boards (produced) appeared to be more or less spotted with blood in the positions marked with ring. Several of the spots I microscopically examined with the same results as before. The axe produced had stains on the face and the side. All over the head and side was stained with blood. I did not find any hair on the axe. I found several spots also on the piece of printed calico produced. The dirty towel produced is also spotted with the same kind of blood. I found no human blood in any other articles brought to me by the police, but I found what I believed to be sheep's blood on a number of the articles. I examined the hat produced. The hole in the back part of the rim and crown corresponds in size and shape with the bend of the axe. I yesterday with Detective Considine visited the hut and there found upon the floor 22 spots of blood, some of which we removed for further examination with the microscope. This morning I rode over with Sergeant Boyle and two black trackers to a point on the Melbourne road a little beyond the chapel. I examined a rail of a fence there by the side of the road. I walked about 100 or 150 yards towards a small gully in the direction of Grice's paddock. We arrived at a second three-railed fence, each of the rails of which appeared to be stained with blood rather extensively. I applied the test to the centre rail; it indicated blood freely, but what kind of blood I have still to determine. Proceeding further for about a mile we examined a number of other spots pointed out by the tracker, but in none of them could I find blood. The portions of flooring I produce were removed from the same room from which the boards produced had been taken. One of the boards has the appearance of being scraped at one time or other in the neighbourhood of some of the blood marks. The quantity of blood on the shirt when I examined it was small. A large quantity might have been removed by washing. Every particle of blood could have been removed by washing if it had been properly done. The boards of the floor were clean, and gave me the impression that they had been recently washed.
By the Prisoner. - I can tell human blood from bonito (a fish) blood.
Richard Boyle, examined, stated, - I am a senior-constable of police, stationed at Mornington. On Monday, the 4th inst., the prisoner called at the police station, Mornington, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. He stated to me that his wife had left her home on Friday, the 1st, to go to Mornington, that she intended to buy come stores at Alchin's place, but he had called, and found that she
had not been there. He said he thought she might have gone to some relatives named Tobin, at Richmond. He had sent a telegram to Tobin's, and found she had not been there. He said he had not seen her or heard anything about her since the previous Friday. In reply to me, he said they had not quarrelled, and that his wife was not in the habit of leaving her home. He said that when she was leaving home she had a £10-note in her possession. I asked him did he know the number of the note or the bank, and he replied in the negative. He promised to write to me if he found his wife. On the following day I organised search parties to look for the deceased. I called at the prisoner's house, and he formed one of the party.
The witness described the finding of the body of the deceased, and continued - The pocket of the deceased was turned inside out, but the clothes were not disarranged. The witness, after corroborating the evidence of Mr. Johnson and other witnesses, proceeded - There are six fences between Mr. J. T. Smith's paddock and where the body was found. Where the body was found was not in an exposed situation. Timber was growing about. It was about 150ft. from the sea. I think it was over a quarter of a mile from Mr. Grice's house. There is no public track near the place. I do not think people cross through that pad- dock coming from Frankston to the Point. People usually go by the main road between the two places. The nearest house would be about 500 or 600 yards from the fence nearest which the body was found. The smell of the body was very offensive when we found it. It could be smelt at least half a mile away.
By the Prisoner. - I do not think that the distance from the Mount Eliza school to Cahill's house is within 300 yards.
Senior-constable Kelly, examined, deposed, - On Sunday, the 10th inst., I had a conversation with the prisoner at his house with reference to his wife being missing. He said she left the house on the 31st ult. at 8 o'clock in the morning to proceed to Schnapper Point to purchase stores; that she had a £10 note with her, which he thought she got from her sister, Bridget Rohan, in Richmond. I said I had seen Bridget Rohan before I came down, and she had told me that she had sent no £10 note to Mrs. Hastings. He said, "Well, I asked her who she got it from, and she told me it was from a good old sweetheart." Prisoner also said that before the deceased left he went into the bedroom to search his clothes for some tobacco, and when he came out she was gone. He did not know what track she took. He left for Frankston soon after. He had a little delay on the road, and arrived at Frankston between 10 and half-past 10 o'clock. He remained all day about Frankston, and left about 10 o'clock at night for home. At the Red-hill, about two miles from Frankston, he felt he had had too much beer, and he sat down to take a rest. He fell asleep, and did not waken until about 6 o'clock next morning. He told me he had made several searches for his wife. He said, "She may have got a sunstroke, or a snake-bite, and may be wandering in the bush." In the morning when she was leaving he said he asked her for half a sovereign to buy a pair of boots, and she told him to wait until she came back, as 10s. would not buy a pair of boots. On the morning of the 12th I was in Frankston, and hearing of the finding of the body I went to prisoner's hut. I did not tell him of the discovery. I said we were going to make a search party in the direction of Burns's paddock and the Coalhole (which was near where the body was found). I asked him if he would come. He said he would. He came with me, and about a mile on the way we met a young man named Baxter, who informed the prisoner that his wife was found. The prisoner commenced to cry and asked Baxter where she was found. When Hastings saw the body about half-an-hour afterwards he at once said, "That is my wife," and commenced to cry. I told him to have a good look, and he then stooped over the body and said he knew her by the clothes she wore. I then arrested him on a charge of wilful murder, and cautioned him in the usual way. I searched him, and found the pocket Knife produced. I found the axe produced hanging on prisoner's verandah. It was in the same condition then as now. When I first examined it I could not observe any blood upon it. I saw it on the rafters on the verandah each time I went to the house. There were also several other axes. I believe the shirt produced is the one worn by prisoner when he was arrested.
By the Prisoner. - I did see blood on the bedroom floor and on a little muslin handker- chief. I did not see any on a wincey frock, nor on a pillow. I saw a few spots of blood on a pair of trousers that were hanging on a basket. The blood on the bit of muslin was not wet, but appeared to be quite fresh. I noticed that the blood on the floor was fresh from the door to the cot. There were, I think, a few spots of blood on the pillow of the cot. Mr. Stephen, the solicitor, and I visited the hut on Saturday, the 9th, and did not see any blood on the floor then. Your son told me how it came on the
floor.
Wm. Considine, detective officer, examined. - On Saturday, the l6th inst., I proceeded in company with Constable Clark and two black trackers to the prisoner's house. We made a minute examination of the premises. I saw some stains on the bedroom floor. I looked behind the door, and removing a small case, I noticed between that and the bed some further stains. The box was placed immediately over the portion of the board that appeared to have been scraped. I found this piece of printed cotton, and also the dirty towel produced.
(By Electric Telegraph.)
Wm. Gordon, a farmer at Frankston, deposed that he had a conversation with the prisoner after his wife's disappearance. He then told him that he had been searching for her, and could not find her.
Mary Anne Gordon, wife of last witness, stated that the deceased was at her house on the 28th November, and she then made an arrangement to come and wash on the following Monday, but she never saw deceased alive afterwards. Prisoner called at her place several times before the deceased's body was found, and the day before he was arrested prisoner told witness that deceased had £10 with her when she went away. Deceased had said something to witness about going to live in Richmond and keeping a cow or two. Deceased told witness that one of her boys bled very much at the nose all night in bed. She never complained that the prisoner ill- treated her in any way.
Mrs Mosely, wife of a farmer, stated that the prisoner told her on the 4th December that he had been everywhere along the beach to search for his wife, and could not find her.
Thomas Clarke, labourer, stated he saw the prisoner in Frankston on the 1st December, between 12 and 1 o'clock. He appeared to be very white, and his eyes were swelled up, and looked as if they had just been washed.
Detective Williams deposed that on Satur-day, December 16, he had a conversation with the prisoner in his cell. He asked him what bank the £10 note was on that he said his wife had. He said he could not tell. Witness asked him was it true that he had tried to change the note at Mrs Davey's? He replied "Yes, I got it from my wife about a month ago. She was going to give me £3 10s. out of it to get my gun from Rosier in Melbourne." He said he did not get the note changed, that his wife asked him for it, and he gave it back to her. He said he had gone with his wife to Mornington on Monday, 27th, but that he did not ask her then to get the note changed. Witness found the second purse (produced) in the bedroom of Hastings' hut. He searched for it in consequence of what the prisoner said. No blood was found on either of the purses. Wooley stated that he went to Hastings on Sunday, December 10, and joined in the search party. Searched in Captain Cole's paddock, about half a mile from the hut. Prisoner said it was no use searching there, as the deceased could not have come from Frankston in that direction. He said he had dragged two waterholes near where the body was subsequently found and found no traces.
This closed the case for the Crown.
For the defence, John Hastings, aged 10 years, a son of the prisoner, was examined without being sworn. He said, - I have been subject to bleeding at the nose for a long time past. It comes on both day and night. I had a fit of bleeding at the nose after my mother was missing. It was in the bedroom. I got up and got some rags. My father was at home but not in bed. I got some rags from a basket in the bedroom. My nose has only bled once since my mother went away. My father did not see it bleeding on that night. The basket was near the wash hand stand near the cot. I did not go near the door, which is at another corner of the room. I had not an attack of nose bleeding for a month before my mother was missing. I have been at the police station since the 13th December. My nose has not bled since then. I tried to prevent the blood going over the floor. Sometimes it drops a little on the floor.
By the Prisoner. - I do not remember my nose bleeding when sleeping in bed with my
mother.
Dr. Neild was recalled, and examined by the coroner. He said - There is nothing in the body of the deceased to show that she was or was not bitten by a snake. If the deceased was lying insensible the injuries to the head might have been caused by a horse kicking very violently, but I think it most improbable. The hole in the hat I do not think would be caused by a horse's foot or cattle of any kind. The absence of any tardy blood in the heart indicated, I may say, certainly that the de- ceased did not die from snake-bite.
William Lawry, farmer, living at Mount Eliza, and John Cameron, blacksmith, at Frankston, were called by the prisoner, but their evidence was of little importance. The prisoner having been addressed by the coroner in the usual manner, elected to reserve his defence. The coroner having summed up,
A verdict of wilful murder against the prisoner was returned. The proceedings closed at 10 minutes to 1 o'clock this
Morning

KANANOOK CREEK MURDER

19th May 1855, The Argus
SUSPECTED MURDER.-The two abori- gines, Benjy and Toby, suspected of having murdered the woman whose body was recently discovered in the Kananook Creek, perforated by gunshot wounds, were yesterday brought up for examination at the District Court. Benjy was admitted approver, and his evidence was re- ceived through the medium of an interpreter, Mr. Lacy, a builder, residing at Prahran. Benjy .deposed : I know a man named John Davey. I have known tho prisoner Toby since he was a small boy. I do not know his house, but himself, I was at James Davey's house about three months ago. There were only blacks there at the time. They were spearing eels. At that time I heard something about John Davey's wife. I saw it. I saw John Davey shoot his lubra while I was spearing eels. There were a great many blacks there at the time. Toby, the prisoner, was there, spearing eels too. There was a white man named Jem, with a pock- marked nose, there, shooting ducks. It was about twelve o'clock in the day. John Davey was drunk at the time. He shot the woman with a pistol. I did not see the prisoner Toby have anything to do with it. After Davey shot his wife I went to another station. I left Toby at Kananook. The man Jem was close by. There was another white man there. A boy named Willy saw what happened. (On tho question being repeated, the witness qualified his answer.) The boy only heard it, and told me of it. The boy showed me the body in the creek. He did not say who it was. The boy told mo no- thing at dinner-time (The witness then made thee following statement voluntarily to the inter- preter, without any previous interrogations)
I saw Davey shoot his wife with the pistol, After he shot her, he ran away to his house. Davey put the body into tho creek. (The witness here went back to a circumstance of prior occur- rence, and resumed) Davey then took his wife up and threw her into the creek. I never saw Toby have anything to do with the matter. At the conclusion of this witness's evidence, Inspector Smith applied for a remand, as he hoped to be able to bring foward another black man whose
evidence would corroborate that of Benjy.Fix this text
The case was accordingly remanded to this

21st january 1911, Mornington & Dromana Standard
Series of Impudent Thefts;
THIEF SEVERELY DEALT WITH LONG SENTENCES PASSED.
For some weeks many robberies of differet camps and other premises have been committed, and the police were puzzled to find the perpetrator. Satisfaction was had however, by Constable Curtain, who arrested a man named Frederick Tebett at Carrum on January 5th, on a charge of stealing various articles from tents and other places. The accused was brought before the Frankston court on Monday, after having been remanded till that day, when Messrs Tanner, P.M., Baxter, Clements and Williams, J's.P., were on the bench. Constable Stephenson prosecuted in each case, and there were seven charges against the prisoner. The first was that of stealing vari ous articles, spirits, kitchen utensils, etc., from the Prince of Wales Hotel, Frankston, on December 25th. Quite an array of articles were laid out in the court, which presented the appear ance of a large pawnbroker's establish- ment. Constable Stephenson said that ac- cused was employed at the Prince of Wales as a general kitchen hand. He went away suddenly on Christmas night, taking articles of a varied des- cription with him. They were after- wards discovered-half at Mornington, and the other half at Dromana, on the beach. Accused admitted taking the articles. Henry Garrood, manager of the Prince of Wales Hotel, identified the articles produced, which he valued at £3. Constable Curtain gave evidence as to arresting the accused, and said he placed him in the Frankston lock-up on January 5th. Witness charged him with the thefts, and accused made a statement in which it was stated he had just came from Mel- bourne, and was looking for "The Cadoni? ns' camp. He had run away from a boat called "The Dear of O - gill."' Constables Joyes, Dromana, and Holland, Mornington, testified to find ing the articles on the beaches at the places named. Constable Stephenson said accused admitted taking the goods, but not to Dromana. Witness said, "How could e they get to Dromana? You must have taken Halls boat and took them there." Accused said, "I was never in Dromana in my life." John Davey gave evidence, stating the accused, with another man, was on the beach at Dromana. The former gave him some fish, wrapped in a towel (produced) The Bench, after retiring, sentenced accused (who pleaded guilty) to three months' imprisonment. THEFT OF " THE THISTLE." Tebett was further charged with having stolen a boat, the property of Mr Hall, from the Frankston beach on 25th January. Mr Hall, the owner, said he left the boat and all sailing gear on the beach on Christmas eve. The following morning at 5.30 it was gone. He afterwards visited Dromana, and there identified the boat as his property. The boat was badly damaged and it was valued by him at £20. John Davey, Dromana, said he saw accused and a companion in a boat at Dromana. He offered to give them assistance to put it in the water, but they refufed saying, "We'll wait for the tide." He could not say whether the boat was "The Thistle," but it had a flag painted on the side. Constable Joyes said that, from in- formation gained, he went to the thw beach at Mt. Martha, near Dromana, and there found the boat sunk and full of sand in about 4 feet of water. Hall identified the boat as his pro- perty. The P.M. said the Bench looked upon this charge in a serious light. Persons who left their property such as Mr Hall had done, should be pro- tected, and accused would be sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, cumula- ative on the other sentence passed. OTHER CHARGES. Tabbett was further charged with the larceny of a suit of clothes from a tent at Frankston, the proparty of John Barnicott. Accused. who pleaded guilty, was sen- tenced to three months imprisonment, cumulative on the other two sentences. The bench also sentenced accused to three months imprisonment for stealing a felt hat from a camp at Frankston. A further sentence of three months imprisonment was meted out for theft of a watch1 valued at 7/6 from R. W. Jones' store at Carrum. The latter two sentences were made concurrent with the others. Accused was further charged with the larceny of a pair of opera glasses, the pro- perty of the Princess's Theatre, Mel- bourne. Mr Jones, electrician, representing the Princess's Theatre, identified the glasses as belonging to the theatre. They were obtained at the theatre by putting money in the slot of a box affixed to the chairs. Accused admitted the offence. He was sentenced to three months' im- prisonment, the sentence to be concurrent with those imposed in connection with the previous charges. Accussed was also charged with stealing fishing tackle, etc.. the property of Messrs Bennett and Wilkins, campers, at Carrum. John Henry Bennett stated that he left the tackle produced in a boat on the shore, close to his camp. on Christmas Day. He subsequently found that it had been stolen. Constable Joyes stated that he found part of the tackle hidden on the beach at Mount Martha, along with other stolen property. Accused admitted the offence. He was sentenced to three months' im- prisonment, the sentence to be concurrent with those previously imposed