Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842 - 1876)(about) |
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Friday 3 February 1860
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THE CASTERTON MURDER. An inquest was held on Monday, the 23rd inst., and adjourned to the 24th, before the District Coroner, at the Glenelg Inn, Caster ton, on the remains of persons named Hunt. Dugald Campbell, sworn: I am a mason residing at Casterton. In the evening after sundown I was going up from Casterton, I think in October 1858, I do not know the day, with Mrs. Barker. I saw Mrs. Hunt at her house. She had a, bitch which barked, and bit my wife's dress. I never saw her after the following morning. Waines either cooied or whistled to me to come down for some milk. Peachey was with Waines that morning They were outside the house. I think Waines told me that Hunt and his wife went away in the night. He told me they were in debt some time previous. Waines told me Hunt and his wife were going away, and cautioned me against lending money to Hunt. I did not go into Hunt's house. I observed a hand kerchief and other articles on the bushes as if put out to dry after being washed. There were dishes hanging outside the Hut belonging to Hunt. Waines told me a morning or two after that he had bought all the things except the wearing apparel. He told me he gave, £2 for a gun, but not gene. rally what he had given. He told me some time after he borrowed £45 from Mr. King to make up the amount he had to pay Hunt. By a Juror : the dog I did not see after the evening. I went up with Mrs. Barker. I asked Waines what Mrs. Hunt did with the dog and the cockatoo Hunt had. He told me he did not know, as he did not see them leave. The conversation took place after I had re ceived the milk. The prisoner Waines said Peachey was with the witness when the con versation occurred. By prisoner: was I and Peachey in my hut or outside when the conversation took place? I am not certain. I was outside when Waines said he borrowed the money from Mr. Kirby. I drew an agreement at my own house between Waines and Hunt. The date of the agree- ment I find by a copy was May 5th, 1858. The agreement was to re-purchase 41 acres of land and improvement, the price, £139 51s to be paid in six months from the date of the agreement. I never asked Hunt if he was going. Waines told me that he was £45 short of the amount he had to pay. Hunt and he said he got that amount from Mr. Kirby. Waines told me he intended to settle with Hunt before the end of the agreement. Waines said he bought Hunt's things very cheap, that other people had the advantage if it. I removed from my hut on account of the distance from water. Waines said perhaps Hunts were gone to Adelaide; they left on account of debt. I might have said I was afraid of Waines, but did not remove on that account. Waines said Hunt would lose by the cheap rate he sold the things, as much as his debts were. I do not remember shots being fired the night before Hunt's left. Sometimes if shots were fired it would attract my attention if awake. The morning I went for the milk after Waines had whistled to me, he said I had better not say anything about Hunt's. disappearance for a few days, as the blacks might come and take the things out of Hunt's house before he could have them moved. I cannot say if I should be surprised. if shots were fired. I met Mrs. Diwell with Mrs. Waines one Sunday walking together. Mrs. Waines was crying. She said she did not know if Waines was guilty of the deed of which he was acused or not. She said Hunt and Waines went to the Wannon while she was there, and Hunt told her that very likely he would see her no more, that he throught he would leave before she would return, but that she (Mrs. Waines) was to tell no person of it. Catherine Campbell, wife of Dugald Campbell, of Casterton, sworn: I remember seeing Mrs. Hunt at her own house after sun- down on one Tuesday evening. She was at her door. Her dog came out and caught my dress. Waines told my husband that Hunts were intending to run away and leave some debts behind them. I heard of tais about
a month before they were missed, The day after I missed them I went to Waines for milk. I got the milk. I said it was strange the people went without their bed. Mrs. Waines said yes, it sas strange. I remember there was an agreement drawn out at my house by my husband, about a re-purchase of some land from Hunt, by Waines. George Comyn, Constable of Casterton, sworn said: on the 17th of January, Waines was in my custody in the lock-up. This witness deposed to Waines having confessed to him that he was guilty. Mrs. Chuffey passed by very soon after, and Waines requested me to call her, which I did, he then confessed to her in my presence, and said his reason for killing Hunts was because they wished to cause jealousy between his wife and him. Constable Desmond came before Mrs. Chaffey left, and he made the same confession to him. John Peachey, carpenter, and Edmund Kirby, settler, gave evidence, but nothing material to the case was stated. Patrick Desmond, constable of Casterton sworn: About the 20th of' January prisoner said to me in the cell, Desmond did you re ark me coming down to the river side on the day of the arrest. I said yes, I thought you were longer there than you ought to be, yes he said, I went in to see the body, and saw it floating in the river, as I thought you went up to make a prisoner of me. Before this I heard him say he did not kill Hunt and his wife for money, but through jealousy, as they wanted to make a difference between prisoner and his wife, he was arrested the same day he went into the river to look after the bodies I never asked the prisoner as to the murder, his statentents were all voluntary. Thomas Wyly, surgeon of Merino sworn : This witness gave the result of his medical examination of the remains of the body. George Cue, Clerk of Petty Sessions of Casterton sworn said: Waines never made a statement officially before the Magistrates in my presence, a communication was pressed on my by Waines one night when I was going home, I returned to the police barracks that night, I saw he was determined to go with me on the road. Waines followed me to the police barracks and dismounted. I then left on the way home. Waines still fol lowed me, he entered on the subjet of Hunt's leaving, and the likelihood of his being brought up for it. I think I said there was a probabllity on his part of it, in the absence of any exlanation about their going, which I thought he was bound to clear up. He asked me, if circumstantial evidence would condemn a man, I said yes, if strong enough. I mentioned the circumstance to Mr. Jackson afterwards. This conversation occurred about three or four months ago. The conversation was unwillingly entered on by me, and had no reference to the finding of the bodies. John Grant, Innkeeper of Sandford, sworn said: I remember Waines bringing Mrs. Wains to my house to stop for a fortnight for the benefit of her health, I do not remember the month. Hunt walked down with Waines after she had been a week there, and took a glass of grog. Hunt and Waines went away at dusk the same afternoon they came. I never saw Hunt after Waines asked me about the rumour. I said I would spend all I had to find the people. Mrs. Waines came of her own accord Waines had said before he should bring her for the good of her health. All the time Mrs. Waines was at my house, she did not seem disturbed, she never made a remark to me, as to Hunt's leaving. I saw she wore a watch and chain, and had rings on her fingers, she made the remark as to the use of the watch. I never heard of any raffle for a watch. Mrs. Waines had the watch before Hunt camue down that evening. Mr. Waines paid for her board. Waines said he would advertise for Hunts in the papers. I think I should know the watch if I saw it, but could not swear to it. I asked Waines to bring Mrs. Waines down several times before she came. Sarah Barker gave evidence but nothing material was elicited. Elizabeth Grinham, of Sandford, sworn: she gave evidence of Mrs. Waines having Mrs. Hunt's Jewellery. Sarah Baxter was examined, but gave no material addition to the evidence. Michael Ahern, senior constable of Caster ton sworn said: About the middle of last May I received information that a man named Robert Hunt and his wife had mysteriously disappeared from their home near Casterton about the 6th of October previously. I re ported the circumstance to my officer, who caused inquiry to be made throughout the various police stations, I also reported the circumstance to the various police stations on the South Australian side with a view of as certaining if the parties were still living. This witness then detailed the discovery of the remains in the Glenelg. Other witnesses were examined, whose evi dene istoo voluminous and immateriul for us to publish. Charles Townley Browne, detective officer of Melbourne sworn said . By the instruc tions, atof y Superintendent I cameo to Cais terton to enquire into the mysterious disap. pearance of Robert Hunt and his wife, I sought employment when I arrived at Caster ton and was engaged by Mr. Chaffey. I be- came friendly with George Waines and his wife, I drank and danced in their company, and we were on very good terms. On one oc casion, when the prisoner was a little tipsy I put him to bed, I stayed at Casterton some- time up to the 9th of January, when I had myself arrested as a ticket of leave holder il- legally at large. On the 11th I think George Waines was arrested on suspicion of the mur- der of Robert Hunt and his wife, he was placed in the next cell to me, but afterwards the same cell. On the following morning he told me if he had known how thinugs would have turned out he would have gone to America, each morning I was taken out to search for the bodies at the prisoners farm. On my return each night he was very anxious to know what had been done and where we searched, he gave me to understand they were only losing time looking about his place. I said I heard the Government intended to search the bed of the river. Immediately he came more uneasy about the river and spoke of it frequently during the night. The following morning he said, Charley would you move a bundle for me, he said if I did, it would save his life, he then said he was afraid I had not nerve. I told him I had nerve enough for anything from pitch and toss to manslaughter. This witness then de- tailed the confession of the prisoner. On the following morning Constable Ahern came to take me out to work as usual. On getting out between the lock-up and Glenelg Inn. (this witness here detailed the disco very of the remains.) After a lengthened inquiry of two days the Jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against the prisoner George Waines, for the
murder of Mary Hunt, and the Coroner issued his warrant accordingly