Courier (Hobart, Tas. : 1840 - 1859), Saturday 12 August 1854, page 3


HORRIBLE MURDER.

A report reached town this morning of a brutal murder having buen committed last night, on the New Town Road. From enquiries made by one of our reporters, we aie in possession of the following par-ticulars, which, although rather imperfect, may be relied on as being faithful as far as they go :-Between the hours of eleven and twelve last night Constables Crawford and M'Loughlin were on duty in the New Town Road, when their attention was attracted by the cries of a woman, who shortly after made her appearance running towards thom and screaming loudly. The constables stopped her, and she imme-diately begged for mercy, praying them for God's sake not to murder her, she being evidently under the impression that the constables were bent on taking her life. Crawford told her that they were police-men, and she threw herself into his arms and begged for protection. She was covered with blood, and stated that either one or two men had broken into her husband's house and had killed him. The constables took the poor woman to the watch house and sent for medical assistance. Dr. Carns speedily arrived and dressed her wounds, which he pronounced to be by no means dangerous. The woman repeated that her husband, whose name was Woodfield, and resided in a paddock off the New Town Road, had been mur-dered under the following circumstances; -About an hour before two men came to the door of the hut in which they lived, and demanded admittance. She asked who was there, aud they replied, "Shepherds, we want to come in and get a drink." Woodfield was at the time in bed, but got up and said, " Mary, put the billy on and make some tea." The deceased then went to the door, and was called out by one of the men. Immediately after she heard a blow given, and rushing out to see what waa the matter, one of the men stopped her, and with a dreadful oath swore to take her life if she made the slightest noise. Witness screamed, and immediately received three stabs about her shoulders. She ran away screaming, and met the constables in the road as before stated. Constable Crawford having armed himself with a gun, proceeded to the deceased's house, which he found closed, but a light was burning inside. He burst open the door, but observed nothing disturbed, and on looking at the bed found a baby asleep, but without any sign of illusage about it Crawford then proceeded to examine the ground round about, following in the track taken by the woman, and near thae road he found the

deceased weltering in his blood, quite dead, with no less than 14 stab wounds about his body. The de-ceased was removed to his house, where he now lies. At present, as we before stated, the whole affair is enshrouded in mystery. The above, however, is, we believe, all that is known at present. A man named George Lowe has been apprehended on suspicion of being concerned in the murder, but we have not heard on what grounds he is supposed to be implicated in the

matter.

The prisoner, George Lowe, was brought before the Police Bench this morning, and remanded until after the inquest shall have been held on the deceased.