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THE SWANSTON STREET MURDER. I
The inquest on the body of the unfortunate woman
Jane Jonc:-*, who died on Tuesday morning from the
effects of a wound caused by a pistol fired at her by
the ruffian M'Alister, was held at the hospital at
eleven .o'clock yesterday morning, before Dr Youl.
Acting Oity Coroner. The evidence of the woman
herself, taken the day after the occurrence, is as fol
lows : — i uvea witn tne prisoner lor anout two years
and a half. About a month ago I had a quarrel with
him, and left his house. I went to Mr Chisholm's, at
Brighton, and staid about a fortnight with him. I
came into town and took a room in Queen street. I
met the prisoner about Saturday fortnight, when he
took ray child from me. The prisoner is not the
father of the child. I obtained a summons for the
prisoner, and the magistrata ordered the child to he
returned to me. The prisoner asked me to go back
and live with him. I refused, as he formerly
kept a brothel. When I refused, the prisoner
struck mo. Since then I have seen the prisoner pass
this house (the Exchange Hotel), where I have been
in the babit of taking my meals, hut I have not
spoken to him. Previously the prisoner had threat
ened me, saying be would serve mo as Lucas served
his wife. Yesterday evening (the -21st), about dusk,
I was looking out of the window of the hotel. I
lurned round and saw the prisoner standing behind
me with two pistols in h-s hands. I was very much
frightened, and ran round the-, table, trying to con
ceal myselfbohindthedoor. The prisoner told me not
to run away, as lis would not shoot me. I remained
behind the door. Ho asked me where Chisholm was.
I said I did not know. He then fired two shots, and
1 fell on tho floor.
Thomas Chisholm was then sworn, and stated: I
live at 81 Bourke street west, and am an articled
clerk to Messrs. Jennings and Coote. I know the
wotmn Jane Jones, now dead. She was wounded in
the Exchange Hotel, it is between six and twelve
months since I first knew ber. I have cohabited
with her v. ithin the last month, and previous thereto.
I knew that she had been living with the prisoner
McAlister. 1 believe that they kept a brothel in
Queen sireot. The woman Jane Jono3 came to me
about a month ago, stating that she had been struck
by the prisoner McAlister, who had threatened her,
and that she would not live with him any longer.1
She had her child with her. We went out for a drive, ;
and met with an accident, which obliged us to stay
at Brighton about eight or nine days. When wo
came ba-k into town, we went first to Passmore's
hotel. I observed the prisoner frequently watohing
us there. Fo said to me that he would take the child
and hor back. I told him he might do so, and that
she was welcome to go, if she chose. On that occa
sion, I left them together in the street speaking. I
found afterwards that he had taken the child, and the
woman Jane Jones complained that he had struck
her. I went with her to the station-house: a sum
mons was taken out, and the child was ordered to be
t.. Iin* Af tlio damn Hmn tl,n ? ?
i-v 'W». Wiuu UU.W yiiSUUWl WttS
bound over to keep the peace. That day I went
over to the Exchange Hotel, and made an arrange
ment that the woman. Jane Jones and myself might
tulco our meals there, which we havo done since last
evening (21st March). About eight o'clock, I wont
up stairs to tho room whore the woman Jones stayed
in tho Exchange Hotel ; before I got into her room'
I saw the prisoner point a pistol towards me. He
was standing near tho window. He fired the pistol
at me. I foil back, partly down tho stairs. As I
rose, I heard the report ol another pistol. I was so
c nfused, that I cannot confidently speak of what
afterwards took place. I was bleeding profusely
from a wound which I had received in tho right
temple. The hat produced I believe is tho one I was
wearing when tho prisoner fired at me; tlio holes
now in it were made I believe by the bullet fired
at mo.
Tho next witness was
Samuel Carter, who deposed ; I was waiter at the
Exchange Hotel on the 21st of March last. At a
little past oight o'clock I was up stairs, when I heard
cue report ot a pisioi ana a woman seream, X heard
asecoudshot immediately afterwards. I ran down
stairs and saw a person called M'Alister coming out
of the room No. 2, which was occupied by the de
ceased woman and Mr Chisholm. I took the pri
soner into custody. He appeared much excited,
and said, ' I am the murderer.' I went baclj up
stairs, and found the woman, now dead, kneeling on
the uround and holding the knob of the door. There
was blood flowiug from her back. I found two pis
tols lying on the floor of the room. They were horse
rnstnls. ami harl bean racuntlv
George Wilkinson was next examined : I am a
medical man, but not practising in Melbourne, as
[ am not authorised to practise by the board. I'was
passing the Exchange Hotel at the time the' woman
Jane Jones was wounded, and heard some shots fired.
I opened her dress, and found a wound in the left
shoulder. I found a loaded pistol in the room.
Richard Eades, M.D., was next examined, and
stated: I was sent for by tho police about half-past
eight o'clock on the evening of the 21st ,of March to
.seoa woman who had received a wound* in the Ex
change Hotel. I found a woman wounded with a
gun shot in tlie back. I attended her under the name
of M'Alister about two years ago during her con
finement. I examined the wound, and found it be
tween the lower angle of the blade bone and the back
bone. I have no doubt that it was a srun shot wound
recently received.
William Gilliee, surgeon to the Melbourne Hospi
tal. deposed Jane Jones was admitted into the
Hospital ou the llthof April, suffering from para
lysis of the lower extremities, occasioned, I was in
formed, by a gunshot wound. She remained under
treatment until the 19th of this month, when she
died. I have since made a post mortem examination
of the body. Thero is extensive sloughing from
bed-sores which existed when she was admitted.
There was apparently tho mark of a gunshot wound
in the position described by Dr. Eades, betwixt the
spine and the shoulder bone. Internally tho viscera
was generally healthy. On removing the soft parts
over the spinal column. I found the sixth rih
fiactured at its junction with the backbone. On re
moving a portion of the backbone, I discovered a
bullet lodged in tho spinal canal, compressing the
spinal marrow, which pressure was the cause of
paralysis, and ultimately death.
The portion of tho backbone where the bullet was
lodged was here shown to the j'jry. Traversing the
backbone about three iuchas, the bullet descended
with a curve, coming, when all but spont, into con
tact with the spinal marrow. Prom this position it
could not be extracted.
| Examination continued: Her name was Jane
Jones. She was 22 years of age.
The Acting Coroner briefly addressed the jury,
remarking that the whole of the evidence was before
them, and from it a conclusion could readily be
drawn. He intended to havo had tlie prisoner pre
sent, but the Attorney- General thought it unneces
sary. It was not for the jury to form a judgment
as to whethor the man M'Alister was drunk or sober,
in a sound mind or otherwise, at the time the atro
cious act was committed. If any doubt could be
raised in the prisoner's favor it would receive every
consideration in a higher court, but any ciieum
stauca of doubt ia their minds bad better be re
| served in favor of a trial, where anything that
l could bo urged in extenuation would be brought for
i ward. He thought in t iis ca'Se they were bound to
return a vordict of wilful murder against James
M'Alister.
In answer to a question from a juryman it
was stated by ono of the detective officers present
that three pistols were afterwards found in the room
where the murder was coinmittod, two recently dis
charged and the other loaded.
The jury then returned a verdict of wilful murder
against James M'Alister.
Mr H. Stephen attended to watch the case on behalf
of the prisoner.
The funeral of the unfortunate woman took place
at half-past three o'clock in the afternoon.
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