Alfred Stephen Hill

  General Notes:

MURDER AT OXLEY
THE MISSING BOY HILL A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.
A REVOLTING CRIME.
All doubt as to the fate of the unfortunate lad Alfred Stephen Hill, who so mysteriously disappeared on the 10th of last month (an event chronicled on Saturday) has now been removed. The gruesome discovery made by the search party in the vicinity of Oxley on Saturday morning proved that the conclusions arrived at from the facts published in the " Courier" on Saturday morning were unfortunately only too true, for it is now quite clear that the boy was most brutally murdered, and if the theory held by people in the district and by the police be correct, the circumstances con- nected with the crime are of the most revolting nature.
According to arrangement, a large search party, including the father, Mr. F. Hill, an uncle, Mr. Herbert Hill, and a brother, Mr. Henry Hill, Mr. Bridge, M.L.A., and his son, started out from Nundah at an early hour on Saturday morning, and proceeded to Oxley with the intention of making a thorough search through the paddock in which the carcass of the horse had been discovered the day before. Mr. Whiting was engaged by the father to assist in the search, and the party were subsequently joined by a special reporter from the office of this journal. On arriving at Oxley they proceeded to a paddock about a mile from Oxley, and midway between Oxley and Darra, and known as Brown and Watson's paddock. The police, under Chief Inspector Stuart, were alreay there, and they included, in addition to several mounted constables, Sergeant Shannon (of the Criminal Investiga- tion Branch), Acting Sergeant Small (of Goodna), First class Constable Henderson(of Oxley), and Constable Auld. They were busily engaged in searching for the boy around the place where the remains ot the horse were lying. The Nundah party had carefully examined a spot where it had been supposed that something was buried, but nothing was found, and they then pro- ceeded to search the paddocks, which are rather thickly timbered with wattle. Mr. Bridges's son Thomas, who is a capital bush- man, and able, as some of the police admit, to track almost anything in the bush, left the party after a while, and struck across the paddock on his own account, and had not proceeded far when he came across the remains of the boy. The discovery, which was made shortly before 10 o'clock, was at once reported. The boy was found about 250 yards from the carcass of the horse, on the surface of the ground, in a clump of bushes. The body, which was very much decomposed, was covered with bushes. Im- mediately the boy was found, the police, profiting no doubt by their experience at Gatton, formed a guard around the body, and would not let any one approach; but the father, Mr. Hill, went up and had a look at it. The body was not uncovered at all. The boots were protruding from under the
bushes. On the discovery being made, Chief Inspector Stuart, after seeing everything safe, drove off at once to Brisbane for a doctor.
During his absence the place in the vicinity of the body was carefully guarded by the police, Under Sergeant Shanahan. The " Courier" representative had the op- portunity of making a careful examination of the remains, and found that the unfor- tunate boy had been brutally murdered. The remains, which were supposed at first to be lying face upwards, were very decom- posed. A large sapling or bough had been drawn over them by the murderer, and no- thing was visible but the boots and the bone of one leg, from which all the flesh had disappeared.
On looking at the skull through the leaves, a large hole, such as would be caused by a bullet, was discernible in the head just over the left eye. It is supposed that the boy was taken into the paddock, that an un- natural offence was committed, that he was then shot, and that the horse was shot afterwards.
The name of a man who appears to have gained an unenviable notoriety was freely spoken of at Oxley. The police were on his track, but up to a late hour last night had no trace of him. He left Goodna the same day as the boy left Oxley, and they should have met at about the locality where the body was found. The man stayed at the Oxley Hotel that night, and was last seen in Brisbane.
An extra pair of the boy's pants and a riding whip were lying near the body, and a copy of the "Evening Observer," dated 31st December, was found some distance away.
A BLOOD-STAINED SHIRT.
Whilst waiting for the arrival of the Go- ernment medical officer, an incident occurred which for the time occasioned some little excitement. Two young men, named Alfred Hughes and Joseph O'Neill, came on the scene with a blood-stained shirt, which they had picked up on the roadside not far from the place where the remains were lying. It appears that they were on their way to Brisbane on horseback when they found the shirt. It was a white flannelette shirt, and there were stains apparently of blood on one of the sleeves. The shirt was very much discoloured, and it appeared probable from the statement of the men that it had been washed up on the road- side. It was taken possession of by Sergeant Shanahan, but the police attach very little importance to it. Hughes, it may be stated, was from Ipswich, and O'Neill from Harrisville.
A GHASTLY SPECTACLE.
This little incident was no sooner over than another stir was caused by the arrival of the Government undertaker's conveyance with a rough coffin, for the purpose of conveying the remains to Brisbane. The vehicle, which was a covered-in four-wheeler, was driven into the paddock and up to within a few yards of the spot, and the coffin was taken out and laid a little distance from the remains of the dead boy. By this time there were a great many people present, including three or four women, who stationed themselves on a little rise a short distance away, where they could observe all that was going on. It was about a quarter-past 3 o'clock, when Chief Inspector Stuart returned to the scene with Dr. Wray, the Government medical officer, and a photographer. The chief inspector at once ordered the crowd to stand back, and proceeded to have photographs of the remains taken. Several photographs were taken, and then, at the request of the doctor, the police carefully removed the bushes. As soon as the remains were uncovered It was found that the boy was lying on his stomach. The skull was evidently detached, for it was turned partly face upwards, and it was this fact that gave the impression before the boy was uncovered that he was lying on his back. He was, as stated, however, lying on his stomach. The legs were wide apart, so wide, in fact, as to give the impression that they had been pulled apart. Both feet were turned outward. The clothes were intact, and properly adjusted in every particular. The boy was wearing a white shirt, collar, tie, coat, and trousers, the latter being suspended by braces. A minute examination having been made of the body as it now appeared by Sergeant Shanahan, further photographs were taken, and after Dr. Wray had made a superficial examination it was lifted by the undertakers' men bodily into the coffin. As it was lifted by the trousers and coat the skull fell away, and it was picked up by the doctor and placed in the coffin. The boy's straw hat was found under his right arm. Mr. Hill, who was standing by, very much affected, picked up something where the boy had been lying, which he at first thought was a bullet, but which turned out only to be a small stone. The coffin was at once nailed down, and conveyed to the waggonette, and a start was made for Brisbane. Several of the police remained at the spot searching for the bullet.
THE POST-MORTEM.
When the remains reached Brisbane they were conveyed to the morgue at the hospital, and early yesterday morning Dr. Wray made a thorough post-mortem examination. On being interviewed by our representative he stated that the boy was shot with either a revolver or pistol, and that the weapon was placed close to the head. The boy was shot from behind, the bullet entering the base of the skull and coming out just over the left eye. The body was so decomposed that it was im- possible for the doctor to tell whether an unnatural offence had been committed. There was scarcely any flesh on the body ; both bands were gone. On the clothes being searched, a purse containing a watch key and three old nails was found in one of the pockets. As soon as the postmortem was over, the father was allowed to have the remains, and they were subsequently encoffined by the undertakers, Messrs. Cannon and Cripps, and removed to the poor boy's parents' home at Nundah.
THE FUNERAL.
The funeral took place at half-past 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and, as may be imagined, created a great deal of agitation at Nundah and at Lutwyche, where the remains were interred. A considerable amount of feeling was displayed, and on every side there were heartfelt expressions of sympathy with the bereaved parents. Mr. Hill lives at Sandgate-road, Nundah, and at the time of the funeral a great many people congregated in the vicinity. The coffin was of polished cedar, and there was a silver engraved nameplate on the lid. The cortege moved from the father's residence for the Lutwyche Cemetery at half past 4 o'clock. The hearse was followed by upwards of 140 vehicles and sixty horsemen. The chief mourners were Mr. and Mrs. Hill, the unfortunate boy's brothers, and several relatives. The route was lined with friends and sympathisers. The funeral was met at the cemetery gates by the Rev. Canon Osborn and a surpliced choir, and the coffin was conveyed to the grave. An impressive service was conducted at the graveside by Canon Osborn, and several hymns were sung. Many of those present were visibly affected, and everyone seemed moved by the sadness of the case.
MRS. CATCHPOLE'S STATEMENT.
Mrs. Catchpole, a friend of the bereaved family, and the last person, as far as is known at present, who saw the boy before he fell iInto the hands of the person or persons who so brutally murdered him, was interviewed by our representative on Saturday at Oxley. She lives in a small wooden cottage there, exactly opposite the Oxley Hotel, and facing the main road. The crime was committed about a mile from her house, and almost in sight, so to speak, of the Oxley Hotel. At the time our representative called Mrs. Catchpole was busy at her sewing machine. She is an elderly lady, and as soon as she knew the mission our representative was on, frankly consented to tell all she knew. " It's a terrible thing," she said. " It's four weeks to-day since the poor boy was here. I was sitting at the door sewing with the machine just like this, when I saw him come. He got off his horse and hung it up at the fence, and came up the steps. He says, ' Does Mrs. Catchpole live here ?' and I said, 'Yes, that's my name.' "
You didn't know him, then ?
"No, I didn't know him at all. He brought a letter for me from my grandson, George Crompton. I said I thought George was coming up to-day, and he said, 'No, he is not coming up to-day.' I, said,
'Where are you from, Zillmere or Geebung ?' and he said, 'No ; I come from Nundah, my name is Hill. I said, 'Oh, is it ?' and he said, 'Yes, George works for my father.' My grandson is learning the saddlery. In the meantime I opened the letter, and having looked into it I said to him, 'Are you going back again.' He said, 'No, I am going back either tomorrow or Monday ; I am going to Goodna.' I said, 'When you go back again tell George his mare and foal will be all right when he comes up at Christmas. He was to come up during the holidays to brand it, but he sent the letter instead.
"As far as I can remember," said Mrs Catchpole," " that is all I said to the child. He stood at the door a little bit, and then he said, 'I'll be going, Mrs. Catchpole,' and I said, 'All right ; good evening,' and he got on his horse and went away up the
road there towards Goodna."
You didn't ask him inside ? "No, I did not."
What time did he leave here ?
"Well, it was about 5 o'clock on Satur- day evening, 10th December. I never saw him afterwards."
Was there anything peculiar about the boy ?
"No, nothing. He looked a nice, quiet boy. He was rather slim."