The Poole Telegram. — 1881-09-02 (Poole, Dorset, England)

MURDER AND CANNIBALISM IN THE SOUTH SEAS.—From Auckland, New Zealand, particulars have been received of the treachetous murder of Mr. Clyne Smith, the German naturalist. The information was brought to Auckland by tie steamer Ripple' Captain Woodhouse. The murder was coat datted on the New Britain Island, and two Frenchmen, woo accompanied Mr. Smith, simnel the same late. The deceae 4 gentleman went across from his station at the Duke of Y.rk Island. where he left his wife. He was talking to the natives, when he was struck do an from behind before he could offer the slightest resistance. His French comrades, who were the remaining representatives of the Marquis of Ray's expedition, were killed in a similar manner. Mr. Swath, it was stated, went through the American war, and it was he who iiluminated the address to Sir Hercules Rubinson at the time of the annexation of the Fiji Islands. Tae murder at the same island of a diver named Daniel Hall was also reported by Captain Woodhouse. Hall, who was engaged on board the Ripple, and went on shore to recover some articles which had been stolen by the natives. He had no sooner put his foot on the beach than he was attacked by armed savages and killed on the spot. Captain Woodhowee made strenuous en leavoure to obtain poeeession of the body ot the deceased in order to bury it. Tani, however, he was pievented doing by the natives, who ate up the remains of poor Hall. The reports from the other islands in the South Sea stated that the natives were very turbulent and treacherous. One or two vessels reported that when they neared the shore they were surrounded by natives in war canoes, fully prepared for an attack. The tithe :rs therefore refused to enter into negotiations with them, and sailed away from the scene, not permitting any of the natives to come on the desk of their vessels. At Sittinghourne on Tuesday, Henry W. Beslee, a tripe vendor, fotmerly a letter-carrier at the Sittingbourne Post-office, and who had previously been a butler in the service of many gentlemen of position, was charged with committing a violent assault upon his wife, Mary Ann ' Beslee. He WM further charged with assaulting Police• constahle Willa in the execution of his duty. It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner, who had been drinking, tore his wife's clothing off her back, and dragged her from room to room by tile hair of her head. He afterwards took hole of her by her feet and dashed her up and down noon an iron bedstead. Her body waa s mass of buises from head to foot. The complainant added that these assaults were of constant occurrence, and that the prisoner had taken a knife and threatened to kill her. In cross-examination, Mrs. Boslee admitted that she threw a pailful of water over the prisoner, but she was exasperated by his throwing some over her first. When P.C. Wills went to apprehend the prisoner he found him smashing up all the crockery ware and furnit ore in the house, with the doors locked inside.. The coustable get in through the window, and the prisoner gave him two violent blows in the face, and tore his uniform coat nearly to pieces. The prisoner said his wife was continually exasperating him. Sae had jeined the Salvation Army, and he supposed she thought that by doing so she would get to heaven herself and send him to hell. She threw water over him before be laid .his hand upon her. The magistrates sentenced the prisoner to six weeks hard labour for the assault upon his wife, and to two weeks' hard labour tpr the assault upon the constable, the latter sentence to commence at the expiration of tn e first. The prisoner bade his wife good-bye, and said he supposed she would sing and be happy now,