572 La Trobe Street

FRIGHTFUL STREET OUTRAGE.
WOMAN’S TERRIBLE DEATH.
ATTACK BY A FOREIGN SAILOR.

The series of horrors which have recently been provided ‘in the city of Melbourne and suburbs by violent unbridled ruffians was on Thursday night added to by a diabolical crime committed in Latrobe-street, when a respectable married woman, 55 years of age, met her death at the hands of a brutish foreign sailor.

The victim of this terrible happening was Mrs. Sophia Rigg, who lived with her husband at No. 325 Spencer-street, and the scene ‘of the tragedy is Latrobe-street, about midway between Spencer-street and Adderley-street, right in front of a row of cottages and close by the iron works of Edwards and Co. The tragedy occurred soon after 8 o’clock, in a well lighted locality, where people were passing frequently, but so quickly did it all take place that no opportunity was afforded anyone to rescue the poor old lady from the clutches of the human fiend who had assailed her, and when help arrived it was too late, for she was dead.

Mrs. Rigg was a woman who had the respect and esteem of everyone who knew her. Her husband, a steady, well conducted, hard working man, lived with her, and he is employed by Mr. Thomas Warr, contractor, of Collins-street. The old people have lived in the neighborhood for thirty odd years, and have brought up a family of sons and daughters, who are married and settled down.

During that long time they have been known as good law-abiding, quiet citizens, and had made many friends. Mrs. Rigg, an industrious woman, has supplemented her husband’s earnings by office cleaning in the city, and was regarded as an energetic, respectable woman by all who employed her.

On Thursday night at about a quarter-past 8 o’clock, Mrs. Rigg left her home to visit a married son, Thomas, who lives in Adderley-street. The house is only a few doors from Latrobe-street, and she was close to Mr. Edwards’s store when she met her dreadful fate.

The meeting between the poor woman and her assailant was not seen by anyone, and the discovery of what had taken place was made by Mr Francis Thompson, who lives in a row of cottages close by. He had been up town, and was returning to his home, and was nearly there when he passed two forms struggling upon, the footpath.

There was a deep shadow at the spot, and he could not see distinctly who they were, but hearing the gruff voice of a man using a certain vile expression, which he repeated rapidly, he thought that two drunken sailors were fighting. Two employes of Mr Edwards, named Francis Whittaker and Keid, happened to come out of the store at that moment, and Mr. Edwards drew their attention to the 6cufile on the footpath.

The three men then went to the spot, and on looking closely saw that the two figures were that of a man and a woman whom he held in his grasp, whilst in uncouth, imperfect English, he was using shocking expressions. Seizing the fellow, Mr Whittaker pulled him away, and held him. Matches, being struck all three were horrified at seeing that the poor woman lay upon the footpath motionless, and apparently dead.

Her clothing was disarranged, her hair dragged about, and her face was covered with blood, which had apparently flowed from her mouth on to the footpath.

Mr. Whittaker handed his prisoner over to the other two men, ran to the telephone in Edwards’s store, and rang up the Police, and returned to the scene. Senior Constable M’Laughlin had meanwhile arrived on the scene, and, taking the prisoner in charge, instructed Constable Pauling, who was sent in answer to the telephone summons, to take the woman to the Melbourne Hospital.

On arrival at the hospital she was pronounced dead. No wounds could be seen, and it seemed that death was the result of suffocation, caused by the ruffian pressing his hand over his victim’s mouth to stop her screams. The bleeding was also from the mouth, as though the poor victim, in her death struggles, had burst a blood vessel. The body was then removed to the Morgue.

The man locked up on a charge of wilful murder was a stalwartly built, shock headed young Swede, who gave his name as Emil Fussell, and his age as 21.

He was then drunk, and was recognised as a fellow who had several times lately been in the hands of the police for drunkenness and disorderly conduct. He said he was attached to the timber barque Sari Francisco, now lying in the river.

He made no statement, and had a dull, brutish look on his face, his countenance being made more repellent by splashes of his victim’s blood, and the drink sodden state of his features.

source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196584468