Preece Family Tree

THE SUICIDE OF THE CROSSINGS AT WANGANUI.

It will be rememebered that a man named Richard Crossing and his niece Isabella Crossing were suspected of having murdered an infant at Mudgee, supposed to have been their illegitimate child. The case was not clear, as only some charred bones were found in a paddock. The two left Sydney in the Hero for Auckland wiht another person, named Luscombe; from Auckland they proceeded to Wanganui, and on the night of Good Friday last committed suicide by drowning in the latter place. It was as first thought that Crossing had strangled his niece, and then threw her and himself into the water. Particulars to the above effect appeared in the Herald a few weeks ago. From the report of the inquest held at Wanganui on the 5th April and letters written by Crossing and his niece there can be no doubt that the unfortunates committed suicide of the most premeditated character. The Taranaki Herald gives the following particulars of the tragedy :-

The principal evidence given at the inquest was by Robert Luscombe, who was distantly related by marriage to Richard Crossing, both having come from Devonshire about twenty years since. Luscombe appears to have acted as a confidential servant to Richard Crossing. In his evidence at the inquest on the body of Bella Crossing, he said - 'I have been in Crossing's employment since February; I joined him at Mudgee, in New South Wales; I left there in the early part of February with the deceased; I recognise the deceased as Isabella Crossing now; we left Mullamuddy farm, the property of Richard Crossing, together; we left together to proceed to Sydney; on our way to Sydney we were overtaken by Richard Crossing at Cudgegong; we all three proceeded together; we remained in Sydney six hours, then we went on board the steamer Hero, for Auckland, we remained in Auckland for seven days then we went to Onehunga, where we remained one week waiting for a steamer to come to Wanganui; on our way we called at Nelson; after we arrived in Wanganui we stopped at Mr. Harris's, in Wilson street. The deceased (Isabella Crossing) gave me two rings to take care of about Tuesday, 26th March; she took them off her hand and gave them to me, saying they were her wedding rings; I believe the rings produced to be the same; she said 'Take these, put them in your pocket, and do as I tell you;' I saw Richard Crossing go into the jeweller's shop in Sydney, buy the rings, and afterwards place them on the finger of the deceased; I believe the deceased to be Richard Crossing's niece; her father is dead; they lived as man and wife together after leaving Sydney; I am not aware of their having any child; Richard Crossing said to me in the presence of deceased, when leaving Sydney 'I have put our child out to nurse; it is all right Bob;' I am distantly related by marriage to Richard Crossing; we both came from Devonshire, in England; I have been acquainted about twenty years with Mr. Crossing in the colonies; we all arrived in Wanganui from the farm on Good Friday; we were at Mr Harris's together in the afternoon; Crossing gave me a pocketbook and a watch and a roll of notes while there; I took possession of the book and notes, and put them in my pocket, and never opened them till I handed them to the police; I asked Richard Crossing what I was to do with them; he replied, 'Put them in your pocket, you will know what to do with them in time;' he did not assign any reason for giving me the property; it was 3.15 p.m. when he gave me the articles; then he said he would see me in about an hour; I met him at Harris's an hour afterwards; he directed me to go down and stay at the corner of the Commercial Hotel; I did so, he and a gentleman of the name of Ritchie met me afterwards at the place indicated; then we walked up as far as Henderson's brewery; then he asked Ritchie, 'Where is she?' meaning the deceased; he then said to Ritchie, 'We are off, good-bye;' shook hands, and then parted; we walked along Ridgway-street together, towards the London butchery; I accompanied them about twenty yards after leaving Ritchie; he then told me to go back and look after hte mate or skipper of the Canterbury, and not to let them go with out us, as they had a few things to get; I then came back to the corner of the Commercial Hotel; it was about 8.15 p.m.; I remained there until I heard that there had been an accident on the bridge; my suspicions were aroused when I heard of the white 'bell-topper' and the other hat having been found; I identify the hat (produced) as the same worn by the deceased on Friday night.

Examined by the jury: Isabella and Richard Crossing were living nominally on friendly terms; I am aware that Richard Crossing has a wife and family at Mudgee, two miles out of town at a place called Henfield; Richard Crossing used to live occasionally with his wife and the deceased.

At the inquest on Richard Crossing, the evidence was much the same.

Luscombe deposed: I was asked by deceased to take Isabella Crossing to Sydney; and then home to her mother near Maitland; he said he would overtake us before we got to Sydney; I was aware of their mode of living; there was no ill-feeling between them; I never saw any child of theirs; I embarked with them at Sydney; I brought Isabella Crossing down to Sydney, but was overtaken by deceased at a place called Cudgegong; they were absent from me about three hours in Sydney; there was a little trouble with deceased and his wife; he made his will before leaving; I never saw deceased the worse for liquor in my life; they stayed next door to Dr. Long's in Sydney; when they told me they had just put out their child to nurse, I never asked what child it was they referred to; deceased was expecting money from New South Wales. By the foreman: Deceased bore the best character in the world, although living with the girl; the farms were ten miles from each other; it was understood that the farm she was living on was to be her own; deceased spent his time between his two farms; Isabella Crossing's brothers was about twenty years of age. By the coroner: I was acting with the deceased simply as a friend; Crossing is about fifty-four years of age; I got two letter for him from the bank; he handed me one to read, and then snatched it from me again; on reading the letters he said he would have to go back to Sydney again, which greatly surprised me; I believe he was worth £80 000 last Christmas; he did not mention anything to me about an inquest; it was after this that I got the ring. By the foreman: I was never in the habit of asking him to explain himself; I made all arrangements about the leaving by the Canterbury for Harelock; he never paid me anything, nor did he ever make me a present. By a juror: It was about three months before we left that the report got about with regard to her having a child; I do not know anything about their killing child. [A long examination here ensued relative to the appearance of Isabella Crossing before they left Mudgee, whether she was in a state of pregnancy or not, witness stating that she did not exhibit any signs whatever.]

The following letters, found in the pocked-book, were read to the jury :-

'Wanganui, March 17th, 1872. - My wish and desire is that all my interest in the Mullamuddy estate be given to my brother, Thomas Crossing; all the papers concerning the same are now in possession of poor Innes, and if he will not accept it, to be sold, and all proceeds given to him, and all interest I have in sheep and cattle in possession of Mr. Innes, to be given to my cousin, James Crossing, at the expiration of Mr. Innes's lease, and the cottage bought from my uncle Richard Crossing, to be given to my mother, Mrs. James Kirley, with all papers concerning the same, now in Mr. Innes's possession. - Isabella Crossing. Witness - R. Luscombe.'

'Dear James, - I send my watch to you by Robert. I hope you will take care of it and think of your ill-loved father. Good bye all. March 28, 1872. May the Lord have mercy on us.'

'Wanganui, March 27, 1872. This being my last wish and desire that the rents of Mullamuddy shall be paid to my son, James Crossing, and on the expiration of Mr. Innes's lease, the sheep and cattle be delivered to James Crossing for his use and benefit, and all rents and moneys that Mr. Newman was to receive for me to be paid into the Bank; when the amount of £200, to be let out at interest on good security, for the benefit of ...

'Henry's P.N.'s I sent by Robert. I wish £100 of them to be paid to George, and I think I have done justice to you all, whatever I have done to myself. You must be aware that it was through honour to the girl that I done wrong to and loved more than life. If mother had been more forgiving things would not have come to this end, but you have not the best of it, it will not matter much, and mother can get another husband that she loves better and as he will have a better ??? than I had, he ought to be a better man. May God Almighty evermore have mercy on us all. The last from your distracted father; mercy on me, R.C.

'27th March, 1872. - My dear wife and children all, - I receive the two letters all right and £10 which was a poor help. You may guess my surprise when I saw the account of the inquest. I had a mind to come back and face it but thinking of the annoyance to you all, I thought it best to die at once out of this wretched world. It has been a hard world to me, and the torment is unbearable. What I done I done to save disgrace after the first wrong-doing. If mother had not been so hard on us it might not have come to this, and as it's the only fault I ever had, I hope you will all forgive me, and the Lord have mercy on us all. I almost think I was ordained for this end. I hope you boys and mother will do justice to the young children as I have done for you, and I hope you will live happy to enjoy the comforts I have left you. I blame mother for setting the children against me, as it made my heart harder; but may God forgive us as I was in wrong. Robert will be likely to bring you all particulars. I had arranged for a nice place for £750, to pay £300 in 3 m. & 450 in 12 m. and take stock at valuation. I could have done well here, I had no interest to pay, 365 acres in a paddocks and orchard fenced with furze edges. I had just come out to take possession when I got your letter, and I objected & knocked it off at once, as I knew I should be found out, as I had been using my own name. I came from Sydney in the name of John Evans. If I had stucked to that I should have been right. It's a great pity for it's a nice place. I used my own name fearing my children would not be able to claim it if anything happened to me. My insurance money you must do the best you can with; so now farewell to all Hoskin's family, Newman's family, and to all my own dear family. God have mercy on a poor broken-hearted father and husband; so live and love as I do you this last of all. - Richd. Crossing.'

The witness Luscombe requested Sergeant Reid to read the following letter, which he did :-

'Port Nelson, March 4th, 1872. - From the fright I have had coming from Auckland, if anything should happen to me, I give Lucombe the charge of all my papers and documents to take to my family at Mudgee, and money (if any), and any other valuables for his so doing, and state all particulars. This is in case of any accident, and he be saved. - R. Crossing. Witness - Isabella Crossing'

The jury returned a verdict on the body of Isabella Crossing of 'found drowned'. At the inquest on the body of Richard Crossing, the Coroner, in charging the jury, urged them very strongly to bring in a verdict of felo de se. Of the jury concluding their consultation, they brought in the following verdict, which the coroner refused to entertain, but after a long discussion between him and the foreman, it was accepted :- 'Thad the deceased Richard Crossing whilst in a state of temporary insanity, committed suicide, by throwing himself from the Wanganui bridge, and was drowned.'