Henry Morgan / Margaret Nolan Murder

Date: 17 Nov 1883 [unknown]
Location: Panmure, Victoria, Australia

Atrocious Murder.
Melbourne, Monday.
A terrible murder was committed near Warrnambool on Saturday. Margaret Nolan, 10 years of age, the daughter of a farmer who lives near Warrnambool, was sent- to the township of Panmure at 3 p.m. on Saturday. She then went on to the old township, whence she was seen returning at 4 o'clock with a man, who was on horseback, and who has been identified as James Morgan, farmer, at Lake Warrnambool. The parents of the girl, after a time, began to feel uneasy, and upon a search being made, the poor little girl was found at 4 a.m. yesterday, dead among some tall ferns, about half a mile from the township, with a deep wound in her neck. The child's hand firmly clutched some ferns, and all around the spot were evidences of a desperate struggle. The police are making inquiries into the matter. Morgan has been arrested.
Morgan is reported to have been intoxicated at the time he was seen with the girl. He had a knife with him, and on his shirt cuff was found a spot of blood. He is father of 14 children. He will be brought up at the Warrnambool police court to-morrow.
[ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/108838283 Evening News (Sydney, NSW : 1869 - 1931) Mon 19 Nov 1883 Page 2 Atrocious Murder.]^[1]