An Unfortunate Family Incident in East Melbourne - 1947

Three newspaper articles in interstate papers regarding a very unfortunate incident in East Melbourne in 1947. Apart from a very brief mention there was nothing found in the Melbourne papers, possibly because of local suppression decisions or orders.

Clipping from The Brisbane Courier Mail 29 August 1947:
SISTER MURDER CHARGE
MELBOURNE, Thursday. —
A 78-year-old pensioner, Mrs. Mary Stackpole, was found battered to death earlv
to-day In her cottage in Simpson Street, East Melbourne. Later, her sister. Miss Frances Fitzmaurice, 76, who shared the cottage, was remanded at the City Court until September 4 on a charge of having murdered her. Miss Fitzmaurice appeared in court with her throat bandaged. Earlier she had been treated at St Vincent's Hospital for throat lacerations. Stooped and frail, and wearing an old-fashioned black coat and hat, she seemed grief-stricken and ill, and had to be supported by a policewoman during the brief proceedings. Police alleged that Miss Fitzmaurice visited the East Melbourne Police Station at 9 a.m. to-day, and made a statement.

Head Badly Battered

Police went to the cottage and found the door locked. They forced the door, and found Mrs. Stackpole lying dead on the floor, with her head badly battered. They
took possession of a blood-stained flatiron found in the kitchen fire place. Police also alleged that the two old women had argued over who would possess the cottage when the other died, and who would die first. Mrs. Stackpole was a widow,
whose husband died 12 months ago. Her middle-aged son died two years ago. Both sisters were described by neighbours as 'respectable, quiet, and peaceable.'

Clipping from the Adelaide Advertiser 29 August 1947:
Woman Battered to Death: Sister Charged
Melbourne August 28
An old aged pensioner, Mrs Mary Stackpole, 78, of East Melbourne, was found battered to death when detectives broke into her bedroom today. The detectives had been told that Mrs Stackpole was killed during an argument with another woman about the ownership of their home when one of them died.
Marion Fitzmaurice, 76, of East Melbourne, appeared in the City Court this afternoon on a charge of having murdered her sister, Mrs Stackpole.
She was remanded until September 4.
Police said that earlier, Marion Fitzmaurice had staggered into the East Melbourne police station suffering from throat lacerations. The two women had lived in the house for nearly 40 years.

Clipping from the Adelaide Advertiser 3 October 1947:
TRAGIC STORY OF PENSIONER
Killed Sister, Then Attempted Suicide
MELBOURNE, October 2.
The tragic story of an old age pensioner, who decided to kill her elderly sister and then herself because they had not sufficient money to pay for their burial, was told to the Coroner today. The inquest was into the death of Mrs. Mary Josephine Stackpole, 78, of Simpson street. East Melbourne, whose body was found in the back room of her home on August 27. Her sister, Frances Fitzmaurice, who was charged with her murder, was admitted to the Sunbury Mental Home. Senior Detective F. J. Adam said that Frances Fitzmaurice had told him that she had hit her sister over the head, and had then tried to cut her throat and drink poison, but she could not. The Coroner found that Mrs. Stackpole had died of multiple fractures of the skull, inflicted by her sister while of unsound mind.