THE MURDER OF MISS DOBIE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 204, 30 November 1880, Page 2

THE MURDER OF MISS DOBIE.

Confession of the Murderer Tuahi,

The inquest on the body of the murdered girl, Miss Dobie, Avas resumed at Opunake yesterday. The evidence taken was mostly of those persons avlio had seen the Maori prisoner either before or after the deed AA r as committed. Stains of blood were found on Tuahi’s trousers, and a hair, ing to that of deceased’s, amongst the blood stains. The storekeeper avlio sold Dobie the pencil gave her as change out* of sixpence a threepenny piece and two English.halfpennies. From his an impression is left that the threepenny piece tendered by Tuahi for a box of matches is the same as the storekeeper gave in change to Miss Dobie. It had been cleaned and scraped. A coat found in Tuahi’s Avhare had blood stains on it. Tuahi claimed the coat. A great amount of evidence Avas given all tending to the crimination of Tuahi, and then Mrs. Ebett sworn, deponed —I saw the body of the deceased at the redoubt. I Avas present when the body Avas examined. I found a pocket handkerchief and lead pencil but no money. The dress Avas much stained Avith blood, I was nervous to notice any blood on the articles taken from the dress pocket. I did not notice a stain of blood on the pocket of the dress. There Avas a collar on the dress (produced). It is noAV in the same state as Avhen taken of}. I noticed a cut in it Avhen taking it off.^ Dr Carey sAVorn, said —I came to the redoubt on Friday, the 26th. I searched the body of Miss Dobie Avith the assistance of Mrs. Ebett. I examined the articles in the pocket. Found no blood, but there is a stain of blood on the pocket, which might have been communicated from some portion of the dress. (The collar, red with blood, >yaa here produced.) I observed a punctured cut }n collar. I found a corresponding wound in the neck of deceased. Judging from the puncture I it was made by an man inch in Avidth. I immediately below extent. The cut doAvn attempts cut the

wound on the second finger of the right hand about an inch long. Death was the result of these wounds. I examined every part of the body, and am positive that no attempt at violence had been made. , The, underclothing was intact; : Most -of the wounds were on the right side. The knife marked “ T. H.” (produced) has, in my opinion, blood stains upon it. That knife would inflict the injuries described. I received change from Mr. Coffey this morning, sixpence' and a threepenny piece. I noticed that the latter had been scraped, as if to ora.se, something which I took to be blood. I cannot say in what position the deceased may have been when the wounds were inflicted. She would have been able to walk after receiving the smaller wounds on the neck, but not after the larger. The first wound was a combination of stabs and cuts. Judging by the cut in the collar the wound could not be made by a larger knife than this. lam confident that the wounds, were not self inflicted. The knife produced is sharp enough to produce such wounds. The ring fitted lightly 'on the finger of deceased. The stain on the pocket might have been caused by a bloody hand being stuck into it, but then I was showed other articles stained. > I have examined the stain on the right leg of the moleskin trousers found at the scene of the murder. Contact with an old sore would produce such stains. I have inspected the right ankle of the prisoner Tuahi, and 1 found such a sore as would correspond with the position of the stain on the trousers. I probed my finger into the wound opposite the hole in the collar to a depth of three inches. The body would become nearly cold within three or four hours. This closed the evidence adduced by the police, and it was all read over again to the jury, who then came to the unanimous opinion that Stannard had no connection whatever with the murder, and he was therefore discharged without; any stain on his character. TUAHI’S CONFESSION.

The Maori confessed “I did it,” when Mr. Hursthouse asked him if he had any statement to make. He was fairly warned before he confessed. He said, “It was done by me.” Mr. Hursthouse said, ‘‘Do you know what you have really said ? Do you know your position V Tuahi said, I know ; I killed the woman. It was a great sin or crime. I know it.” The Coroner then said, “I do not think under the circumstances, that I can ask the gentlemen of the jury to do anything. This is not like a Court of law or the Supremo Court, and I think I can hardly ask you for anything further. ”■

The excitement was intense. The interpreter faltered and was deeply moved, as was the coroner. The murderer appeared more calm than most of those in Court.

Opunake, To-day. Last night the prisoner said, “ I do not ■wish for any more trial. I want to meet my death here now. ” Handcuffs were then put on him, prisoner preserving the same calmness and looking at all round him straight in the face.