THE OPUNAKE MURDERER'S CONFESSION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 208, 4 December 1880, Page 2

THE OPUNAKE MURDERER'S CONFESSION.

The Wellington Fast's correspondent telegraphs fuller particulars of Tuahi’s confession:than have yet been published here. . The statement was madp to Mr. Hursthbuse,,themiterpreter, on Wednesday :— “ I left Opunake with no, intention of committing any crime, but to look for a horse. On the other side of Te Ngamu I met Miss' Dobie. I gob' off my horse and tied it to a flax bush on the-road side, and followed her back. When I overtook her she was frightened, and took 6s. id. from her pocket and gave. me. . I took out my *pbcke£-knife, opened it, and stuck it in her throat. She fell down, but was not dead; I ’ then dragged her to the first flax bush. * She continued to struggle, and. I cut her throat again. I then* dragged her to another flax bush, and afterwards fo where she was. found and where she died. I took off my trousers there, ■ threw . 'them ' - into the flaxbush, and then went to get my horse, which had;got I'odfee. Whilst catching it, Hone Pihama and his party passed along the road, and I hid myself from them. I afterwards caught them up, and quickly .overtook them near the- telegraph office. I galloped in amongst them, passing them before they noticed me. The.knife I used is the bne_ produced ip,eyidence, marked ‘TH.’; T ’did not thi'ow it awpy. It must have dropped from my pocket. ; The blood on'my moleskin trousers is hers ; also that on my coat. The blood on the other trousers is pig’s blood; I don’t know why there is so little, blood on the coat. I had ss. in the mornirig. When I came back after committing tire crime I spent 3s. 4d. in dire hotel, gave 3s. Gd. to another man, and spent 3sd., including a threepenny piece; at Coffee’s .store. ' After she. died,’ I washed my hands in a small stream. I told nobody what I had done. I want now at once to be killed without further trial. May not her relations kill me ? Or; may I kill.myself J She called out once before I stabbed,her. She saw me get off my horse, but did not run away ; she merely walked on as if unsuspicious. I had j no desire bub to kill her. It was a momentary impulse and act.”-