Triple Murderer Gets Life Sentence

Chronicle (Levin), 28 April 1949, Page 6

Triple Murderer Gets Life Sentence

Jury Wants Capital Punishment Reintroduced Life imprisonmeiit with hard labour on each of the three counts was the sentence imposed by Mr. Justice Hutchison in the Supreme Court at Palmerston North yesterday on John Reremoana Tume, a Maori lorry driver, aged 30, married, of Tokorangi, after he had been found guilty by a jury of the inurder of Clive Frances Hartley, married, aged 54, her daughter, Ldllian Winiata, married, aged 36, and Mrs. Winiata 's three-year-old half-caste son, Patrick Winiata. The jury was absent for two hours and a half, retiring at 1 p.m. when the court rose for the luncheon adjournment, and returning at 2.30 p.m. '

Asked if he had anything to say why the sentence of the court should not be passed upon him, Tunie asked whether he could ask the judge three questions. llis llonour: Ko, you may not ask questions, but you may niake a statement to the court if you wish. Tume : In your summing up did you lind ine responsible for the three deatlis? His Honour : That is a question. I told you to confine yourself to niaking a statement. Straightening liimself up Tume said in the clear, decisive voice: "I am glad that you have reached a fmal decision and wish to thank you for the fair trial you have given me. I must tell you that I had the ehoice of staying _ in Porirua mental hospital or going to prison. I made my choice and it remains the same. I '11 g'ladly o-() to my punishment for the honour of my son, John. I wish to express my profound regret for the death of the three people who have gone to their last rest." The prisoner said ho. wishort to express liis tlianks to the medical staff of Porirua, mentioning bv lianie Drs^IIart. /1outts and Blake,, and to the staff of Ward S,. and to the superintendent oi' Ihe insti'tution. To his eounsel, Mr. Y. (}. Opio, he expressed his ' ' verv liest thanks" for the capable nuuiner in which he had con dm-ted the defenee. At this stage Tume faltered in his speech, lowered his head and grasped his two hands together. He finished his remarks with the snrprislng statement: "Yonrs faithfully, have a good Cliristmas holiday, Kia Ora— Johnny." Ilis llonour said tliere was only oue punishment provided by tlie law and ht sentenced Tume to iinprisonnient with hard labour for life on each of tlie three counts. The jury handed tho iollowing written presentment to His Honour- ' This jury is of the opinion that the Te-introduction of capital punishment would he a greater deterrent to this type of crime." His Honour said the rider would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities. He discharged the jury from service for a period of five years as from the end of this week, the jury members being required to report for service on each of the remaining days of this week. As he stepped from the dock, TmiH; was inunediately hamlcult'ed to oue oi the two warders who had sat near liim throughout Ihe trial.

Yesterday' s Evidence fau Matthew Gordon, a shepherd eni ployed by Mr. Barnett at Onepuhi, said he was killiieg "dog tuckor" at the slaughterhouse shortly after 8 o'clock 011 the niglit of D&eomber 29, wlien his wii'e eallod out from the verandali of their house. Tume was thero and said to witness: "I've been doing sonie kill-. ing, too." Tume seemed to be quite cool and ealm. Ile said he had killed liis wife, inother-in-law and "young Paddy. " Witness did not believe him. Tunie said: "I had to tio it." Tume wanted to telephone the poliee but witness did not have a phone at his house. Alfred Winiata arrived axui shortly after Bobby Winiata eame alung sereaining and in a terrilied con1 "...

dition. Tunie said to Alfred Winiata: "I've done them in up there. X had to do it for personal reasons. " Tume climbed into Winiata 's truek and drove down tlie road toward Mr. Renata 's. Latcr Tume drove up to witness' house from the direction of Hartley 's house and said: "Tliey 're sleeping .peacefullv up there." Accused told witness he had rung the police. He sat on the gate and was quite boastful about what he had. done. Ho said he would be in gaol for a short tiine and would be a little oldei when he got out. Tume reniained with witness until . the police arrived. In ■ company with the police tliey went*io Hartley 's house. Tume told the police to drive carefully because Mrs. Hartley was lying beneath a tree in the backyard, and said Mrs. Winiata and X'addy were by the back door. Tume sliowed the police the weapon which he said he had used. It was an iron bar. Tume Rang For Police ,How the accused had called at hi.: house, about oue miie from Hartley 's, to ring the police, was diseribed b\ Patu Renata who said Tunie told him he had killed Mrs. Hartley, Mrs. Winiata and Patrick, and that he wanted Uie police to collect him at the bodies. Tume appeared to be quite normal and spoke sensibly. "I am the man you are looking for; I killed Mrs. Hartley and Lillian Winiata." These were the words used by Tume when he met the police who visited the area in response to a telephone call from a man who said his name was Tume, according to the testimony of Sergeant W. 0'. Brown, of Marton. Tume went to the Ilartley house with the police and sliowed them where tlie bodies were. Ile said: 'lI had to kill them." He was told he "kas being arrested and would be charged with niurI der and was warned that anything he said might be used in evidence. Tume roplied: "Yes, I know you have youi duty to do, Mergoant, but do you think tliey will keep me in long?" Oonstablo A. XI. Rodden, of kiarton, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. On the wav back to the police station Tume kept repeating: "1 had lo do it, tliey niade me do it, thcy forced me to do it. " Accused did not appear to have had any iiquor. Deteetive-Sergeant J. G. Long gay^v evidence of investigations immediately i after the tragedv. Tume was adviseo to obtain the services of a solicitor. He replied: "I murdered them, I will tako wiiat is coming to me." He was told that liaving said so much, he might like to explaiii why he did it. Ile replied: '.'1 caii onlv tell what X did, but X don'i want to bring anybody else into it. " ile said he had been living with Mrs. ldllian Winiata for about two years as

man and wife. Hhe was expecting another baby and had told Tume he was not the father. !8he also had said slie was anotlior maiNs property. On his wav to the X'aimerston North police station accused had said: "I had to do it. " Asked why, he said: "Mrs. Hartley asked me to go awav and leave them in peace and said if I did not. gc . awav I migdit as well kill them. Mrs. j Ilartley also told me X would get a re- ' ward if I went away. If I killed then. and rau away I would get a reward. " Witness told him he would not 'get a reward aiul Tume replied " that Mrs. Ilartley had said he would get it when he was caught. ' To Mr. Opie, the witness said Tume had told liim Lillian Winiata had said

that Graham Wilson was the father of her expected child. There was no evidence of Iiquor in the house, but there were a few empty bottles outside. To His Honour the witness said there woilld not bq more tlian a dozen bottles. There was no evidence of heavy drinking. -