TRAGEDY IN THE BUSH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1107, 21 April 1911, Page 5

TRAGEDY IN THE BUSH.

GUMDIGGER KILLED. BY A MAORI, NE'ER-DO.WELI. DEAD MAN'S MONEY. Uly Telegraph.—Press Association.! Whangarei, April 20. A revolting crime committed in the depths of tho l'uhipuhi Stato forest has been revealed. Kakc, a Native youth, aged 18, was arrested at Jvnikohe ou Tuesday on a charge of murdering Jolm Freeman, a European gumdiggcr, with whom Kake j-csidcd ill a whai'c. Suspicion fell on Kake by his prodigal spending of money, and because i'reeuiau had not been seen for ten days. Kake was brought down to YVhakaparq (tho nearest' station to l'uhipuhi) Una morning, where he was met by Sergeant Moore and a constable from "Whangarei. Accused confessed to tho sergeant that' • he hit Freeman over the head with a heavy wooden bludgeon, killed him, a.nd robbed him of JC4O, realised by the sala of gum. He dragged the corpse into a secluded place and buried it. Accused preferred to show tho burial P/aco to the police, who, with their captive, immediately set out for tho sceno of the crime, Thoy will return to Whangarei tonight or to morrow morning with the nocused and tho body of tho victim. Auckland, April 20. A message from Whakapara states that" the body of the murdered gumdigger, ri° . 1 l i ' recm '' l n, was recovered in Ilia Puhipnhi forest to-day • by Strgeaiit Moore. ■The prisoner, a stalwart,, Maori youth of about 18, described as a ne'er-do-well, ■ led the party to the spot.' i The head was practically smashed to a pulp, a,ml the body was in nn advanced 1 stale of decomposition. . , , It is stated that the tragedy occurrtd i on April 5, and that Freeman, who left' Ills whare that: day to go gum-digging, , ,m )s b >' 11,0 3l«ori into tho bush, the Maori accosted Freeman, who ap-: peal's to have resented and defended him--self with a gum-spear. Tho prisoner is support to hav-e struck Freeman on tho fido of the head violently with a stick, i felling him, and afterwards deeding two murderous blows while the man was on tho ground. The prisoner afterwards spent money , freely in tho locality, and at Kaikohe. where, from a statement he made to other Natives, suspicion was aroused, causing his arrest. Tho Auckland police were advised to■night that John Kake, tho Maori under arrest for the murder of John Freeman, has confessed to tho crime.