CHARGE OF MURDER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1140, 30 May 1911, Page 5

CHARGE OF MURDER.

4 YOUNG MAORI AND AN OLD GUMDIGGER.

(By Telcgraph-Presa Association^) Auckland, May 29. Tho trial was begun at tho Supreme Court to-day of a young Maori, Tahi Kaka, charged with tho murder of John Freeman, an aged gumdiggcr, at Piihipnhi. in the Whaugurci district, on or Ehout April 5. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. Tnle, traversed the details that have already received publicity. Freeman weut out to his work with his kit of tools an tho morning of April 5, and was followed by a dog belonging to tho whare. The dog returned in four davs, but Freeman was never seen alive again. He had been missing some weeks, when suspicion fell on Tahi Kaka, who was making statements of spending money freely, though previously he was short of cash. Later on Kaka admitted that he had followed Freeman up on tho mornin» of April 5, and finding out that he had money in his pockat, demanded some. .V scuffle ensued, and tho accused hit the old gumdiggcr over tho head with n stick ond caused his death. The evidence hud not concluded when tho Court adjourned till to-morrow.