THE ONEWHERO MURDERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2385, 15 February 1915, Page 6

THE ONEWHERO MURDERS

NORMAN KEALS CAPTURED

MOTIVE FOR THE CRIMES

MISSINC CHILD'S BODY FOUND. (Bj- Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, February 14. The young mail Norman Keals, wanted on a charge of murder in connection with the death of his sister-in-law, Mrs. Edith Emma Keals, and of the abduction of her baby, was arrested _ this afternoon. The body of the missing child was also found. Over 100 settlers assisted tho police in gradually drawing ill the cordon which surrounded tho area of bush in which Keals was believed to be hiding. Keals was driven from cover to cover in densely-timbered country, and was ultimately caught hiding in a tree. When called upon to surrender he did so without showing any resistance, and was immediately surrounded and handcuffed. Tho man was in a pitiable state, and his face and clothing bore evidence of the terrible ordeal he has passed through during the past few days. The first inquiry of those making tbe arrest wa-s naturally in regard to tho baby, and Keals uidicated where it would be found.' The searchers accompanied him to a spot near _ Opuatia Creek, where the body of a sis-weeks-old baby was found. It is reported that the child had been choked to death. Tho man was secured in some dense bush not far distant from tbe Keals homestead. It is reported that Keals has made a full statement to the polico.. A CONFESSION. .Later. Norman Keals signed a confession containing, inter alia, the following':— "Oil Tuesday he fired a shot at his sister-in-law. Afterwards he did not like to leave the baby, as it was singing out. Ho took it out, and within five minutes strangled it. He described the place where he left the body under a tree. He had gone to the house on Monday night intending to kill his brother and all of them, but after ho had fired on© shot he thought he had done enough. His motive' for the crime was revenge, because when he was in Australia he heard that an interest .in a property near Onewhero had been taken away from him." ;