SERIOUS CASE OF STABBING.

Evening Star, Issue 3719, 23 January 1875, Page 2

SERIOUS CASE OF STABBING.

The customary quietude of the North-east Valley was this morning greatly disturbed by a report of a man having been stabbed tuere. Intimation of the occurrence reached the * orth Dunedin Police s tation shortly before ten o’clock, and Sergeant Deane at once despatched Constable Gilbert to the spot, at the same rime sending into town for Sub-Inspector Mallard, who lost no time in proceeding to the Valley. About a quarter of a mile from the junction of the V; lley and Port Chalmers roads, and on the left hand side of the first-mentioned road, there resides a man named John Amos Holmes ; and it was to his house that the visit of the police was being made, Our reporter first ascertained from the officer in charge of the North Dunedin .Station the facts of the occurrence, which were briefly these:—Holmes, who, for some time past, has been engaged breeding pigs, hid in his employ for the past twelve months, as a kind of farm laborer, a man named John Walter. The two men were this m rning employed in killing pigs, and happening to have a few words, Walter felt irritated at s me remark made by Holmes, and then and there stabbed him with the knife he had been using in piu killing. At the time of our visit to the North Dunedin Station, Walter was in the cell, awaiting conveyance to the Valley, to be present at the taking of Holmes’s depositions. At a little before one o’clock. Mr Fish, J.P., attended by r Street, clerk to the R M. Court, and' accompanied by our reporter and Detective Bain, »n charge ot Water, proceeded in a oab to Ho.mea’s residence- ' n the road the party met Hr Garland, who was in attendance on Holmes, and from the doc or it was leariied tha; his patient was then in such a low state that it would be dangerous to attempt to take his depositions, as to allow the crossexamination of Holmes would, in the opinion of the medical gentlemen, hasten death. It was, however, deemed desirable that Walter should be confronted with Holmes, tohieh was done, after arrival at tte latter’s house, and when Mr Pish had satisfied himself that Holmes was in a state to do so. Accordingly, Walter was brought into the sitting-room of the house, where Holmes was seated on a couch, supported by his wife and his brother, and the following dialogue took place : Holmes (addressing Walter): I can see the blackguard. Mr Fish ; Can you see the man who stabbed you? Holmes : Oh yes ; I can see him right enough. He has been along with me these twelve months. He t«ld me that it would be worse for me : that he would chop me with the axe; but I did not think he meant it. He then struck me with the knife.

Walter: Jim, if you are dying tell the truth. You are perjuring yourself, as you know.

Holmes : It is the truth and nothing but the truth. lam quite certain he did it. I think he had the knife in his hand all the time. Walter; You know I was scratching the pig’s leg. Walter was then removed. From what Sub-Inspector Mallard and the policeman on duty afterwards told as, we learned that Holmes and Walter had commenced to lei 1 pigs at about eight o’clock that morning. Shortly after they had despatched the first animal some words took placo between them about pigs having ihe night before got into the paddocks of Mr J. B. Curran, whoa property adjoins Holmes’s, Walter denied that the pigs had been trespassing ; and Holmes, after threatening to put him into a barrel that stood by, knocked off Walter’s cap, whereupon the latter picked up hia knife aud stabbed Holmes with it. The latter’s cry brought out his wife and assistance, and he was taken into the room where he was at the time of our visit. Walter, however, did not appear to understand his situation, for he unconcernedly went on with his work, and when, an hour after the occurrence, Constable Gilbert arrived on the sce-ie to arrest him, he found ’•v alter engaged stripping the pig. The messenger who informed the police of what had happened, obtained the services of Dr Cole wh.9 proceeded to tke house of Holmes and bandaged tjie wound. Subsequently, the latter was visited and more immediately attended by Dr Garland, as Dr Cole’s engage* merits required his presence iu town. The doctors having, after examination, informed the police that the wound was highly dangerous, the Inspector had Holmes’s deposition taken as follows :

This morning at eight o’clock I, Amos James Holmes, was working at the hut with a man I know as ‘* Jack.” He was swearing in consequence of some words he had with Mr Curran last night. I knocked his hat off. He at once took up a_ knife-a pig-killing knife-and stabbed me in the left side. I would know him again. Fnere was no one else present at the •W- .f believe lam dying and make this declaration. ■ It is the truth and nothing but the truth, I ktiow I stall never recover. The same man who was taken aWay by the constable is (the man who stabbed mei' ’• - :• It should be stated that this declaration was taken some time before Mr Fish’s,arrival, Holmes being perfectly sensible and conscious that his injury would terminate fatally.

The spot where the stabbing took p 1 ace is a short distance from the rear of the house. The wound is a tranverse one, in a slanting direction, and obviously a banded blow struck by a person standing in front of Holmes The lower lobe of the left lung was nerforated ; the result being internal hemorrhage, which must result in death, the doctors giving not the slightest hope Holmes must hgve lost a great deal of blood before medic.'..! assistance had arrived. At three p.m., the tifhe of the magisterial visit, he v/as sinking rapidly. Rplmes is evidently a young man, pot more than t\yenty ; live years of age, is married, and has pne child. He is, we believe, a brother of Mr Holmes, landlord of the Robert Burns Hotel. Walter is a native of Germany, forty-seven years of age, a widower, without family, and has been fifteen years in the Colonies. To the oolice he appeared to be very communicative ; and when confronted with Holmes, his demeanor was that of total unconcern. The knife he used, a common sheath one, js in the hands of the police, and Walt l r is now confined in the Maclaugan street lock-up.