TAPANUI MURDER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1558, 14 September 1905, Page 2

TAPANUI MURDER.

STRONG CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. (Pec Prcsa Association.) Dunedin, last night. At Tapanui to day Stott and O’Bromley were brought up on a oharge of having murdered Ham Sing Tong at Tapanui on the 21st August. Mr Fraser, Crown Prosecutor, in his opening, after explaining the circumstances conneoted with the finding of the deceased’s body in the hut he occupied, said it would be proved Bromley bad in his possession a rifle that would discharge such a bullet as had caused the death. It

bad been borrowed for a day and not returned. It would bo shown that on tbo nigbt of the murder Bromley and his close companion Stctt were in Tapanui, and left, goiog towards tbeir borne, about 9 o’olook. Underneath the body of deceased was found a belt. Evidently, there had boon a straggle, and counsel suggested that in the Btrugglo deoeasod tore from the waist of one of the men the belt, whioh was broken though still buckled, and that the belt on that night was practioally tbs property of Bromley. In deceased’s hand was found a portion of a neok handkerchief, which bal been evidently torn off in the struggle, It was not of a common type. It would be shown that Stott was possessed of one exactly similar. A vest worn by deceased, in whioh he usually kept a roll of notes, was missing.; Stott was known to be in an impecunious position but iu a day or two after tho murder he was in Heriot, and was vc.-y flash of monoy, producing note after note, and concerning this money ho told different stories.

Evidence was called on the lines of that at the inquest, the Court sitting iu the eveuing.