THE WAIKAWA MURDER.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1437, 24 September 1878, Page 3

THE WAIKAWA MURDER.

[By Telegeaph.] [prom THE CORRESPONDENT OP THE PRESS.] Dunedin, September 23. Tho inquiry conducted at Fortrose on Friday by Mr McCulloch, as coroner for tho district, touching’tho death of Mrs Welsh, lasted nearly five hours. Several witnesses gave evidence as to the finding pf tho body. The doctor who made the post mortem examination, deposed that tho throat had two cuts, one of them severing all the principal blood vessels and going three-quarters through tho wind pipe. The edges of tho wound were irregular but sharply defined. The smaller wound was about two inches long, merely severing the skin, and a few muscular fibres. There was a wound on the right hand about three-quarters of an inch long, and one about an inch and a quarter long on the loft hand. On the left foot there was a slight wound over the second toe. He found no bruises on tho body, except four abrasions on the neck. He did not think the wounds could have been self-in-dicted, from their direction. inspector Fox deposed that on Wednesday night, the 18th inst., at 10,40, ho arrested prisoner (James Welsh), in the Waikawa Bush, about three-quarters of a mile beyond M'Rae’s Station. Witness was in uniform, and told him who he was. cautioned ' him, and then charged him with tne murder of his wife on the previous Sunday at Mr M'Rae’s house, Waikawa, Welsh replied slowly and deliberately, “ Yes.” He did not deny tho charge. Prisoner, while being searched, said, “I’ve got no money. She took all my money, and then turned round on mo. She spent it in one thing and another, and I don’t know where it has gone to.” He also said that ho was glad they had found him in the bush, a,ra that it was a shame to have kept him in it. Witness could also see that his hands were well washed. There was blood on his right temple, and scratches and blood on his nose near his eye. Witness found blood stains also on his clothes, and on his hat. In the right hand vest pocket, out of which lie had taken the pocket-knife produced- witness found distinct blood marks. On opening the blade of the pocket-knife he ooviA clearly see marks 01 blood on the inside of Mm handle. . K , Tho Jury laLyined a verdict to lu« cltecb “That James Welsh, .qn £ lie 15th September, 1878, at Waikawa, wilfully bis wife.”

Tho room in which the murder took place presented cigns of a fearful struggle. Pools ot blood wore everywhere, in which were

handfuls of tho man’s beard. The woman’s body was bruised as from kicking or struggling, and was partly naked. Mrs Welsh wns buried at Fortrose on Saturday. Her family are now on the way out from homo to join her.