ALLEGED MURDER AT KANIERI.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2070, 12 October 1880, Page 3

ALLEGED MURDER AT KANIERI.

[PEE PBESB ASSOCIATION SPECIAL WIEH.] HOKITIKA, October 11.

On Saturday evening David Hutchison was committed for trial for the murder of his wife Margaret and his infant son Patrick. The principal witness was Mat Reardon, who deposed—On the 20th and 21st September last I lived on Tucker Flat. I know the prisoner, with whom I worked as mate up to the 20th of September last, the date of the fire. The kitchen was lined about four feet up with boards, and above that with paper. Prisoner’s gun was suspended close to the coiling in the kitchen. I last saw Mrs Hutchison alive at Kanieri in the evening of the 20th about half-past nine. I ‘saw the prisoner at the Kanieri the same evening. I returned home about half-past eleven on the night of the 20th September. When I came within thirty yards from my own place, I heard a woman shriek, and a kind of choking sound followed. I listened and I heard some noise from Hutchison’s place. I listened a while and things appeared quiet, so I walked towardsmy own place. When I got to my own place, I beard noise again, as if there was a scrambling on the boards. I listened for a bit, and everything was quiet again, so I went inside and lit a candle. I saw it was about twentyfive minutes to twelve. Soon after that, I heard a noise as if furniture was being shifted. I wont to my back window and heard Mrs Hutchison say, “ Davy, Davy, what are you going to do ? ” I heard again some noise as of a souffle, and then there was quietness. The souffle, continued about a minute or so. I then saw a light in Hutchison’s house. I did not go out for the purpose of reoonnoitering. When I saw the light I wont into my bedroom. When I thought I heard the baby crying I went to my back window, facing the track, and thought I heard a noise of thuds again. The noise ceased quickly, and I went to bed. I thought the prisoner was beating his wife. I went to bed at twelve o’clock. I lived near the Hutchisons for throe or four months, I heard disputes and quarrels between prisoner and deceased. 1 thought something serions was going on. I thought at the time that the woman’s life must have been in danger, but I did not care about interfering. Afterwards I was sorry I did not go. I was aroused next morning between two and three o’clock by Mary and Johnny Hutchison. They sung out that their house was on fire, and that “ mother and baby ” ware inside. I got up and wont out. I saw Hutchison’s house on fire. The door was open and the kitchen was in flames. I saw the prisoner and the children—the latter were standing some distance away, while the prisoner was moving back some things from the fire. Prisoner was crying. I asked him where the missus was. He said she was inside. I got an axe and went to her bedroom window. He said “ not there.” Looking through the bedroom window I could sea no fire, but there might have been smoke. I think the door between the bedroom and kitchen was closed. Prisoner said that his wife was in the kitchen. The kitchen and front door were open. There seemed to be a sheet of fire from the upper part of the kitchen door to the fireplace. The space between the door and stretcher was not on fire on the flooring, which was burning everywhere else. I then went round the house again, and found that the flames had not then reached the bedroom. By this time three or four minutes must have elapsed. I then asked prisoner if he had seen bis wife. He told me that he shook her by the leg, but that|the heat was too strong. He remarked that he might have saved the baby but for Mary singing out that Maggie was inside. I saw that ho had saved some blankets, and I asked him how he got them out, as I knew they had been in the kitchen. Prisoner had on his hat, shirt, trousers, vest and boots, when I saw him. In the morning, about seven o’clock, the remains of the woman were found lying alongside the stretcher. The remains were very much charred ; the whole of the flesh was burnt off the head, body, and legs. I could see no arms. I saw nothing of the remains of the infant at that time. There was a heap of charred loose bones found near the middle of the room. Subsequently I, with Mrs Maher, went to nave a look through the debris of the fire, and we found some bones close to the fireplace, in a different direction to where prisoner had said that the cradle had been lying. These were said to be the remains of the infant. Prisoner told witness that he had shifted some tools out of the house a few days previous to the fire, I know that prisoner and his wife had a row a short time ago. She appeared to be lame after the row. She showed mo a swollen finger—that on which she wore her ring. She spoke of going to the doctor about it. She also had a cut on her head. About five or six months ago she cams to the claim once or twice where wo were working, and has used quarrelsome language towards him. After everything was burned prisoner and I sat down on a log. Prisoner said, “ Well, I’m on the broad of my back again.” I replied that the fire would not much metier, it his wife and child had been saved. Prisoner then replied : “ Things cannot be much worse than they were.” About a dozen other witnesses were examined, the evidence being purely circumstantial. It was shown that prisoner had saved several articles from the room in which his wife and child wore consumed. _ Prisoner offered no defence, but by direction of his solicitor, Mr Parties, said, “ I am innocent of the charge.”