Murder at Opawa.

Hastings Standard, Issue 227, 22 January 1897, Page 3

Murder at Opawa.

AN OLD MAN KILLS HIS MATE WITH AN AXE. A CASE OF SELF-DEFENCE. [By Telegraph.] (Per I'rex» A it(ti"/>.) CuKisTCHVKCH, This day. This morning a man named Horatio John Parks, single, 71 years of age, residing at Pine's Road, Opawa, confessed to Constable Hayes at Woolston, that he had killed another man named Michael Ryan in self defence with an axe. It appears that Evan has been iivinir with Partes for about nine months, the latter having a small income sufficient to keep him. Kyan was in the habit of coming home the worse for drink and assaulting Parkes. and last night, between 12 and 1 o'coek Parkes was awakened by Ryan pulling him out of bed. Ryan struck Parkes with what the latter thought was the kg of a table, and then got an axe and threatened to cut Parkes up. Parkes got the axe away and striking Ryan two blows with the front of the axe killed him. Parkes says he then fell into a semi-unconscious-ness, and when he recovered sufficiently this morning lie went and reported the matter to Constable Hayes. H. Parkes is a very eld resident of this district, having lived by himself for over 20 years.at Opawa. Ryan was about 45 years of age. When charged at the C'hristchureh police department with having murdered Ryan, Parkes said : ' I did not mnrder him. I killed him in selfdefence." He also added, "He very nearly killed me ; I ant half dead now." Parkes had a bruise under the left eye, evidently the result of a severe blow.