ATROCIOUS AND BARBAROUS MURDER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 85, 30 January 1863, Page 3

ATROCIOUS AND BARBAROUS MURDER.

From the Aucklander, January 9, 18G3. Waugaroa North, 29th December, 18G2. On Christmas Eve, this quiet and beautiful harbour was the scene of one of the most diabolical murders that has yet disgraced the annals of the Colony. A stranger made his appearance on the evening of the 23 rd instant, at Onowera, in the immediate neighbourhood of the Waugaroa Hotel and stated that'he was in search of employment as a saw3 r er; he was kindly and hospitably entertained by one or two of the workpeople on the station, and on the following morning accompanied one of them to a neighbouring settler, who required some timber cut up, to try and get a job. They could not agree about the terms, and the two returned in the afternoon to Onowera. Being Christmas eve, the stranger, whose name was not even known, was kindly asked by James Whitaker to “ take a drop of rum with him.” “ No,” said the stranger, “ I've got something better, you can come and have a glass of gin with me.” He then pulled a case bottle of gin from his bosom, and Whitaker took a glass with him. Both then went into Whitaker's house, the stranger said “ whore is your mate ?” Whitaker said “ he is in his bed reading.” “Jump up mate,” said the stranger, “ and have a glass with us.” Whitaker’s mate named Isaac Yonarsdale, rose from his bed and took a small drop of gin and returned to his bed again. The stranger then said to two women, who were present, “come women and have some drink.” Whitaker immediately interfered saying, “ for God’s sake do not give them any, I’ve seen so many rows with other men’s wives getting drink, I will not allow it.” On this the stranger said‘ “ you bloody old counterfeit, what have you got to do with the women ?” and struck Whitaker with his fist, and in the struggle both fell, Whitaker being on his hands and knees, and the stranger above him, w r ho instantly drew a knife from his sheath behind him, and stabbed Whitaker in several places in his shoulders and back. On hearing the struggle, Isaac Yonarsdale jumped up and tried to pull the stranger off Whitaker, he succeeded so far as to enable Whitaker to stagger to the outside of the door, where he was afterwards found in a very weak state leaning on his bench and bleeding profusely. It appears that the stranger immediately afterwards directed his attack upon poor Yonarsdale, and with the same weapon with which he had so severely wounded poor Whitaker, he stabbed Yonarsdale mortally in several places, so that he died in tw r o or three hours afterwards. The man then made his escape from the house, and was seen going towards the bush. As it was dusk, and the wounded men had to be attended to, he was not followed until early next morning, when he was found and apprehended. At the inquest which followed, a variety of evidence was given, and a verdict of “ wilful murder ” brought in against the prisoner, who was then committed for trial. 'I he unfortunate man who was killed was one of the quietest and most inoffensive men in the place, and has left a wife and two children. James Whitaker has had his

wounds examined and attended to by Dr. Timnell, of Mongonui, and is likely to recover. The prisoner turns out to be a deserter named George Johnston, from H.M. 40th Regiment, and is a remarkably fine looking young man about six feet high, and having an expression of countenance not in any degree indicative of the diabolical passions under which he committed such fearful crimes.