MURDER OF Mn. RAYNER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 18 September 1863, Page 3

MURDER OF Mn. RAYNER.

OF EAXGITIKEI. (From (he Wanganui Chronicle , September 10.) We regret to have to record this week a terrible murder at Rangitikei. The absence of Mr. Rayuer having been noticed for several days, inquiry was made, which resulted in an impression that be must have been drowned in the Tutinui stream (which was flooded at the time), when returning from a neighbor’s bouse to bis own. A party of bis fellow-settlers instituted a search along the bed of the stream, which runs through bush for some distance Lelow Mr. Eayner’s house, in hopes of recovering the body. The search proving fruitless, some of the party returned to examine the house and surrounding premises more closely, and in doing so perceived a piece of a garment showing above the soil at a place where a hole due to get clay for the chimney appeared to have been recently filled in. On further search the body of the missing gentleman was found at the bottom of the hole covered over with some slabs on which the earth had been thrown. It was at once evident that he had been murdered, there being three bullet wounds in the body as well as a deep cut as if from a blunt-edged weapon on the head. From an examination of the premises it appeared that the murder had been committed near the stable, and the body afterwards dragged to the hole and buried. A revolver, too, which the unfortunate man bad bought at a sale in Wanganui a few weeks previously, and which he had since always carried about with him, was found in the house with three oi its chambers recently discharged, it having apparently been thrown in through a broken window. The premises had not been ransacked ; and as some loose silver was found in the deceased's pocket it appeared that the murderer, after oomraiting the deed, had directed his whole attention to the concealment of the body. Steps were of course taken to hold an inquest, and as the only medical man at Rangitikei fills the office of coroner, Dr. Davis, of lI.M. 57th Regiment, was sent for to make a post mortem examination of the remains. Several persons, to whom suspicion attache!, were also placed under surveillance of the police, with a view to their being examined at the inquest. From the evidence then produced it would appear that the deceased was first struck down and stunned by the blow on the forehead, and then finished with his own revolver, one hall from which had entered at the left side of his neck, passing downwards’and lodging in the spine, and another at the left breast passing through the heart and liver and lodging in the right ribs, and the third at the upper part of the right thigh passing upwards and lodging in the hip-bone. Two boys (a Maori and a half-caste), who had been in deceased’s employ, stated that he returned home on the evening of the 27th ult., (the last time he was seen by bis neighbors), supped with the boys, and went to bed; that next morning lie prepared the breakfast while they milked the cows; and that they afterwards left the place, their term of service having expired. From that time the deceased was not seen again alive except by his murderer; and from the clothes found on his body it is supposed he was killed while ou his way to the stable to prepare for a day's cattle hunting. No very material discrepancy was apparent in the in the statements of these boys, though they had been carefully kept separate for several days. Several other witnesses were also examined, hut up to the time when our informant left nothing had been elicited to fix the crime with certainty upon any individual Other persons were still awaiting examination, and among them one on whom suspicion had very generally fallen ; and it was understood that some natives from Manawatu or Otaki, whose horses had been left in Eayner’s paddock a few days before he was missed, and removed subsequently, had also been sent for. It is also reported that another settler, Mr. Holgate, is missing; but not confirmed.