OTAGO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IV, Issue 206, 23 December 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

OTAGO.

THE MURDER AT THE SOWBURN, (From the the Daily Times' Correspondent.

On Sunday last, the 6th November, about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, a number of the miners had assembled in the street amusing themselves with a game of cricket, among them the deceased John Russell, who, hearing a disturbance in the store of Breraner Brothers, went with a friend to learn the cause. He was a little the worse for liquor at the time. On entering he found there was a fight between two dogs, one belonging to the murderer Myles, and the other to a man named Kerr. The latter he offered to back for £5, and Myles said he would go for the money, but changed his mind, and the two men went into Myles’s tent. Here, some liquor was drank, and a quarrel ensued between Myles and deceased, and finally Mrs. Myles turned him out. Bussell then went to Bremner’s store, where he found he had left his pipe, and he said he would go, for the fun of the thing, to Myles’s, and fetch it. He was not admitted, and at last had a

bucket of water dashed over him, when he went away for a moment, and returned to meet a similar repulse. All this was taken good-humoredly, although Myles and the deceased were using very bad language. A third time he came out and went to Myles’ for the pipe, and on Mrs. Myles coming out with a broom he made fun of her, but no evidence was adduced to prove that he had insulted her by words. At last, Myles came out with one hand in his pocket, and with the other he went in a threatening attitude to deceased and asked him to fight, or equivalent. “That’s what I want,” said the deceased, immediately stripping off his shirt. Myles then retreated to his door frame, and threatened, if he was rushed by the deceased, he would “rip him up.” Deceased then rushed at prisoner, Myles shifting his right hand from his pocket and putting his left in, and quickly drawing it out again and holding it by his side. Again the deceased made a at prisoner, and now the deed was done. Deliberately unsheathing the knife—one with a blade about 7 inches long used for pig hunting—and whipping it up his coat sleeve, the moment the deceased made his rush the arm was seen to be jerked up quick and short, and immediately the deceased was seen to put his hand to his side, his eyes glazed, blood spouting over his arm, and falling on his face, in a minute all was over. One small gash seven inches deep, and burying the knife to the hilt, nad deprived the poor man of his life, his wife and three children of protector and husband. Several miners came up at once crying out “ You have stabbed the man. You’ve murdered him.” But his replies were, “ I know it; he is dead ; the wretch ran on the knifeand when taxed with murder, hardened like, replied, “ What of it ? I care no more of it than duck swimming.” The knife was seen in his hand, covered to the haft with fresh blood ; he put it into his pocket and went inside. A few minutes after some of the bystanders saw his wife go outside and be busy with a piece of rag, and they suspected she had the knife, so a miner seized her, and finally the knife dropped down her arm. During this time the prisoner came out and attempted to rescue the woman —when there, he was cutting tobacco with a penknife—and the men cried out “ Let’s seize him 1” which was done, and be was laid bound beside his victim and the police sent for. He maintained his callous manner all the evening. After the Coroner, C. Broad, Esq., R.M., having charged the jury at the inquest, and explained the difference between manslaughter and wilful murder, the jury brought in a unanimous verdict of wilful murder.

I think I never saw a mass of miners more unanimous in their abhorrence of the crime. All indulge in the most earnest hope that justice may suffer no defeat. The deceased was a Scotchman about 37 years of age, had a wife and three children in Dunedin, was a quiet, though at times intemperate man in the way of drink, but good-humoured and little given to quarrelling. The prisoner was also thought a quiet man, but I have heard that he occasionally broke out when under the influence of liquor. Since the time he was brought in he has manifested no compunction for his crime —air a cura sits easy on his brow ; and conscience allows itself with him no outward manifestation. Russell's remains were buried in the Hamilton Cemetery, on the 9th, after a post mortem examination of the chest bad been made by Dr. Foppley, who found the knife had glanced upwards, splitting the eighth rib, separating the tissues, and penetrating the left cavity of the heart—a wound sufficient to cause death instantaneously.