SOUTHERN INTELLIGENCE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 339, 8 January 1866, Page 2

SOUTHERN INTELLIGENCE.

STABBING CASE at WAIPORI, OTAGO. (From the Daily Times, 25th December.) A VE2Y serious case of stabbing occurred at Waipori on Sunday morning, an "elderly man and a woman being the victims, the news last received affording grounds for fear that the former died of his injuries. The only particulars yet received are as follows:—John Jones a sailor, stopped on Friday right at the Hibernian Accomodation House, kept by a man named Dickson, with whom lived his wife Margaret, and her father, Richard Atkinson. Dickson left his store bn Saturday morning, and soon afterwards Jones who had been out for a short time, returned. Some dispute arose between Atkinson and Jones respecting payment by Jones, and while Atkinson was in the act of hanging up a piece of meat, Jones stabbed him in the abdomen, and then stabbed Mrs Dickson, who had run forward to hlep her father. Atkinson managed to seize a pistol, and Jones ran out of the place and escaped. Information was soon given to Constable Dunn, who sent word of the crime to the stations-at Tuapeka, Wetherstone, &c. Intelligence was received in Dunedin yesterday forenoon, and the Commissioner, added to those promptly taken by Dunn and other officers in the neighborhood, have securred a thorough watching of the main and other roads, as well as the institution of a close search in the neighborhood of Waipori. The Commissioner also caused bills to be issued, offering a reward of £IOO for the apprehension of Jones, and we hope very speedily to be able to announce that he is in custody. Jones, as we have said, is a sailor. He is known by, or has used, aliases of Pool and King. Ho came here about 18 months ago, having worked his passage out in the Star of Tasmania; he was subsequently employed in helping to discharge the Black Swan, and then ho worked as a butcher in Dunedin. Lately ho has been keeping a shanty on the Latnmerlaw Ranges, where he has lived as a married man, and has been in the habit of taking lodgers, lie is described as sft. 6in. high, of medium build, and 25 or 26 years old ; dark complexion and hair, bushy whiskers, and no moustache ; has a badly-tattooed anchor on one arm. He wore a Crimean shirt, striped red and white, moleskin trousers, and a felt hat. Jones usually stated that he came from Liverpool, but he is believed to bo a Welshman. The last account which reached town, represented Atkinson as being in a most dangerous state, no hope of his recovery being entertained. (From the Daily Times, 27th December.) John Jones, whom we mentioned on Monday as having stabbed a man named Atkinson, at the Hebernian Accommodation House, as well as his daughter, Mrs Dickson, was arrested by the police on the night of the 25th instant, in a hut on the Latnmermoor Ranges. Atkinson is not likely to recover, and his dying deposition has been taken. Ho has identified the prisoner as the man who stabbed him. Jones has been taken to Tuapeka. It appears that the Accommodation House where the event took place, is about three miles from the Waipori Diggings, and when Atkinson was stabbed, Mrs Dickson ran out of the house to alarm some diggers who were in the neighborhood, The prisoner ran after her and she returned to the house, and succeedeed, with the help of<h,ev father, in closing tiie door inside so as to prevent Jones gaining an entrance. Mrs Dickson then discharged the revolver, which attracted the attention of two men in the neighborhood, who ran to her assistance, but the. prisoner was gone. The ..latest advices are up to Monday. Atkinson was still olive, but was not expected to recover.

HORRIBLE WIFE MURDER at PIPITIUL WELLINGTON. ATTEMPTED SUICIDE of the MURDERER (From the New Zealand Advertiser, 3rd January.) At an early hour yesterday morning information was conveyed to the Police Station to the effect that a man named Thomas Walker, residing at Pipiteo, had murdered his wife, and had attempted to commit suicide. The particulars of this sad affair will be found detailed in the evidence taken before the Coroner yesterday, and published in full elsewhere. We may, however, supplement the facts by a few particulars. When the police reached the scene, they found, in the house occupied by the murderer and his wife, the woman lying dead upon the floor, with her throat.cut, aud close to her lay the unfortunate husband. The man was found to be alive, but his throat was cut in a most frightful manner, and a gurgling sound came from him as he breathed. Alongside of Walker, and within arm’s reach, was found a razor covered with blood, and there is no doubt existing that the wretched man first cut his wife’s throat, and then attempted to commit suicide by cuttingbis own. The evidence taken at the Coroner’# inquest, however, fully details the circumstances cf the melancholy event. Drs Boor and Grace were immediately sent for, and on their arrival they ordered Walker to be removed to the hospital where he was at once attended to. From what we have been enabled to learn, it appears that Walker and his wife have lived very unhappily together. They have until recently been residing in Eangitiki district, and came to Wellington some three months ago, daring which time Mrs Walker had preferred two charges against her husband, one for assault and the other for desertion. The charges were not pressed in either case, and tho man was discharged from custody. Yesterday morning Mr Police Inspector Atchison proceeded to the hospital, and saw Walker. On seeing Mr Atchison enter the ward, the unfortunate man made signs for writing materials, and upon his request being acceded to he penned the following note: — “ Please to go to the house, and in the bed-room you will find a door with a sm ill bed on it, and a tub under, and a scantling on it; between thu door and the tub you will find' a paper for Mr Ward, the Magistrate. “ Thomas Walker.” Mr Atchison at once proceeded to the spot, and found the paper in the place indicated. The document in question, dated Eangit iki, December 8, 1865, was to tho effect that Thomas Walker was a respectable hard-working man, and that lie had been well known as such in the district for tho last ten years ; he had become possessed of a. small freehold, but he had been obliged to dispose of it through the gross misconduct of his wife. The document was signed by some nine or ten settlers in the Eangitiki. On the inside sheet was written the following : “ This is to certify that I am obliged to commit the deed that I have done, and through her gross misconduct to me; I have done, and I hope you will take my children and never cast up to them the deed that I have done.” This was very illegibly written in pnle ink. and one or two of the words in tho last lines were difficult to decipher. Walker and his wife have had three children,, and as will bo seen by tho evidence the second eldest was present when her fattier committed tho horrible deed. We understand there is every reason to believe that the unhappy man will live, although the attempt to take away his life appear# to have been of the most determined character. An inquest was held the same day, which resulted in a verdict of “ Wilful Murder” against Thomas Wa’.kor.