OTAGO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 701, 19 July 1869, Page 3

OTAGO.

ITTEMPTED MURDER AT THE MAREAi WHENUA DIGGINGS. (From the Otago Daily Times.) Aff extraordinary attempt to commit murder is reported to have taken place at one fl m. on the 16th, at the Marewhenua diggings. On the news of the assault reachLg Oamaru Sergeant Bullen immediately vent to the spot in order to inquire into the patter. On reaching the place he found 'he man accused of the offence confined in jlie tent of a storekeeper ramed Craig. 'l'be prisoner, who gave his name at first as John Warden, and subsequently as John Gallagher, is said to be a comparatively new arrival in the province, he havjng run away from the ship City of Dunedin a few months ]jttle more than a week ago he came to the tent occupied by Craig, the storekeeper above mentioned, aud since then remained about the place doing odd jobs in return for his board. During this period he had frequent opportunities of seeing that Craig purchased gold, and that he had money about him. On Monday evening he went Tvith Craig to tether a horse belonging to the litter. Craig carried a piece of wood for a tether pin, and the prisoner a tomahawk with which to drive it into the ground. While Craig was holding the pin which the prisot er was driving in, h> suddenly received a blow in the head which partially stunned him. The pri fonor declared that the blow had been caus.'d by a piece of wood flying from the ground, and which Craig was holding. Xtie latter, though not convinced, allowed it to piss, and Ihe prisoner was most attentive in dressing the wound. On the following day (Tuesday) Craig felt his head very i ainful, and was unable to sleep 'Hhe prisoner was anxious to give him some opium, and asked Mis Craig if she had iiiiv, but none could be procured. Craig and his wife and infant child went to bed early that night, but the prisoner 6at up bv the lire, which was in the same room, a lighted ca' die b dug near the bed. Presently prisoner said iie had made them same tea, of which all three drank. Almost immediately after doing so Mrs Craig and the child vomited, and Craig fell asleep, though up to that time he had not been able to do so. He had only been asleep a few minutes whi-n he received a blow on the he id ; then Mrs Craig received a blow, and Craig another. Both of them b:\w th prisoner standing over them with ii ton aliawk in his hand—in fact, after the first blow, Craig saw him strike ids wife, and then himself again. Prisoner then got on to the edge of the bed on his knee.and aimed another blow with the toma hawk, which, however, was intercepted by a sapling which stretched over the bed, a sheet being tacked to it to cerve as a cur tain. The force of the blow was thus destroyed, and the rebound threw the prieoiier off the bed, on the floor, when Craig and his wife leaped out of bed and secured Liin. Mrs Craig then ran to the next store, kept by a man named M'Q.uade, who returned with her, and with the assistance of others working in the vicinity, took charge of the prisoner. Mrs C aig happily eiCiiped with no injury beyond a swelled head, lho force of the blow struck at her having been deadened by the bed-clothes, which she pulled over her head. Her husband has three cuts on his head, one having been inflicted on Monday night, as already stated, and the other two on this occasion. Fortunately for him his head was thickly bandaged at the time with towels, cloths, &c, or the first blow would have rendered him insensible. Though weak and unable to be moved, he feels no other ill effects and has declined medical assistance. The prisoner was taken to Oamaru by Sergeant liullen, and will be brought before the Resident Magistrate there on the 25th instant, unless Craiji should be sufficiently recovered to attend to give his evidence previous to that date.