WAIMA MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 11 June 1924, Page 2

WAIMA MURDER

INQI’KST ON PERPETRATOR. HV TKI.KCUIAiqi—I’ItKSS ASSN., COCVIUCIIT. WIIANGAREI. June 10. The circumstnn.es surrounding the death of Ruth Pene. of Wnimn. were the subject of a Colonial innuiry this afternoon. The police testified that on June ,1, deceased returned home and luid an altercation with his wife. Then he procured a stone, and haltered her head, resulting in the woman’s death, some hours later. Pern* then decamped. The | olice were summoned, the search pro. feeding all night, and deceased being at length located at 8 a.m. in a tall me ciocarpa tree, whereupon l’ene cried out: ”1 am ready to die. Goodbye, Kelly.” Then the man dived into the creek below, a distance of 80 feet. The creek containing only a foot of water, and having a rocky Led. Pone obviously "as badly injured, lie was conveyed >.y load to Kaikohe. and, thence by train on route to Whangarci for llledi(u| treatment. He expired during the journey, at 'Whakapara. A .Maori witness testified that when lie saw lVno in the tree, the latier exclaimed : "Don’t let any Maoris come near me. Take all my horses, saddles, bridles and everything. Pay the expenses. 1 am ready now. Goodbye!” then he took a headlong plunge. Dr Ward gave evidence to the effect Dial the post mortem revealed a fracture in the b’*«o of the skull, and abo that the deceased had been suffering from ) iieumonia. affecting the lelt base of his lung. Death was due to shock and injury to the brain.

A verdict in accordance with th" medical testimonv was returned.

The doctor subsequently expressed the view that Pone might have murdered his wife while lie was in a state

of dementia, due to pneumonia