BOY CHARGED

Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1929, Page 6

BOY CHARGED

WITH MURDER

'Australian Press Association)

MELBOURNE, November 4

The boy, Eric Pike, aged 15' years, who escaped from the Mildura Gaol, where he was held on a charge of murdering .Joseph Smith, whose body was round, trailing behind a, j inker, with top bull t wounds, in the neck and chest, has. been recaptured at Carwarp, 33 miles aw v from Mildura. Pike, who out a hoi ' in the roof of his cell, left a iioU saying 'that he was going home to .see his mother, who lives at Essendon, Melbourne. The man, Smith, 30, a farmer of Kolvera, 60 miles from Mildura, was murdered on the night of Sunday, October 20th, near his home, and his body was found a mile from the home. Marks on the road and pieces of torn rope at the hack of the jinker indicated that he had been tied behind the vehicle after the shooting, and dragged for some distance. It is alleged that Pike in a statement admitted shooting Smith, saying he (Pike) shot’ a dog belonging to a friend of Smith’s because, it was caught eating eggs on tl>e Sunday afternoon. Pike, carrying a .22 ehlibre rifle, passed Smith’s home. Smith taxed him about the killing of the dog, and kicked him. Pike then fired at Smith, striking him on the arm. Smith got into his jinker and drove away to the friend’s place. Pike followed on foot, and fired several more shots. Smith was struck, and fell from the jinker. Three or four more shots were fired, Pike said be got a sbovel and tried to dig a grave, but, thinking someone might see ®Hm, tied the body to the back of the jinker and drove along a bush road. FTe got out to bury Smith’s body, but the horse bolted. The jinker hit a tree and was smashed, and the horse dashed for homo, leaving the body where it fell, while Pike disappeared into the bush.