MURDER OF JAMES GIFFORD.

Kumara Times, Issue 2296, 7 January 1884, Page 2

MURDER OF JAMES GIFFORD.

News was brought into Kumara last evening that a man named .Tames Gifford, who spent two or three days in Kumara during the Christmas holidays, and was seen returning home last Friday morning, had been barbarously murdered on Saturday night at Maori Creek. Three constables were despatched thither from Greymouth, and Detective Quinn passed through here on horseback at 8.30 last evening O for the scene of the outrage. The Argus this morning gives the following particulars of the affair : A shocking murder was perpetrated on the main road at Maori Creek on Saturday evening last. It appears that yesterday morning the body of James Gifford, who was well-known in the neighborhood and in Greymouth, was found stark and stiffen the road, covered with wounds. There were several gashes on the chest, two being very deep, three in the throat, one evidently a very vicious thrust, besides a number of others in different parts of the body. It appears, so far as can be gathered, that James Gifford had been in the township of Maori Creek on Saturday evening, and between ten and II o’clock started for home. Evidently it was while on his road home that he met with his unhappy fate. Cries of a human being in distress were heard about 11.30 that night, and one miner who was startled with the noise got out of his bed and went down the road a considerable distance, but as he had no light he of course did not see the body, and returned to his hut unaware that anything unusual had occurred. It was only yesterday morning that the result of the ghastly tragedy was apparent, when the body of James Gifford was found on the roadside. And according to all accounts a piteous sight it was. The body was literally h.iuked all over, there being wounds on ihe

legs and arras as well as the body, A curious coincidence in. connection with the sad affair is that while Gifford was known to have an umbrella that evening no sign of his umbrella was to be found, but under the corpse was found the umbrella of John O’Donoghuo, a miner in the neighborhood j while not far off were found a knife and a hat, neither of which belonged to deceased. It is supposed that the murderer was disturbed in his dreadful work by the miner who was alarmed by the cries heard between 11 and 12, and that be made off hurriedly, leaving his hat and knife behind him, as well as the umbrella. But that is a matter which will no doubt soon he ascertained, as it will be very odd indeed if in a small community such as Maori Creek a hat and a knife cannot be identified. Although Gifford’s name has been mentioned in connection with the Morton gold-stealing case as a witness, it is hard to sny how that can in any way be connected with his death, especially as Morton has long since sold out of his claim and left the district. An inquest will be held at Maori Creek this forenoon, and the funeral will take place to-morrow afternoon. O’Donoghue has been arrested on suspicion.