THE KYEBURN MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 2, 7 September 1880, Page 3

THE KYEBURN MURDER.

«- The statement made by one of the Chinamen now awaiting trial for the murder of Mrs Young, at Kyebum, is as follows : — " I saw Lee Guy murder Mrs Young. I went to Lee Guy's hut to have tea with him on the night of the murder. After tea Lee Guy put on his boots and went outside of his hut. I waited inside until he came Lack at a- late hour. I had no watch or clock, and could not toll the time, but it was very late, about 11 or 12 o'clock. When he came home he asked me to put on my boots and come out with him. We both came out of the hut together. When I went round Mrs Young's house to the front door I saw a fork (like the hayfork produced) sticking . in the ground about sft. or Gft. from the front of the door. Lee Guy told me to go into Mrs Young's garden and fetch three stones. Then Lee Guy asked Mrs Young to open tho door. She would not open it, and Lee Guy took the stones and burst it open. When he burst the door open Lee Guy took hold of Mrs Young and. threw her on the floor. Then be said to me, ' Hold her legs down.' Then Lee Guy took one of the stones and threw it on Mrs Young. When he threw the stone down on Mrs Young I let go her legs and walked away. As I was walking out Lee Guy was telling me to take hold of the fork. He said, ' Watch, and see if anybody is coming. If j'ou see anybody coming sing out.' I heard him searching and kicking up a row inside. Lee Guy was not in the house very long when he came out, and asked me to come along to his hut. I went into his hut. We went in together. Then I asked him when he was searching did he find any money. He replied, ' No, I could not find any. 1 Then he took out his purse and showed it to me. There was money in notes and silver in it. There was a gold ring and brooch in it. He showed it to me on the table. When' he (Lee Guy) saw there was not much money in the purse he took it back to Mrs Young. He said to me he thought there were £800 or £400 in the house. He also said that when Mrs Young went to the Hogburn and Nrtseby he thought she went to the

bank, to draw money. When I said to hjm ' Now you have killed Mrs Young, what fire you going to do ?" he replied 'I am not afraid.' Then he told me to go on to the Hogburn. When he told me to go on to the Hogburn, I said, ' What are you going to do 7" He replied : ' To-morrow I'll go and tell the Europeans that Mrs Young is murdered, and they will not think it was I tl'at murdered her.' Then I said : ' Europeans will know it.' Then he said to me : 'If you don't tell the Europeans that Mrs Young i.s murdered, they will not think it was I done it.' Then I went straight on the Hogburn. Lee Guy fetched some string from his hut, and was going to tie Mrs Young's hands with it. He put on a mask before he went to Mrs Young's. Lee Guy's handkerchiefs were used — one of them to stop Mrs Young's mouth with, and the other to tie over her mouth. Whilst in Lee Guy's hut I said to him, 'Why don't you take the handkerchiefs ?' and he replied, ' I don't want them ; they cannot be identified.' Lee Guy tried to tie Mrs Young's hands with the string, but could not do so. Then he took up the stone and struck her."