HORRIBLE MURDER AT WELLINGTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 271, 4 June 1889, Page 2

HORRIBLE MURDER AT WELLINGTON.

... _ _ ♦——-... ;...: . Mr Hawkings, firmer, of "tipper Kaiwhara, while on his way to lv's homestead at Kaiwhara at about six o'clock on Friday night last, was murdered in a most atrocious.-man-ner. The N:Z. Times i :— When an examination of the body came to be made, how^yej^it was found that two charges of dKot had been fired into the deceased gentleman—(apparently from close .quarters) having lodged in '"his' left side; and the other in his shoulders.- -the shoulders and neck snowed a great number of wounds, maniießtly-in-flicted by-stabbing with; a Mife or a dagger. Furthermore, the police, upon examining the locality dcteelyy discovered in' the bend of the road tend among- the, fui^e'*^ -tallow jbanlc which runs along it, a quantity ~bf half -burnt paper, whioh had been used for wads in loading a fowling piece. Small pieces of cloth and tweedy subsequently iden&fied as belonging to the deceased's coat and waistcoat, were alsp found in the road; and a part of Mr. JHawJdngs'^ scarfipin was picked up by Detective' Campbell in the grass inside ■ the bend— just as though it had been dropped by some persist; making a short cut across the bend. The deceased's penknife was also <picke4 up in the same place in such a condition as to warrant the supposit'on that it had been carried away by the charge. Blood stains were also discovered on, an imbedded stone lying about fifteen yards from tbe spot where the body was found What happened then it is tolerably easy to imagine. Mr Hawkings w^s leading "hS florae, as usual, and. when he reached the upper part o; the bend would tie between the animal and the bank; The man, whoever he. is, shot him, was on the bank t ajjd? he fired, probably at a distance of ; a few yards. Mr Hawkings reo&Ved the charge in the left side, rather low down, and parts of ■ hw coat and waistcoat were carried a.way by t ne shot. He then turned, "and cutttng across the bend, wisely essayed to run from the hill to Gate and Mimock's. His assailant e>ip from the bank and, having evidently a double-barrelled gun, fireii the second barrel. The chat-ge lodged in Mr Hawkings* shoulder, and the unfortunate man dropped, in the road. The deteimina&Qji,..of the, assassin is proyed by what must have followed. When Mr Hawkings fell «fiW^«jngshiQt the second Jasa&Jk® other ran up with, thfe TSitßntion-^-* carried out* in a, manner ahnost fiendish— of finishing hi^> work ; and as the man' lay. face : dp.wnward, senseless, very likely, his murderer stabbed him time after time in the neok and shoulders, qne. of the wounds thus given (thatin the right jugular) producing ,ihe' hemorrhage which caused death*. This; theory, we believe, is generally accepted by the police after their investiga. tions. ■ -.-..-. -m^U :..•.;/;. The deceased -.was , an>-exceedingly popuar man in th&district.as well as in WeHihgton, and deep . regret is every whtere expressed at his terrihh3,end. He was plaintifEina civil action Hawkings v. Cnemis, : which was to have been heard at this week's sitting of the supreme dourt, and in which he- sought to, make-the defendant fulfil an" agreement in connection with a lease. .