The Te Awaite Murder.

Manawatu Herald, 12 March 1904, Page 2

The Te Awaite Murder.

At the inquest held on Tuesday af Martinborough respecting the death of Leonard Oollinson, the Coroner, Mr W. P. James, in alluding to the statement of McDonough, after the inquest, that he saw McKenzie on the morning of the murder, standing on the top of the gully from, where Oollinson is said to have been shot, implied that possibly McDonough did not mean what he said. Inspector Ellison also took this view. Both Coroner and Inspector referred to the fact that McDonough had de livered his evidence intelligently, and seemingly had kept nothing from the jury. The information was conveyed to myself some time after the adjournment of the inquest, and the Inspector suggested that the temptations of town life may have led to McDonough making a rash statement. It may be mentioned, for the information of the police and also the public, that McDonough, not less that ten minutes after the adjournment, told me that, after lunch, he would tell me something, which, he said, had a bearing on the case, and would be useful to me. Although pressed to do so. he would nob at that time give any further information. After lunch I went to Wakelin’s Hotel with another press representative. We entered into conversation with Collinson’s mates, McDonough called me aside, and said he knew who had shot Oollinson, although he could not exactly prove it. He then detailed the information published, and asked that his name should not be mentioned in connection with the statement made by him. The writer thought the matter over, and an hour later again saw McDonough, and asked him if he was telling the truth. McDonough answered yes. I called at Wakelin’s Hotel to inform the Inspector, but he was out, but since then several policemen have been informed of the statement which next morning

appeared in the “ New Zealand Times,” It would appear, however, that the police did nol'-ffew the >-* matter in a grave light, and Inspector Ellison remarked at the inquest that his reason for not recalling McDonough was that he had not had time to see him. And yet during the whole interval McDonough has been acting as a guide to a posse of police near Stoney Creek ! The writer firmly believes that McDonough told the truth to him, or believed that he was telling the truth. The police are not playing within 75 per cent, of the traditions of Sherlock Holmes in this matter. Martinborough bushmen assert that in many instances the search now going on is a farce the vigilance committee fresh from long beak adopting for the nonce the daily hours of club-men.—N.Z, Times.