MURDER UP NORTH.
MAORI CONFESSES HIS CRIME. Wiiangarei, Thursday. A revolting crime, committed in the depths of the Puhipuhi State forest, has been revealed. Kake, a native youth aged 18, was arrested at Kaikohe on Tuesday on a charge ot murdering John Freeman, a European gumdigger with whom he (Kake) resided in the whare. Suspicion fell on Kake by his prodigious spending of money, and because Freeman had not been seen for ten days. Kake was brought down to Whakapara (the nearest police station to Puhipuhi) this morning, where be was met by the police sergeant. Accused confessed to the sergeant that he hit Freeman over the head with a heavy wooden bludgeon and killed him, and robbed him of ,£4O realised by the sale of gum. He dragged the corpse into a secluded place and buried it. He proffered to show the burial place, and the police, with the captive, immediately set out for the scene of the crime. Auckland, Thursday, A message from Whakapara states that the body of the murdered gum-digger, John Freeman, was recovered in Puhipuhi forest to-day. The prisoner, a stalwart Maori youth, of about 18 years, described as a ne’er-do-well, led the party to the spot. The head was practically smashed to a oulp, and the body was in an advanced state of decomposition. It is stated that the tragedy occurred on April sth. PRISONER’S INDIFFERENCE. Whangarei, Friday. With Kaka in close custody the police travelled into the heart of the bush over precipitous tracks to a deep gully, down which Kake confessed having thrown Freeman’s body after murdering him with a stick on the ridge above while the victim was engaged in gum digging. Kake showed a callous unconcern, and actually offered to help the police in their gruesome duties. The remains were placed on an improvised stretcher and conveyed to Hikurangi, thence into Whangarei by train.
The prisoner was brought down by the same train, apparently totally unconcerned. This morning Kake was formally charged with murder, and remanded.
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 982, 22 April 1911, Page 4
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336MURDER UP NORTH. Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 982, 22 April 1911, Page 4
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