OLD MAN DONE TO DEATH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1240, 2 May 1914, Page 3

OLD MAN DONE TO DEATH.

YOUNG MAN ARRESTED. Timaru, April 30. On Sunday last an elderly man named Adam Stevenson was missed from a camp on Kelman’s farm, near Orari bridge. His mate, Harry Cripps, said Stevenson left the camp on Saturday evening to go to Geraldine, As Stevenson could not be traced, a search was instituted, and was followed up from time to time. This afternoon Constables O’Grady and Murphy, with others, were searching the Orari river-bed, and the former at four o’clock found Stevenson’s body among gorse in the river bed, a chain from the road, and about a mile from camp, A sack had been put over his head and drawn down as far as it would go, and a rug and two other sacks were placed on the body. Constable O’Grady was satisfied there had been foul play, and going back to the camp, arrested Cripps, who made contradictory statements about Stevenson. A doctor was sent to see the body before removal, and he found four wounds on the head as if caused by a blunt instrument, such as a hammer, any one of which was sufficient to cause death. The body was then removed to Geraldine. Stevenson was 70 years of age, and is said to have been married, but was not living with his wife. He was well-known in the district as a teamster and ploughman. Cripps is about 27 years of age, and single. His mother lives at Winchester. He is said to be of weak intellect. He was in Geraldine playing billiards on Wednesday night. Timaru, May x. The murder case inquest was opened and adjourned till the nth inst. Deceased’s employer, Alex. Reiman, identified the body and stated that the two men lived on an outfarm in a travelling galley. Stevenson had complained to him that Cripps bad not been attending to his work properly and asked for another man. He did not know whether Cripps knew that. Cripps was formally charged before a J.P. and remanded to Lyttelton for eight days.