A TRIPLE MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1342, 31 December 1914, Page 2

A TRIPLE MURDER.

AT RUAHINE

A horrible triple murder, was committed at Ruahine, presumably on Monday morning, the victims being Mr James McCann, a farmer of Ruahine, and his -wife and daughter. The discovery was not made until yesterday, bat as McCann was found lying in his byre, it is inferred that he was milking at the time of the murder.

Mr McCann had evidently been killed by blows with a tomahawk.

It would appear" that the murderer then proceeded to the house and killed Mrs McCann and her child, as the bodies were found lying in tSe bed.

Mrs McCann was killed by a blow of the tomahawk which sank into the skull from eye to eye. The nature of the wound which caused the child’s death is not stated in the message. Suspicion points to a German labourer, who has disappeared.

Taihape, Dec. 30,

Mr McCann was an esteemed settler of Ruahine, and for the last two years had been dairy farming on his own account. On Monday morning Arthur Rotterman, an unnaturalised German, who had been working for him for three months, took the milk to the Ruahine factory. The manager pointed out that there was only about half the usual supply there and Rottermann stated, in, excuse, that he knocked some cans over in bis hurry to get away and thus spilt the milk. The explanation was accepted, but as there was no milk from McCann’s yesterday, the factory manager and his assistant decided to visit the farm to ascertain the cause of the unusual omission.

Mr McCann was found lying face downwards in the cowbail in a pool ot blood with his head split open.

The doctor and police were communicated with and then an entry was forced to the house. A ghastly sight met the gaze of those who entered the bedroom. Mrs McCann was found on the floor with three wounds in the head, and the baby boy was on a pillow on the bed, his head being almost severed.

McCann was 35 years of age. Mrs McCann came from England two years ago to marry him. Rottermann absented himself from his employment on Saturday and Sunday without leave and returned late on Sunday night. It is presumed McCann took him to task for this when the cows were being milked on Monday morning.

The tomahawk, bearing evidence of the terrible use to which it had been .put, was found on the grass under the window of the room occupied by Rottermann.

It was on Monday that the small quantity of milk was delivered at the factory. Rottermann appears to have returned to the house, changed his clothes, harnessed the horse and rode ,to Mangaweka, nine miles distant. There he conversed with several people and put the horse in the stable, giving instructions that if he did not return that night the stableman was to turn the horse into the paddock. Then he boarded the Wellington express at Mangaweka and was last seen in the dining car on the train having lunch.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Rottermann was discharged from the Hinemoa because he was an alien.