THE WOODVILLE TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 14, 5 December 1877, Page 3

THE WOODVILLE TRAGEDY.

■ ■■■ .. »•"" ■ "." .;•■■■•• . CORONER'S INQUEST. (Contin<ued from last issue.) Susan Davey deposed : Iknow'the^prisoner. On Friday last, he came dbwn the road to my place, and sung out; 'For God's sake go and look after'my place :. George is dead m the bush.' ; This ; was about 11 o'clock. I asked him to get some one else to mind it. He pressed me to go, and I th«jn>%eht;. He was on horseback. He put^Jjj^^d^.down on the pommel of the eacUfliPWWuppeared to be 1 laughing. I went - along to the house, and was told about the murder. , I got . some. of the men a cup of teaj and something to eat. Constable Farmer then enquired of me where the corpse could ' be put. ' I told him to put it m the room where he used to sleep. - I pulled the bedclothes off the bed and placed them against the window, and m doing bo I. f ound a : pil- ... low. with blood on it. I wondered -there -was no slip on the pillow, as George always used slips. I called the Constable out and shewed it to him. , He.took cKafge of it. . The bed had been lately used, and was made up.*. -.1 lived m the ■ house about 17 days some time ago. The, mates appeared to he friendly then :, some time after this I visited the house one day. G;eorge was "engaged washing up, and asked prisonerjfco. assist: m wiping^ He refused-, saying : he irad some- " thing else to dbY This -led to some angry ■words. George told me he regretted ever having anything to do with prisoner or the place. Prisoner at this time was standing with his back to the fire and face towards me. Hesaid, "You heed nqtregret it long you/D-^r— ." He clenched ■ his fists, and looked something dreadful, as if he meant to, do something wrong. I could never get that- look ft-bm before. nay. eyesi. : I can see 'it when looking into the fire. I shall never forget it as long as I live.. WJben I heard of the murder;, that look presented itself before mcV [By the Prisoner : I could not haveexaggerated that look by thinking' over it; it is quite impossible. When you' called to me first ybii did not tell me George was dead— not until I asked you where he was. . You were -not bending over the saddle when • . you. -first (Sailed. It was when- 1. asked you abput .George: that you >bent pver, andj I believe, laughed.] I asked the prisoner , once if he and George often, had , ; words. .He .replied, "If we do I ,always,have. my own" way m the end." [T.hb pillpyf and 'other articles were produced, and. identified by witness.] Prisoner told me he had slept m George's room the previous night: - ' Thomas Francis Fountain deposed;: I am a stdrekeeper residing m Wbodville. I know the prisoner. On. Friday last, 1 8 .o'clpckVi heard Ollandt-; was missing. After breakfast I went up to theboarding-hbuse .kept by deceased andr.prisoher. I saw the '^prisoner there, and' asked hiin-af George bad returned. He said, he had not. I-then said it was time we went to look for him. He asked me if-I was, gping ; if so, herVould go with me. I came back jko ]my house to change, my shoes, and on returning 'past the hqtel^lr Mdrj>hy joined me. We iwent again to the boarding house prisoner joined me at ' about 20 minutes pastßo'clock. We then jiroceededto\rards the buish p^st'Mr Smith's < jfeoUse arid' Pictbn's : tent. led the way to show us "where 'deceased was working last,' We went along as fast as we ■" coufljTuiitil we. came to the stump where . BplitS^g'had been done by djeceaaed. The tools ; were laying there, and the maul handle yfOß_ broken-; Bhort, off. »^L thought that "•'lJeprge] had; gone info the bush to cut, a * fresh one and got lost. , Prisoner called out ,' to look for twicks, he leading the way. He said' he saw George's tracks m some soft Ljloces ; he knew 'the print his boots would ".make.* '. [The remainder of this witnesses • eyidence, being almost word for word with . that of Mr. Murphys, we will pass it over.] By Major Sc]dly : After seairchirig about 2i hours m various places, I heard some one . call, out y" Here, he is." Jam sure it was prisoner who called out. J was close to the place, and heardihim say "What a horrible sight or pKghfS^rwMionly about fa chain on prisoner's -vright iyfkto he sung out and did not Be^f^]^prijK)fer;v>The place was, •fuU of supplejacks. rX made towards where the body lay.- I vthen saTf prisoner point to something ahead of him, but could not ,Bee any object. At this time I was about six yards from ■ prisoner. I walked several yards before I saw 'the body. I joined prisoner arid sevefal others by a log close to rthebody. I-'.cpiild pnljrv.seetthe legs of deceased firbm" this- log; ' % could jnpt see the head nor beaietv/When I fSst sawiit I knew 1 it was a body. V I could riot see any wounds from the log. I thought at firat he might ! ;Lav(B been knocked down by some piece of wood foiling from a'tree. No onespbke for : some time, except prisoner, who exclaimed " What can have done it ?"' After 'a pause of a few seconds, I said he has been murdered. , I thought the weapon Ukely; to be a bill. hook, and said so. . I then . stepped^ back thinking to find -some ;traceß of blood, but found none. I enquired if any one ;had seen a bill hook. .Somebody suggested can it be nnder the.bpdy? Prisoner, then lifted the body and took up a small piece of candle from underneath it. I also saw a dice box, box of matches, arid leaf of magazine. The dice-box was smeared . with blood. I also noticed that deceased had hi» purse m his pockets. Lfeltit. with ; my finger from the outside. Prisoner put his hand m the pocket and took the purse out. He opened it and shewed me some notes. , The prisoner kept the puw. We, agreed to send off for • Constablej prisoner .Tofuriteering to go for

one. Prisoner told me George haft been absent from about 1-1 o'clock the previous day. I was-surprised to find no search had been made. , appeared quite cool and did not seem to be anxious. lam well acquainted with both prisoner and deceased. I know prisoner's voice.. I can't say how far prisoner was from deceased when he sung out, but 'he was considerably behind the log, I dont think he could hare seen deceased from "where he was standing. I thought perhaps he could see him, when I , first heard him sing out. I could not see the state of the corpse until I went- much nearer than he was. Prisoner said "I wonder who could have done it." When I was at the Accommodation house, prisoner told me they had one bill hook, and he would go and see if he could find it. He went outside and returned quickly, saying he could not find it. I afterwards heard that prisoner had found it. I have done business regularly, with prisoner and deceased and found them on bad"terms with each other. I have not noticed anything particularly wrong this* last six weeks. "* Prisoner frequently . complained of the -way deceased conducted the v business, remarking that he hated the sight of him, . and often used strong expression of- hatred. They; were partners, the .property m Woodyille being m their joint names. We have not conversed of late, about business matters. I am well acquainted with prisoner. I sold the dice box to himi By the Jury : I could not tell deceased's face was cut until I was close to the, body. When prisoner lifted/ the body up he did not express any sorrow. I did not take any. particular notice, of the tracks m the bush. The .boots I, think had nails m: the soles. By Prisoner : You entered the bush first. I dont ; recollect your saying to) me to keepin sight •of the 4 felt bush. I cannot say whether it was possible fqr any of the party to see you. You did not 1 shift until I came up to you, when you called out "Here lie ; is." I have made ;the. rjem.ark\ that deceased was at times an, aggravating maiii Idbn't . remember saying,- if'l was you I would kick Kirn m order. 1 dont remember telling you that'Ghebrge's cbpVereatio'n always ended m something about roguery; Deceased is what and of an; aggravating disposition. 3l ; nfayJli'aye:'Baid'<that ;■ -but deceased never put me out of temper. He was very close, when settling an account, but', honest. He never insulted me by any offensiveremark id my knowledge. I can't say I noticeablood. on: the., palings ; it may have been gum, .[Palings: produced with spots on them/] ; I -recollect you " telling me that you had been down, at the swamp cooeying for George on Thursday night. ' " Charles Beavfen, Carpenter, was fully examined and stated almost, word for word what the last witness had seen and heard. He saw the various articles lying about the dead body, and. prisoner ■ told him about a bill hook. They both lbokejd for it afterwards, but could' not. find it. Deceased toM him a few days ago v that? he was going to lease the house to some^one from PalmerstonVthat was thelast time he spoke to him. Prisoner, ;put exactly ;the same questions to this witness, -that he put to the previous one and received similar answers respecting :finding 'of body, and inability to see it from, where •prisoner; was standing. ■ James Hutching, was examined, r and gaye .exactly the same information.as: the two proceeding witnesses. George pinfold; a milk-boy, ; was examined, and Baidhej-- took .milk there on Thursday morning, and- sa^Gebrge; going, off into the bush m his short) sleeves. : He had neither • axe ; nor bill hook with him. i William ;Picton, a sawyer, said he knew both deceased and. prisoner, andi^while .he was sitting at his-tent, door- Qii Thursday at about 3 p.m., prisoner eooeyed m the bush. He got up and went, about a chain towards the Accommodation house. He saw no one, and, returned 'again W^his meal v He had notbeen there many minut^beforeprisoner came along from the -bush' with a bundle of palings on his' shoulder, .,. He said good day -vPictoii. 'I : J : said; ■'; "Sarry Was tnafc you cooSyedß" He ■answered, "Yes," and passed on a short distance, when I heard him drop the palings * f why" -he should leave^them-saiar from hisiown place; where they weregoiing-.to bemused,; He made no remark about George ; having been. lost. He brought the palings, from where George. was splitting m the, morning I am positive this was about; 3 , o'clock, a, can hear any one working m the bush from my 7tent. Lheard George \vorHng there on previous day. I passed the house- previous to 3 o'clock and saw some' persons' unloading from a cart. I did not seet he prisoner there at that time. [Prisoner put several questions to this witness,; and/ ife^ answers^* which shewed that his statement was quite correct; Charles Downey^ Blacksmith, examined, said he was one of those who were writing letters'; m Prisoner's.' chouse on Thursday evening. The conversation -turnedV on George's ;absericei when -prisoner suggested getting a search party m the morning to go and look for . him. ;; Prisoner remarked he was m. a, pelt with, deceased for absenting himself :\that~/way without saying any thing to him about it j; or making any - arrangements. He said he.had -been down into the bush to look for George, and- came ii out by Pictbn's tent with & load of ; palings." I went down to the house on Friday evening and saw the constable there. Prisoner remarked that he thought there must' have been more than one man in;-: the.', murder, as one man could not have carried the dead body through such a bush, and; put him". where he /was found. I said that was :my opinion too. | Constable Fa?mer^said: On Friday last, .the 23rd prisoner came. to ine at Tahoutae . sayingvhe jwanted to see me: he told me a man. had been ., found dead m the bush at Woodville and that, his name was George . Ollandt. His.body: was lying near the town. He likewise' described .the riatiuve of the: wounds :' after' hearing what he told me I started off at, onee 1 for Wobdville. Arrived there I was" mtet vat prisoner's house by several-men who took 1 me into the bush to view -the body. I found everything as as . de'scribed^by .previous witneness. :I removed the body to the house, .and examined ' ;it carefully. ■ I sent to P^er&ton for Constable GiUespie, who arrive^in a very short time. We went to the home together and put. a few questions to the ; prisoner, asking him when he kst saw. his mate alive : he said on Thursday morning,. ; at the same time remarking,- things look' Very suspicious. •We then arrested: him and took him: down to the hotel. On Saturday morning previous ; iK)Gonßtab|e GfflespieV .arrival, he came tbfme saying-I have found the billhook. 1 'said where ? he'-pbinlted . to the ; top of. the oven, where J saw :it* Jyitig. T am sure it

could not have been there on the previous day, as I looked very carefully, and could not have missed it. We (the two Constables) examined every thing m the house. We found several things stained with blood, and m George's room we found a number of clothes torn, as if some one. had been struggling. A bag and some towels were found spotted withjblood. Prisoner pointed out to us some money m this room consisting of 1 cheque for £16, I£s note, 3£l notes. and 2 soverigns, a three- penny -pitw 19 coppers. A party of men went out ou' into the bush on Saturday to try and find some more particulars about, the murder, bur did not find any. I found 3 dire m the room, which may connect themselves with the dice box found on deceased's breast. Prisoner put - a few questions to the Constable about the journey, and exchange of horses, and arrival at Woodville. Constable Gillespie examined, gave particulars about his arrival m Woodville. I went with Constable Farmer and viewed the body. I saw Prisoner engaged writing m a little room. I said good morning to him. He nodded his head bub did not speak to me. I went into the kitchen with Constable Farmer, and asked him if he had' any suspecion of any one, he remarked it was a mysterious affair altogether, and things looked rather strange towards prisoner. Prisoner came into the kitchen -when 1 asked him if he knew, anything about the murder. He replied no, it was a very curious affair,, and went on to say he saw him last about 10 o'clock on Thursday morning at the back, of the : kitchen; and that he went to look for him about dusk, but .could not find any trace of him. He had been about the house the whole of the' r day working.; I then told him that judging - from what Iliad Heard' of him and what. I* had seen I suspected that- he was the murderer. I then arrested him, cautioning him m the usual -way.- He was searched, and cash to the amount of £5 7s 9d found on him.- He wished to get some, one to take charge of his house, he asked for his coat and a box of matches. He said there was some money m the , bed .room, which Constable. Farmer took charge { of. We then took him. down to the hotel and locked him up. On our return to the house we found a coat hanging on a door with blood on it. Everything m the room was m a very disorderly state, and articles spotted with'blood. Thedice were wrapped m a leaf of a magazine, being a leaf of the same book as that one found beside the murdered man; '■■'■ ' ■ i > : - vv^T ■■>-■•/ iPrisoher to: Constable: . You had an anxious strange look and would not give us any information unless almost forced out of you. Youdid v nqt shew any .signs of fear -when I arrested: you. I cannot say whether that clearg.ybu from the appearance of guilt or no. You always hesitated when I asked you any questions, and looked straight at me with a fierce " look. You have not quite the same look now you L had then : you look more ' haggared ;nowi I never arrested a prisoner before on the charge of murder. I have many times arrested thieves ' who shewed no signs of fear. You did not volunteer any statement as to who you thought had done the deed. I told you to beware of any statements you- might make. Dr. Skenhan, sworn, said : lam a medical practitioner residing at-Pal-merston. I was summoned to make a postmortem examination of the body, of deceased. He. was of medium size. and 1 strength, about 5 ft. 8 m. height and Well nourished. Decomposition had set m, all over the face which was much lacerated : blood was diffused over the upper part of the shirt ahdthejiair on the back of the head was bloody. Fol- ■ lowing theMnjuries of f ace and head — 1. A- gagged .cut 4 inches in.length on the right cheek extending m a slanting direction from the angle of the jaw to the mouth. , The inferior* Maxillary bone was laid bare from the angle; The cavity of themduth was opened beyond this through the cheek. The upper lip ; was cut superficially, the teeth were not injured ;^the cut was gaping, opening the mouth from the right side. This gut must have cut through the facial vessels— 2, The superficial cut, an inch long on the right side of the hose and half an inch broad, extending from the .upper part of i the- maxillary bone to the lower edge of the nasal^bone just laying bate f the nasal cartilige^-3. Oni the left side of the forehead a large irregular piece of skin ; and tissue had Jjeen scraped off the frbhtal bone.' The apex of the triangle is rounded and "is inches above the upper edge of the orbital cavity m a direct line above the outer angle of the orbit.' This wound is. very ' jagged -three inches ;in length and curves from the inner end of the eye-brow on the eye lid which' is cut through ; the eye ball is pierced and is collapsed ; towards the outer side ofthe orbit the base of the triangle joins this cut just above the eye-brow; ,The piece of skin below this cut containing the eye-brow seems" to have ' been torn off **ne bone^ but it can be drawn up and 'fitted to the cut through the.eye lid and eye-brows. The 3rd wound on outside ox triangle is formed by a cut from, this point half an inch' from the outer angle of the: orbit to the apex, two inches, m length ;;the piece of skin between these 3 lines is missihgj and the piece of skin below the base of the triangle hangs down over the orbital cg-yity. 4. A small superficial chion the edge of -the left' nostril, -Tialf an inch - m- length, shaving off the^sHn to the depthof oneeighth of an inch. 5. A superficial cut on theuppei^lip (left side) half an inch m length, r^dening between the angle of the motith and ; the centre of the hpi ■6^'. : A4®#^*- :^^^S^ o ' r :^'^^^ fte 'tif "four ih'ch^&froih: a point- half ahwch 'b'elpw :l^th;e' .centre i ! bf •the.lowerlip^in a' direc^n towards the; left ettr, curving upwards round the angle of the mouth!* This cut opens into the cavity of the mouth below the lip, and is about a quarter of an inch m depth on the cheek, opposite the angle of jfche mouth, and becomes quite superficial towards the ear; There are no other cuts or : bruises ; on the head or other parts of the body. On opening the body I found the lungs and heart, and other internal organs, healthy and natural. Oh; taking off the skull-cap 1 1 found no- fractures, nor could I detect

any bruises or effusion of blood either on the surface or m the substance of the brain. The vessels of the brain were full of dark blood. From the jagged appearance of the wounds I should be inclined to believe that the cuts were inflicted with^a semi-sharp instrument, and, from the absence of injury or bruises to the cranium, I should not imagine the instrument to have been very heavy. The inside of the triangle or cut seems to correspond m some of the indentations to the notches on the billhook now produced. The wounds on the soft part of the face seemed, from the amount of effusion and laceration, to have been as much bruised as cut. I consider deceased met his death m consequence of the injuries he receivedPrisoner: Will you tell me if the body when murdered would give out a large quantity of blood from the wounds received, and if the deed had been done m the street, what sized pool of blood would there have been ? Dr. Skerman : I cannot say. I think the wounds have been inflicted with a r weapon like a billhook, except one, which 'could have been done with a knife: had not been dead more than three days at the outside. [This ends the evidence at the inquest. The verdict was given m the first published part. This has been a somewhat lengthy inquest, and likewise a lengthy report; We were anxious to give pur readers all the particulars m connection with the Tragedy, and could only do so by giving almost the whole 'of. the evidence as taken by our reporter.]