THE KYEBURN MURDER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2325, 30 August 1880, Page 2

THE KYEBURN MURDER.

At the Naseby 1L i\l. Court, on Thursday, Ah Lee and Lee Guy, Chinamen, wore charged with the murder of Mrs Young. The following is the principal evidence : Mrs Porgie in cross examination said that on the evening of the 4th, Loo Guy would not go home as lie said ho was frightened he might be murdered. Ho remained at Mrs Young’s house until t> o’clock, when a constable sent him homo stating he would sec no harm was done him. When he cried earlier in the day, and said the Chinamen would kill him, witness understood him to mean that he would bo murdered like Mrs Young. She never suspected him of the deed. "While Airs Young lingered Lee Guy never went into the room where she

was lying. Margaret AFCavlhy, wife of a minor residing at the Kyeburn, stated that she wont down to Mrs Y'oung’s house at about D o’clock on the morning of the Itli. She heard the deceased’s dog bark at about II o’clock the previous night. It seemed to have got loose. As she was going to Airs Young’s house next morning the deg met her. Witness was present when Mrs Forgie asked the deceased if it was a Chinaman who did the deed. Deceased replied “ Yes,” quite distinctly.

Sergeant Morton was called. Ho said that on reaching Airs A’oung’s house he found the front door broken off the top hinge, and three large stones lying on the lloor in the room. These stones he had since weighed. One weighed 221 b, one 271b,’ and one IQlb. Tho two smaller stones had a deal of blood on (hem. The matt rass and bedding were thrown on the, floor and the contents of two boxes were strewn about. On the bedding and , sonic of the clothing snots of blood were visible. It appeared as if a close search had been made for something in the house. Mrs Young died at 1,30 p.m. After her death, in a small cupboard, ho found a purse containing £lO, and in another cupboard a small box containing A25 3 two deposit receipts for

£9OO odd on the Bank of Now Zealand Naseby, and half of a dividend warrant for 48 shares in the Colonial Bank. On the floor, near where the deceased had been lyin'?, lie found a white silk handkerchief with a great deal of blood on it; nightcap with a tear on top of it two inches long, also covered with blood ; also two strings belonging to tlie nightcap, and a piece of matting. On a small piece of rice bag wore spots of blood, and a cotton handkerchief with a pink border was also spotted with blood. In the front door were six dents, apparently caused by stones. On the Gtu he noticed footprints at the corner of the garden fence, and pointed them out to Messrs O’Connor and Harvey, bootmakers. The accused lives about 60 yards from the deceased’s bouse. The dents on the door indicated considerable force. Witness made an experiment the day after the murder, the result showing that any noise at Mrs Young’s house could be distinctly hoard at accused’s hut. The deceased’s house consisted of two small rooms, the kitchen had not been disturbed.—B.y Mr Hewlett —lt would have taken two or three hours to make a close search of the house. The windows of the house were secured. When lie made the experiment on the Gth he was outside of Lee Guy’s hut. Ah Kimi was then sworn and deposed: lam a miner, Jiving at Kyebnrn. I do not recollect the day of Airs Young’s murder. I rememlicr the police searching my house on a Wednesday, but I do not remember the day of the month. Ah Tack asked me did I read of the reward. I told him no, that I could not read. All Tack told me that the Governor in Wellington had put out£loo reward to anyone who would tell who murdered Mrs Young. Ah Tack told me I would get the reward if I said something about the fork (produced). Ah Tack said if I would tell about the fork I would he let out of gaol. This conversation took place about the 11th or 12th of the seventh Chinese month. Ah Tack came twice to sec me. 2 p.m. Ah Lee has confessed that he and Lee Guy procured stones on the night of the murder from a neighboring yard. They struggled with Mrs Young and left her for dead. They anticipated getting a large sum of money, hut not finding it would not take, her purse and its small contents. The feature of the (rial to-day was the peculiar behavior of All Kmix in the witness box. This man was one of those arrested last week on suspicion an I subsequently released. lie first assumed a “no savee ” attitude, ami then endeavored to impeach the conduct of the interpreter by stating that Ah Tack had induced him to make the statement. The inquiry was adjourned.