A FIJIAN RUNNING A-.MUCK.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2351, 29 September 1880, Page 2

A FIJIAN RUNNING A-.MUCK.

[By TKLEGRAm.] Auckland, Sept. 28. Henry Louis Roes, who was murdered this morning early on the new North roa'l, near the Wesleyan Chapel, hy the New Hebrides Islander “Joe,” left home to meet his wile. He missed her on the road, and on his return home early this morning was met by Joe, who was biding in the scrub evading the search of the police, which he had maintained all night. The temptation to kill was too strong for the Islander. He crept up noiselessly behind the poor fellow and felled him to the earth. The surrounding ground and pools of water are marked and discolored with blood, but there are no other marks to denote a struggle. The wife of Rees, on hearing of the outrage thisjjmornmg, had a presentiment that the victim was her husband, as he had not returned home. On going to the spot with her daughter her fears were verified, and their grief was harrowing. Rees was forty-two years of age, and lived at Morningsidc. He arrived in Auckland some fifteen months ago in the Famenoth, with Ins wife and three daughters. He has been working with a nephew, John Rcdshaw, in a boiling-down establishment, but recently fell out of work. Joe, after completing this murder, proceeded to Mount Albert. He called at Melville’s at 8 a.m. and demanded food from a washerwoman, Mrs Arnold to whom he spoke. She refused, and Joe at once pounced upon her, and after a desperate resistance on her part, threw her down. He struck at her repeatedly with the axe, but she fenced fenced off his blows with her arms. They were fearfully hacked about,while one severe wound extends across the temple. Her screams brought assistance, and at the noise of footsteps Joe decamped. In the yard he was met by Melville, who assailed him with a log of wood. Seizing a convenient opportune, ho struck out with the log and broke the handle of the axe. He called to his wife to bring him Ids revolver, at the sight of which Joe held up his hands as if pleading for life. He made some signs, and said something, in his own tongue. Melville secured the murderer with ropes, and tied his hands and feet, till the police arrived. When the police brought Joe to the station great crowds lined the street to get a glimpse of the savage. It appears the act must have been premeditated, because sonic little time before the assault on the boys was committed, Constable Gordon, who was attired in plain clothes, was standing in Queen street, when ho saw the native passing up with an axe in his hand, which he was apparently trying to conceal from observation. Constable Gordon’s suspicions were aroused, and he directed the attention of Constable Graham to the circumstance. A short consultation resulted in Constable Gordon stopping and interrogating the man, who did not appear to be intoxicated or under any excitement, and was able to give a satisfactory account of his residence and business, lie was accordingl}' allowed to pass on. Joe came to Auckland with Air Willcott from Fiji, in the Mug Merrilies, a month ago. lie is 25 years of age, small in build, and a miserable specimen of humanity. John Thurston, of Fiji, states he belongs to the most treacherous and murderous tribe in the New Hebrides group. After reaching the police cell a loaf of bread was given to him. He tore it with his teeth like a ravenous wild beast. Mr Wilson, who speaks Fijian, went in and spoke to him, and succeeded in making him understand the general purport of his questions. While speaking he rolled his head from side to side, eating the bread all the time. The substance of his replies was that the white people knocked him about, and that his head yesterday was swimming round, and he did not know what was the matter with him. There is little doubt that ho had been drinking with Fiji boys. THIS DAY. Mrs Wington, wife of a settler living near the scene of the murder, was passing the spot on the night of the murder, with her daughter, and heard sounds like groans. This was about nine. Wington was asked to engage the Fijian, but having seen him on board of a vessel, disliked his appearance and declined. The inquest takes place at one o’clock today. At the Police Court this morning the Fijian was brought up on a charge of murder and two other charges of assault with intent to kill. He pleaded guilty on all three charges, and was remanded, pending the inquest.