THE LATE MUREER AT AUCKLAND.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2352, 30 September 1880, Page 2

THE LATE MUREER AT AUCKLAND.

[By Telegraph.]

Auckland, Sept. 29. An inquest was held to-day on the body of Henry L. Rees, before Dr Piiilson, at Eden Vine. Sub-Inspector Pardy conducted the examination, and Mr Thurston interpreted for the prisoner, who was present.

After the jury viewed the body, it was turned over on its belly in order that ilie gashing wound might be fully perceived. The appearance which it presented was bej r ond description. The skull had been cleft open, and the sides of the wound were fully two inches asunder.

The following is the material evidence :

Emma Rees, 12 years of age, deposed to going out on the return of her mother from Auckland, along the road to meet her father. She saw a black man, with an axe in his hand, walking along the road. She got frightened and went back. She did not tell her mother for fear of alarming her, as her father had not returned.

Dr Hopper deposed that from an examination of the body, death must have been nearly instantaneous. The man could not have survived more than two or three minutes. The first blow was delivered from behind, and the others as he lay on the ground or just as he was falling. Wm. Rose, carpenter, deposed to seeing the prisoner passing down New North road, at 9.25 p.m. on Monday. Fred Krrington, aged 15 years, deposed that ho was going home with his mother between 9.15 and 9.30 p.m., and had to pass within 200 yards of the scene of the murder. Hoard two blows and two groans, a groan following- cadi blow. They were turning into Mount Hoskill road', and the sounds came from about the place where the body was afterwards found. They went on home.

Mr Melville deposed to the capture of the prisoner. In the struggle he broke the prisoner’s forearm. The Coroner said it was a pity it was not Ids skull.

Prisoner, on being asked to make any statement, said he admitted the guilt. The reasons why he committed the outrage were many, In Fiji, at Bau, some natives seduced an island woman, the wife of his friend. Some Fiji soldiers intrigued with them also. He was angry and spoke to them, when they called him bad names, and lie brooded over it till he came to Auckland with Willcott. One day Willcott spoke angrily to him, and another da}’, accompanied by another white man, he corrected him and scolded him because the house work was not done. A new white woman he did not know told him the Europeans would hang him to a beam. He brooded over this. He attacked young Willcott because the children wore chaffing and teasing him. They told him Maoris would come and cut his hands oft’ and put his extremities in the lire. Among other things that annoyed him was that thc} r said he was a little man, and could do nothing, and lhc} r could turn, him round. He then took the axe and struck Gibson Willcott. He had nothing more to say.

The jury at once returned a verdict of wilful murder, and the Coroner issued a warrant authorising the police to arrest the prisoner on the charge.

The 'Funeral ol ! the murdered man, Henry Louis dices, took place this afternoon. Tiro remains were conveyed to the "Wesleyan cemetery in a hearse, and Mrs dices and her daughter followed at a distance on foot,

dt was subsequently ascertained b} r comparing a lock of hair of deceased with hair found on the prisoner’s axe that they are precisely similar, being streaked with grey. I'ho wound on the head of the murdered man corresponds in shape and size with the weapon.