FURTHER PARTICULARS. A MAORI SUSPECTED. ROBBERY AT THE STORE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 324, 12 December 1888, Page 4

FURTHER PARTICULARS. A MAORI SUSPECTED. ROBBERY AT THE STORE.

The s.s. Australia, which arrived in the Bay last; night, brought information that at . Waiporo a most atrocious murder had been commitced, it is supposed on Wednesday evening. Mr Frank Fooke, storekeeper, at Motahu, with his wifo and child having been found horribly butchered. Air Pooke and his wife were dead, but the child, though much mutilated, is still alive. The particulars to hand do not state who was the lirst to arrive on the scene of the tragedy. Motahu is a small native village a few miles north of Waiporo. HOW ' THE BODIES WERE POUND. Mr Wallis, J.P., visited the spot shortly after the tragedy, and forwarded a report to Mr Booth, KM., by the Australia. Mr Wallis states that Mr and Mrs Pooke were found lying murdered in their store. The bddies were behind the counter. The husband had his head split open — the wound being evidently inflicted by an axe. The body oi Mrs > Pooke was lying across that of her husband. Her head was also split open, and her throat was cut in such a manner that the head was nearly severed from the body. Mr Pooke's throat was also cut, showing that the murderer was determined, to accomplish his diabolical purpose. Their son, aged seven years, was found in an insensible condition, having received a fearful wound in 'the head, having evidently been struck by the same instrument with which his parents were killed. Mr Wallis had the boy forwarded to Gisborne and he was brought ashore at oue o'clock this morning and placed under Dr. Pollen's care. Pvobbery was the evident motive of the murder. The cash in the place was taken away, and footprints smeared with blood j are all over the place. The premises had evidently been ransacked for money and valuables. The plunderer, it is thought-, had been purchasing goods, as there was a bundle tied up on the counter, and a paper was found with the items and the prices of the articles. Mr Pooke had apparently been making up the account. There does not appear to have been any struggle, as nothing was upset to speak of. As Mr Pooke was lying full length on the floor with his wife on top of him, the husband was evidently killed first. Jb is supposed that while the murderer ■was searching the house, he came across the boy, and struck him on the head with the axe. The boy's body was discovered lying 1 on the floor, where he had apparently lain the whole night. Sergreanb Villicrs has taken charge of the premises. y From the class of goods in the parcel, there is good reason to believe that tfie perpetrator of the murder is a Maoi i. Mr Pooke liad been to Tokomaru that day, having recently taken an hotel at that place. The same store was broken into by a iMaori with an axe in March last, who was arrested for it, but discharged owing to want of evidence. Mrs Pooke had frequently applied for protection since, as she ha* lived a good deal alone, and feared being murdered. Mr Booth, Sergeant Bullen, Dr. Pollen, and the Poverty Bay " Herald " representative started for the scene of the tragedy by the steamer Maitai this morning.