EAST COAST MURDERS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 359, 13 April 1889, Page 3

EAST COAST MURDERS.

Auckland, April 8. The w retched native ITaii-c te Peri, who has been 1 condemned to death for the minder of the Took family at Waipiii, is now ab Napier awaiting execution. Tho L'ial took place at Gisbortie about; a fortnight ago, and lasted &e v eial cla\s. The evidence, ill j though purely circumstantial, was convincing and amply sufiicicnt. 'Hnire to Peri, ib transphed, had been gambling at Waipiro on the night of the murders, and had been entirely " cleaned out," losing nob only his own money, but a cheque he held in trust to convey to a fellow native. He tra\el!ed to his home by a route that took him pabt the Pook's place at Mafcaahu, and arrived at his destination after an unaccountable delay. He arrived, moieover, not penniless as he had leib Waipiro, but in a position to pay tho trust money next morning. Bloodstained boots and clothing weie found in his possession, the boots exactly corresponding to the red footprints about the house and store. A knife similarh r stained, and bearing the Roman numerals which in the JMaori alphabet correspond to the prU>onei's initials, was also found; and there were various other incriminating circumstances, which, Liken in conjunction with the behaviour of the prisoner, .went to increase suspicion into certainty. As Mr Justice Richmond put it, the items of evidence singly might have been unreliable, but the whole was strong. Undoubtedly it would have been strong enough to hang Te Peri. Even had no confession of his guilb followed, theie would have been not the slightest hope of a commutation of the death sentence. As it is, the admission of the condemned man remo\ es any shadow of misgiving that might have been entertained to tho justice of the conclusion arrived at by judge and juiy. Tho chain of evidence was | fairly complete. Testimony was civen by Edward Swain, brother of jShs Pook of Hamilton, schoolmaster; Wallis, J.P., and Seigeant Villers, as to the disco\ery of the | bodies, footprints and other work's and circumstances. Garrard, a native constable, gave his conversation with Ilaire te I Peri before his arrest. Hem y McClinchy, I who accompanied him, corroborated. In ; answer to (.-Jauard's question, Haire said i that on the day of the murder he got from Waipiio to Reporua, where he was found and airestcri. He went by the inland tracks which wou'd a\oul Matuahu, Pook's place, doinjr the distance in thiec hours. This \va3 pro\ed to be impossible, the journey being ab least six houts. In Haiie's whare Garrard found a bloodstained coat, Haire said that the blood came from a calf which was branded at a place on the journey. A shirt and waistcoat were bloodstained. He accounted tor the blood on these in a similar manner. The trousers prisoner said he had worn wcie new and could never have been worn. The boots found had blood stains on them, blood on the left foot corresponding with the footprint on the floor of Pook's house. Haire had been gambling, but was without money on the day of the murder. Ganard found money on him, which he said his brother gave him. When questioned and searched before the arrest prisoner showed great signs of fear. The evidence of the natives showed that two days before the murder Haire te Peri was paid for grass seed cutting, one cheque for himself, and cue cheque to take to another native. That high 6 the prisoner gambled with others at Akuaku, and lost all' the money of his friend. On Wednesday he left Akuaku in the direction of Mataahu, and could nob avoid passing Mataahu in order to get to Reporua, his home. On Thursday morning Te Pere was in the whare of Reporua with his wife and others having entered whilst they slept. The first thing he did on Thursday was to go to a friend and pay money given in trust. The people of the settlement noticed a decided change in hU manner, being gloomy ; they were excited over the murder, but he never spoke. When four persons, apprehended on suspicion, passed the settlement, the prisoner remained in the hub and would not see them. A native identified the fcheath-knife and sheabh as Haire'fa by the Roman numerals 518, which means in the Maori alphabet H.P. The same numerals arc tatooed on Haire Pere's body. The doetois and Mr Skey, Government analyst, deposed to the blood on the clothing and boots found on tho prisoner. Mammala, mother-in-law of the prisoner, stated theie was clothing and dress material in a box in the whare the day after the murder she had i never seen before. ' A native who was apprehended on suspicion and lodged in a cell i with the prisoner, gave conversation between his brother Haire Hohepa Pere ; Haire telling the other hia statement to the police. Haire said to the witness and others, " You will all geb clear, but lam bound to go to the Supreme Court because the marks are about me." Dr. Innes deposed to the marks on the skull of the child Bertie Pook, caused by a blunt instrument or by batting. This was the substance of the evidence for the prosecution, and after the address of counsel tor the defence, the accused was found guilty and sentenced to death. He subsequently confessed his guilt to a native clergyman whose ministrations he was receiving.