The Tapanui Chinaman's Death.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7908, 25 August 1905, Page 3

The Tapanui Chinaman's Death.

The Wbole Case a Mystery. Bullet Wound the Cause of Death. (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Aug. 24. It now turns out that the China man Ham Sing Ton|g, who was found dead in *his hut near Tapanui,. was shot in the head. This was only discovered to-day. The previous examination being only a hasty on,;, was made without the blood being washed from the face. The circumstances point to the wound not having hecn sjlf-inflicted. No firearms were found about the place. The man livby himself, on the outskirts of the township, and was generally resected. He was known to ke possessed of mon,ey, and £4B was founil intact at the head of his l>ed, whilo his watch and chain were in his pocket. There are two small houses close by, and two persons state that they heard a shot on Monday evening between nine an<T ten. It seems improbable thlit he made away With himself. A revolver was found in another room, *iut it was not> 1- vattid. and was cover, d with The whole case is Ht present a mystery. The inquest was continued ' to-day, When evidence was given that deceased was about (30 years old, and had reside*.! i n Tapanui for twenty years, having previously teon a gold miner. Ah Chong, from Beaumont, called at deceased's home on Tuen day, and found the body, at ohoe giving information to the police.

Dr. Robertson, in his evidence, sai-1 ' C found on tihe" floor in the bed room a pool of blood, chiefly arterial. The lamp hod seemingly explod'*d. and the bed was burned an the side nearest the window, where deceased hod been lying. The «lobe ol The lamp was not Ir. >l;en, but tho vess:l containing oil was in small pieces. I'ieces of a whisky bottle were 1." "n«f a! out. On the left side of the lxd\- the clothes were nil oharr.'d, aid portions of the flesh were bur 'd a little. There was a wound on the right Check in the region 0< the litt;t?e artcyy, and close to it a piece of whisky Jbottle glass. Over the left of the forHiead there was a lar-e bruise. When the wound in tho cheek was received. Ring Tong must have been alive. The bruise on th<j lorfhoad h?(l be" i inflicted dll]in,[» life. It had penetrated rijrhl into the bone to the inner side, and there had Invn c ncussiun of the train- He fourd :i small wouisl en the left corner of the mouth. lie foun'.l also littl, l liie marks as if of gunpowder, and In- removed two or t.iree grains. Hie

wound which penetrated the lf.irtto • easels .of the neck, including th ■ jugular vein, went, downwards mid backwards for three Inches, ami had rene!rated (1k( Hone of 'the spina cohiin|n. It -was a won ml such as " ould ie caustd by a bullet. It was his wound that Caused the man's ■leath. As tnc dector Had not found the MiIU-t, or made a complete post mortem examination, the inquest was adjourned.