THE PUHIPUHI TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 284, 24 April 1911, Page 8

THE PUHIPUHI TRAGEDY

THE-CODY RECOVERED, a , PRISONER MAINTAINS EXTRAORDINARY DEMEANOUR. Auckland, April 21. A further stage in the Puhipuhi foreat . murder case has now been arrived at, the body of the murdered gumdigger, John Freeman, having been recovered ' and the native charged with the crime. During the earlier part of the week \ search parties scoured the vicinity of the old gumdigger's whare without obtaining any clue, and had it not been for the assistance rendered to-day by the prisoner himself the body might have remained undiscovered for an indefinite period. Early this morning a party of searchers under Constables Connon and Armstrong departed for the Puhipuhi bush, equipped with suitable appliances-, to bring in the remains. The district Maori chieftain, Eru Nehu, accompanied tho party, and throughout the search has rendered every assistance. Sergeant Moore remained at Whakapara till the arrival of the Kawakawa train with Kaka on board in charge of Constable Douglas. The sergeant followed the first party on horseback, and was 1 led by the prisoner to the spot where the body lay. A GRUESOME TASK. A more lonely and secluded spot for the perpetration of a-premeditated murder could not be imagined—the bottom of a deep gorge, with a small spur crossing. The murdered man had evidently been toppled over the spur, and his body was discovered lying embedded in fern quite six feet high, lying on the stomach 1 .with the head pohitiug.dpwnward's. The 'remains were in an advanced state of decomposition. The gruesome task of sewing the remains in sacking drenched with formalin having been completed, the arduous return journey was commenced. A CALLOUS PRISONER. The prisoner remained an apparently unconcerned spectator of the whole proceedings. Once he remarked to the sergeant: ''You won't hang me now, will you 1 Is there not an easier way t" i The return was accomplished with the I aid of a Maori stretcher, the ends of I which were supported by four horses, and in this fashion the journey was continued to Hikurangi, where the remains were placed on a railway truck. The demeanour of the prisoner throughout was most extraordinary. On arrival Whakapara, where practically the ** '" of the population met the Wtioi. he greeted his acquaintances eo ffi\ ~' lll °. B' 11 " and "Hullo, Tom," l a he sang out "Good/ f ll * l!' '• At ,Hikurangi again he bye M IHsiK ■ interested spectator of *«med amm -ansferring the bier to ■ the m.Lhod of t. On the way down ! the railway tru«*•: nconcernedly asked U Wh:-ngarei bV *■ „, bcin g rappUed far a . -arette, a.™ *; \ the orthodox Wped up the cu»L '? n l * •- feet along fashion, and, extendi. n 6 ™> , dlv F * the seat, puffed away c^ entb - 5gE his appearance he is i. uout *"• years ofage. \ * v -. . On arrival at Whangarei i '*? . r . em * l "* I were placed in an outhouse av x • . e .„ ! tiers' Hotel, where thev will ren m . *'" the inquest, which will probablyww e place on Monday, as it is not likely '■* necessary witnesses will be in Whu n * garei before that. I KILLED WITH A BROOMHANDLE. When the body was discovered the implement with which the deed was committed was found alongside it, being an ordinary broomhandle broken in three pieces by the violence used. The scene of the murder is about eight miles from Whakapara, straight into the Puhipuhi forest. It was well known that the deceased was in the habit of carrying a large sum of money about with him. When the .police discovered the body the lining of the hip pocket of his trousers was turned inside out, as if his purse had been snacthed in a hurry. '-•■i<:*-<<i*im,.tf^."''xi" r "' Great praise is due to the Maori «Uef Ero Nehu, without whose valuable' assistance and that of his followers the police would have been very much handicapped. Without a murmur the four Maori bearers, on horseback bore *hW ghastly burden from Puhipuhi forest' bV road to Hikurarigi. Crowds of spectators' assembled, both at Hikurangi rfhd Whangarei, It) witness the arrival of the party. The v«y t'outhfulness and apparently innocorrt look of the pri|&sr seemed rather to prepossess people s in his favor. ■

STORY OF TM (tjRTME. From admissions made' iy the prisoner and gathered in the vicinity ©f the tragedy, the whole sordid story as follows: Two gumdiggers named 1 Manuel and John Freeman occupied tmr sttmt camp in Puhipuhi, and with Mattel lived the Maori youth Pahi Kaka. The latter had evidently made up his mina by hook or crook to go to the Maori hue at Kaikohe, but had no capital. He asked Manuel to go with him, but Manuel only having 30s in his possession refused tq finance the youth. On April sth Freeman, taking his spear and spade, started to go out gumdigging.: hnortly afterwards he was stealthily followed by Kaku, who took the broomhandle with him, Manuel stopping behind to wash the dishes. When well away irom the camp and on the spur | previously mentioned the Maori spoke to Freeman, anti said»that he wished to see aim gumdigging! More words followed, and then the Maori' .demanded Freeman's' money and wanted to ,?***• Then the gumdigger made a sweepV ith his gum spear at Kaka, but, missing lil'ii?. threw the spear at him, stumbling at thtf Satfe >,w k nk ? then hit him » violent' Wow on he head with the brocmhandle. win! fi u", rose t0 (lefeml Wm'« kiiocking Inn, down. A third blow with the .roomhan.lle smashed in the C fL aU hen the sum p „ '" J V ul , . so,ne 0(1<1 c "PPe''s from wiv Ll ? h,p PoCk ' et a,,d made !>« the ™f k I a ro " n(ia bo«t circuit to a rest "*" ° nwanl till his ai rest at Kaikohe he has lavUb.lv ov l>™lcd the old man's savings. ' *'