THE RUAHINE MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 170, 4 January 1915, Page 4

THE RUAHINE MURDER.

ARREST OF A SUSPECT. THE YOUNG GERMAN CAUGHT IN HIDING, By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. As the result of a well-laid plan, the police on Saturday effected the arrest of the .young German, Arthur Rotterman, who was wanted on a charge of having murdered a farmer named McCiinn, together with his wife and child, at Ruahine, nine miles from Mangav/eka, on or about December 28. Word was received by the police in Wellington on Friday evening that a man answering Rottcrinan's description bad on the previous afternoon put in an appearance at a whare at Karori Rock (near Cape Torawhiti) where men are engaged in connection with the lightbouse. He was at the hut when the occupier left for town on Thursday afternoon, and he slept there the same night.

As soon as the information was received, Detective Lewis, Mounted Constable Dunn, and Constable Thompson 'were despatched on horseback, via "Island Bay, to proceed along the beach to the locality. At the same time, 'Detective-Sergeant Rawle, Detective Deinpsey, and Mounted Constable Pearson were sent to Terawhiti, via Jlakarn. When the. police reached the whare where Rotterman bad been left, it was found that he had disappeared. The two parties of police separated. Detective Lewis and the two constables with him were allotted the southern portion of the country, and Detective Rawle's group the northern. The latter party went on to Te Kamara station, and there learned that j !i man, evidently a foreigner, had left 'that place at about 0 p.m. on Friday. Presumably he had vacated the whare at Karori Rock shortly after the occupier left for town on New Year's Day. ilic latter went home by way of Island Bay, while the foreigner proceeded in the other direction to Xe Kamara, reaching that station about 0 p.m. He had evidently taken bis departure from tile station just before the arrival of Detective Rawle and party, and from what they were able to ascertain it was supposed that he had made bis way into a clump of bushes not far away. The officers therefore surrounded the bush and closed in, and eventually found Rottcrrnan sitting down alongside a tree, apparently in hiding. They covered him with a revolver, and be was taken in charge Without offering any resistance.

Next morning he was taken over the hills to Makara, which was reached about 1 p.m. A conveyance brought him the rest of the distance to Lambton

station, where he was taken over by the authorities at a- quarter to six last evening. The accused, who is 21 years of age, is of an athletic type, and when arrested was wearing a blue suit and white straw hat. He will appear in court to-morrow morning, when a remand will be asked for.