THE NORTHERN MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 213, 16 February 1915, Page 4

THE NORTHERN MURDER.

' KEALS BEFORE THE COURT. ' ' By Telegraph.—Per Press Association, Auckland, February 15. In tlie Police Court, Norman Keals was charged with (lie murder of Mrs Edith Keals and her infant. He was remanded for eight days.

DETAILS OF KEALS' CAPTURE. ' Auckland, February 15. Details of the capture of ICeals show that a force of about two hundred police, settlers and Maoris, searched tha bush near Keals' house all Saturday morning. Early in the afternoon a! cry was raised about a mile from the houge that Keals had been sighted. The alarm had been raised by a small party of searchers who had been just on the' point of leaving this particular portio* of 50 or (iO acres of bush close to the house. One of them had noticed a rata, the trunk of which leaned over and was easily climbed, and on which grew, in thick profusion great bunches of kiekie. The. tree was in full view of th# house. As he called to his companions to come back and have a look with him' and examine in the tree more closely a young settler saw a man scramblo out of tlie tree and disappear into tlie bush It \vns then that the hue and ery was raised. Men ran out of the bush into the open, and then, guided by tlie cries of those who were hot o„ the trail of the criminal, they ran in under cover again and joined in the pursuit SooS > news came through the bush that the quarry had dropped an unloaded revolver, and it was realised that Keals cou'd no onger do any material harnf either to his pursuers or to himself, the hunt had been in progress for threequarters of an hnm- when a Maori was heard to cry, "All right, we got him". Down m a little clearing at th'o bottom" ot tlie bush gullv, Keals had beerf brought to bay. A party of Maoris liadl come across him lying full length againrftf a log. Standing off at about twenty yards, the Maori raised a double-barrel* led shot-gun to his shoulder and covered his man. "I shoot no man," he said, put' up your hands." RnWrg himself from the ground, the ma n threw up his hands, with the remark, "I'm done," and quietly surrendered.

TIIE MUEDEREIt'S CONCESSION. 7)ftpctivos Powell and Sweeney form! ally took him into custody, and charged him with tlm murder. Jfe displayed complete indifference, and voluntarily made, a confession. TTe Raid Hint in th«' early morning of Tuesday list he firedl a shot from a revolver at Ms sister-in-law. Afterwards, he did rot like t<* leave the baby, as it was'V'nging out"*' he therefore took it out, »v>! within fiv# minutes strangled it, and then wentj right away into the bush. He described the place where he hid the baby's body under a tree f with a nikau branch over it. He stated further that lie had gon» : to the house on the Monday night intending to kill his brother and "all of them," but that after he had fired ont sliot, ho thought he had done enough His motive for the crime was revenge (because when he was in Australia, hot heard that an interest in a property near Oncwhero had been taken away from him. On learning of 1 hat he had made up his mind to have his reveng* on someone some day. In conclusion, the captivo eafmy remarked, "JVoll, it's all over now, and I suppose I've got to face the music." Ht then signed the confession, as an entirely voluntary one on his part. A search party was dispatched to th« spot where Koala stated he had left tha body of the infant. It was at the top of a high and comparative bare ridge, in full view of the house, and about a! mile distant. There the seekers found the remains.