GHASTLY MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 July 1921, Page 9

GHASTLY MURDER.

EXTRAORDINARY DEED. MAN KILLS HIS MATE. The. Wanganui Herald of Saturday had. the following:— A most extraordinary tragedy, probably without parallel in the history of the Dominion, took place at Mangaxnafau last evening, where one mate killed another, there being no quarrel or motive, except that the parties had been indulging in excessive drinking of whisky. The police received news of the tragedy by telephone at 7.30 last- evening, and that an elderly man named George Gordon had been murdered by a young man named John Kinsella. Detective-Sergeant Cameron, Senior-Ser-geant Bourke, Constable J. McMillian, and Dr. Andereon immediately set out lor the scene of the murder, winch was in .<* whare on Mr. Addenbrooke’s property, about six miles past Mangamahu, and about 30 miles from Wanganui. ACCUSED GREETS POLICE. On arrival at the whare the police party were met by a number of local residents, who had gathered at the scene of the tragedy. Kinsella, who was also present, evidently knew Constable McMullan, and remarked, “Hello, Mac!” He then eaid, “I’m the coon. I’ve done it. Come round this way,” and he took the party to the whare. A few feet from the door lay the body of George Gordon, several square feet of the floor having been covered with blood. There were large wounds ,in the neck, the bone and the windpipe having been completely severed. It is not clear whether one or two blows had been Struck with the axe.

According to the information gathered by the police, Kinsella, who is aged about 35 years, and whose relatives reside in Wellington, had been working for Mr. Wilson. He arrived at the whare some time on Thursday, and had with him two and a half bottles of whisky, which the two men consumed. Ycster-. day morning, at 5.40, Gordon, who was sitting up in bed, produced a butcher’s (knife with a curved blade, and said, “Here, Jack, cut my throat!” Kinsella stated that he took the back of the knife and gave Gordon’s throat a good rasping with it. Gordon then put h ; s hand up to his throat and said, “Well, you have made a bad job of it!” Late in the day Kinsella went to the Mangamahu Hotel and purchased two more hotties of whisky, which he took to the whare. A man named William Gibson, a mailman on the Mangamahu Road, was invited to share in the drinking of t'he whisky at the whare, which was evidently consumed within an hour.

A DETERMINED REQUEST. Then comes the extraordinary tragedy. Gordon, evidently in a determined manner, with one boot off stretched himself down on the floor having opened and turned back his singlet, requested Kinsella to “Cut his head off,” and then folded 'his arms across his chest. According to Kinsella, he immediately went outside to the wood-heap, where he procured a heavy axe, and chopped Gordon’s head nearly off. The accused man explained io the police “That he got a great fright when he saw the blood spurt.” Gibson, while the tragedy was being' enacted, was, according to his version, attending to the fire, only a few -feet away, and he looked round when he heard the smack. Beyond this he could give no further information, except that there bad been no quarrel of apy description. W(hen the police arrived it was evident that the three men had had a considerable quantity of drink. Gibson was talking pretty thick, but Kinsella could walk steadily. Gibson conveyed the news of the tragedy to Mr. Addenbrooke, and the latter rang up the police. On the way in to Wanganui last night Kinsella remarked, “Poor George. (We were mates together, and I won’t be able to go to his funeral.” Accused i also wanted to know how much bail would be required, and whether it would be necessary for him to go to the Supreme Court. Kinsella had evidently been drinking fairly freely of late, as he mentioned that he had been to Wellington and Wanganui. THE DECEASED. The deceased was well known about the Mangamahu district, having been for several years in -the employ of the County Council. For the past twelve or eighteen months, however, he had ■been in private employ as a' farm laborer. He was about 60 years of age. unmarried, and came from Sunderland, England. Three important exhibits in the case stood side by side at the police station this morning, namely, a butcher’s knife, the blood-stained axe, and four whisky bot-tles la|beiled “Sandy MacDonald.”

Constable McMullan remained at Mangamahu last night.and brought the body of Gordon to the Morgue this morning, where it was viewed later by the Coroner prior to the certificate of burial.

The accused was quite cheerful this morning at the police station, and evidently' did not realise the seriousness o*f the crime, lie made several jocular remarks with the police officers about the mud on his boots, etc., and also remarked that “It was mighty cold, and a ‘nip’ would not do a. fellow any harm.” ACCUSED BEFORE THE COURT. Accused was brought before T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., this morning, and charged with the murder of George Gordon. There was a good attendance of spectators in the body of the Court. Inspector Fouhy stated that the police had not had time to prepare the evidence, and he asked for an adjournment for a week.

In granting the adjournment till Saturday next, the Magistrate stated that the evidence of the. inquest could be taken simultaneously with that of the prosecution.