LATE OUTRAGE AT AUCKLAND.

Temuka Leader, Issue 299, 2 October 1880, Page 2

LATE OUTRAGE AT AUCKLAND.

Auckland, Sept. 29

Mrs Wington, wifo of a settlor living near the scene of the murder of Reos, was passing near en the night of tho tragedy with hor daughter, and heard sounds of blows, and groans. This was about a quarter past 9. Mr Wington was asked to ongago the same Fijian, but having seen him on board tho rossol disliked his appearance and decline d to lur° him. Tho inquest takes plao at 1 o'clock this afternoon. At the Police Court this morning the Fijian was brought up on a charge of murder and two charges of assault with intent to kill. He ploacled guilty to all tho charges, and was remand.id, ponding tho inquest. LATER. An inquest was hoi t on the body of Honry Louis Roes, before Dr Philson. Sub-inspector Pardy conducted the examination, and Mr Thruston interpreted for tho prisoner, who was present. After the Jury had viewed tho body, it was overturned in order that ths gaping wound might be fully persoivod. Tho appearance which it presented is beyond description. The skull had been cleft open and the sides of the wound wore fully two inches asunder.

After tho evidence of several persons had bsen taken, the Jur at once returned a verdict of " Wilful murder," and tho Coroner issued a warrant authorising the police to arrest the prisoner on that charge. The funeral of the murdered nm% Heury Louis Rees, took place this afternoon. The remains were conveyed to the Wesleyan ceme" tory in a hearse and Mrs Eess and daughter followed at a distance on foot.

It has been snbsequently ascertained by comparing a lock of tho hair of tho deceased with hair found on the prisoner's axe, that they are precisely similar, being streaked with (,'rey- The wound on thelrad of the murdered ma;i corresponds with the axe in shape and

Superintendent Thomson and Sub-Inspector Pardy to Sanky's house in order to be identified by the boy Gibson Willcott, who was struck on the skull with the axe. The boy identified him readily Young Willcott sleeps most of the time and feels little pain, but Drs Philson and Hooper haye little hope |of his survival.

Mr Sankey, in reply to the Islander's state ment that the boys Sankey and Gibson had teased and chaffed him prior to his making the attack, authoritatively denies tLe assertion, as also do the boys. The strange European who he stated told him that the Europeans would hang him to a beam, is named Michael Colom and he does not know a word of Fijian that Joe understood. Mr Willcott states that Joe has been in his service sinoe Maroh, 1871, and partially nursed the boy whose life he attempted. He denies ever having chastised or scolded thesnative. Such was his confidence in Joe that in 1872, when the mountain tribes massacred Burns and Mcintosh at Bea, he selected him out of 30 natives in his employ to keep watch in turn with himself and his eldest boy against the natives' night surprises. He had twice seen Joe peculiar and eccentric —onoe after the massacres—but as some other Islanders were in the same way he thought nothing bf it. The second time h i could not account for it, and Joe Beemed mentally deranged for two or three days, when he got the native boys to watch him, to see that he did nothing to himself or others. Mr Willcott says lie cannot acoount for his conduct, sa> e that he had a recurrence of hia previous fits of mental derangement, and temporarily lost his reason.