MURDER AT LITTLE RIVER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1643, 6 October 1887, Page 3

MURDER AT LITTLE RIVER.

CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 4.

About 10 o’clock last night, a murder was committed at Little River on the verandah of the Lake Forsyth Arms Hotel. Three Russian Finos, working at Coop’s sawmill, went to the Hotel about 9 o’clock. The men came in and stood there while a song was being sung, and then all three went into the dining-room where they bad some refreshments by themselves. Two of the men had words. The men’s names were Malts Johanson, Nils JakcbsoD, and Andrew Nyman, After a time, however, the quarrel seemed to cease, George Robinson, a half-caste, having gone in to pacify them. They went out together at 10 minutes to 10 o’clock by foe front door on to the verandah. A short time afterwards a man named Leon on going out saw a man lying on the verandah, as be thought dead drunk, and the big Finn, Jakobson, standing a short distance off ready for going away. Leon spoke to him, saying it was not riabt to leave his mate there drutk. The B’inn replied in his own tongue, and Leon understood bins to mean that his mate was all right where he was. Leon then went in, but slmrtly after went out again with a man named Kay, and a lad namad Hitchens. Hitchens lit a match and looked at the supposed drunken man, and holding the uasich to his face!noticed that it was ghastly white. Then they noticed blood on hie clothes, further they found the clothes

wore In places saturated with blood from dreadful stabs, one of which appeared to be in the heart, and others in the entrails below the navel. They gave the alarm,

and it was ascertained that the man was dead. George Robinson saddled his horse and started in pursuit of the big Finn, and overtook him some 200 yards from the hotel. He wont up to him with a bottle, saying “Mate, have a drink,” and threw the man down quickly, being afraid of his knife, and bound him with a strap. The others coming up, ho was taken to the lock-up, George Robinson meanwhile was after the other Finn, whom lie found between Joblin’s store and Coop’s mill. This mao came back quietly also, and they were both locked up. Nothing was found on them but some matches and tobacco. There was a little knife quite incapable of giving the stabs, found on the smaller man, and there was

a slight wound on the right hand of the bigger man, but this might have been caused by his falling on the ground. It was at once decided to communicate with Akarofi. The telegraph offioe called Akaroa, but without avail, and then (hero was a difficulty in procuring horses. It was getting on for 3 a.m. when Hitchens got away with the nowe, and he reached Akaroa between 6 and 7 a.m., and at once informed (he police, who sent Constable Crockett off to Little River. The body was left where it was till the arrival of the constable. The inquest will be held at noon to»morrow. Little Rinbr, Oct. 4. The body of a man named Matts Jobanson was fouad dead on the verandah of the Forsyth Arms Hotel, Little River, this morning, stabbed in the heart. A slight scuiß« hud been heard. George Robinson went outside the hotel with some others, including a man named Davidson. They saw t,*o men running

away. Robinson jumped on his horse and caught one of the men, named Andrew Nyman, whom he collared and tied up, and left him in charge of the other named George. He then went in pursuit of the ether, named Nils J.ikobson, The two men were at once taken to the police station and placed in different cells. Mr McNae at mice went to Mr F. Tavonder, the only J.P. available, who at once despatched a special messenger to Akaroa. Constable Crockett arrived here at 10 this morning, but ns yet there are no signs of the Coroner or of ths doctor. These men bad for a length of time been working together, and were supposed to

be the best of friends. One of the men arrested is the uncle of the deceased. Detective Niel had arrived and will investigate the murder case. A correspondent of the Lyttelton Times snya Robinson, with the other men -Ponlo, Leon, and Tom Holt—went in search of the knife, and found it in the middle of the road close to the hotel. It

is a sort of farrier’s knife, such as is used to pare the feet of horses or sheep. It is apparently made from an old file, and is stuck into a wooden file-handle. The blade is about five inches long, and it is « fearful stabbing weapon. It was found lying in one of the shallow streams of water which everywhere run across the road. Charles Nelson, a Norwegian, identified the knife as one used by Nilla Jakobson, and carried by that man in a sheath.

It is said that the quarrel was over a tumbler which Jakobaou broke, and deceased and others said he should pay for,