MURDER AT THE HUTT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2106, 2 October 1890, Page 3

MURDER AT THE HUTT.

W EiLiN aioN, Sept. 30. A ight occurred at the Lower Hutt at an early hour this morning, between a number of young men and three or four Chinaman, and resulted in the death of one European and severe injuries to one Chinaman. The particulars as far as are known at present are these:—A number of young men

have been in the habit of annoying the Chinamen, by throwing stones, etc., at their houses, and this morning, according to a statement of one of those who took part in the affray that ended fatally, Charles F, Hobbs, Henry Bolton, Walter Mardmant, William Rouse, Edward England, Thomas Smith (the deceased) and John Felling had carried out their plans, and on

being driven away by the Chinamen, Smith suggested that they should go across the bridge to the Chinamen whom they had visited early in the night. No sooner said than acted upon; stones were thrown for nearly five minutes, and then three Chinamen sprang out of a hedge where they seemed to have been in biding, and others of their race joined in. The young meh ran away. Smith fell behind, being exhausted, owing to recent illness, and was caught by the Chinamen. Smith called out Help, they are sticking mo.” Hobbs, Bolton, and Mardmant at once ran back, England following. Close by they saw Smith

, lying on his right side and a Chinaman kneeling on bis legs and another holding his head down, both, it is said, having knives in their right hands with which they seemed to be stabbing Smith. Hobbs struck the Chinaman with a heavy slip-rail from the fence of an adjoining paddock, and struck another of the Chinamen across the head and shoulders with it, upon which the Chinamen ran away towards the township. Smith was taken to Dr Wilford’s surgery, whore it was discovered that he was suffering from a punctured wound on the outer side of the left leg which had severed the main artery, and he died within fiye minutes of reaching there. A man named Lewes, who is living near by, heard cries of “ Murder,” “ Help,” and at once rushed out. He states that by the time he reached the road the row was over, and the parties separated. He found a young man named Thomas James Smith on the road, and, as he appeared faint and was bleeding profusely, he conveyed him with all haste to Dr Wilford’s residence at the Hutt, but the young fellow expired almost immediately on arrival there. In the meantime the police bad been telephoned for, and mounted troopers from Wellington and Petone were sent out and effected the arrest of three Chinaman, named Tom Hung, Young Bin, and Ham Coy. The last named was in a bad state, being terribly cut about the head. He was conveyed to the Wellington Hospital, where he now lies in a precarious state. The other two were lodged in the lock-up. Smith was twenty-two years ot age, and his parents are laboring people at the Hutt.

0. E. Hobbs, who was nearest deceased when be was caught by two of the Chinese, states that as soon as the latter got Smith down one sat on bis legs and.was digging a knife into his left leg while the other was stabbing him in the left arm. Hobbs struck one of the Chinamen with a stick he picked up on on the road, and called to his mates for assistance. The latter came at once, and on© ef them, be says, struck a Chinaman on the back of his head with what he believed to be a fence rail. This had the desired effect, as the Chinaman rolled over and allowed Smith to get up. Hobbs also says that the Chinaman who was stabbing Smith’s arm made a rush at him and tried to knife him, hut he jumped aside and avoided the thrust. Walter England, one of the party, admits that he struck a Chinaman a severe blow on the head when he saw him stabbing Smith. The weapon which he used was a stout paling taken from an adjoining fence. He says that he first of all tried to push the Chinaman off deceased, but finding he could not do so he hit him with the paling. The Chinaman whom he hit is the one brought into the hospital, but it js pot expected that his wounds will prove fatal, The wounds inflicted on Smith were yery severe, and the bones were laid bare. The wound in the leg was a stab, while the arm was slashed about.

Dr Wilford, who attended Smith, says that when he first saw him ** he was in a moribund condition, though he mad? an unintelligable sound as though he wanted to speak once after he came into my surgery. I put brandy down his throat and did what I could for him, but he expired five minutes after they had brought him in, having bled to death. I then despatched one man for a constable and another for a stretcher, and they carried the body to his mother’s house.”

Dr Whitehead, who attended the Chinaman said he found an incised wound on his head about inches long. He could put his finger half-an-i'nch into the incision, and the skull was exposed. He also found severe contusion on the left ahoulderblade, the injury being such as to interfere with the movement of the arm. The man had bled a good deal, but he did not think the injuries should prove fatal.

Tom Hung and Young Bin appeared at the Police Court this morning before three justices, charged with the

| wilful murder of Smith. They were represented by counsel and were remanded for a week. The detectives have been occupied all day investigating the row at the Hutt but have , not so far been successful in finding the knives used by the Chinamen on Smith. At each of the Chinese quarters visited knives were found except at the hut occupied by those who are in custody, and it is supposed that the latter in making their way to the residences of other Chinamen after the row either threw the knives into the river or have hidden them away.