THE MOTU TRAGEDY.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 322, 2 August 1898, Page 2

THE MOTU TRAGEDY.

(BY TKLKGBAI'H—PEESS ASSOCIATION). GiSiJORNE, Saturday. Joseph Smith was the man who took tidings of the murder to the police, and who conducted the police back to the spot where Scott was murdered. After the inquest Sergt. Black and Detective Benjamin intimated their intention of proceeding to Motu to further investigate the crime and requested Smith to accompany them. This he did somewhat reluctantly. What discoveries the police officers made are not known ; but it is evident they found sufficient to justify them in suspecting Smith. When they went to his wliare at 11.30 a.m. yesterday, they found him dead. Tne body will be taken to Karaka over the rough track, on which a week ago the remains of Scott were borne. Last Night. At the inquest on the body of Joseph Smith, a Motu settler, the jury returned a verdict that deceased committed Buicide by arsenical poisoning. Detective Benjamin and Sergt. Black stated they had found no new facts sufficient to justify the arrest of Smith for the murder of J. K. Scott, though from careful inquiries, they were certain there was no one in the district likely to have seen Scott on the day of the murder, except his nephew and Smith, the nearest settlers being five or six miles distant, and there was no stranger in the district. The appearance of Smith's gun was also suspicious, having evidently been rusted with salt and water, and covered with dust. Cartridges were found in his whare, and and shot similar to those found in Scott's skull.