THE TE AROHA MURDER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 694, 16 February 1881, Page 2

THE TE AROHA MURDER.

The body of the man murdered at Te Aroha was found by tho side-of the road •leading to Paeroa. The throat • had been severed almost from.the body by a fearful gash, and the gaping wound was a terrible spectacle. The skull was almost.battered in, and there were several deep outs on the face* ami nock apparently inflicted by some jagged instrument. The murdered man was iiamed.Eltmioiie (Siiriori), and he was a member of the Nsjilakoe tribe. Some doubts exist as to how the fractures on the stcull were caused,'some, people alleging tliiit they were caused by a conical stone which was found close by tho deceased, covered with gore, and others being-'of opinion that the wounds l were ■ caused, by a tomahawk, From 'the fact of the fern in the locality being trampiod, it would seem that that a struggle had taken plaee, and the murdered limn—who was probably unarmed-fought hard for his life. Himionii's oiu ami hit were found in the middle »f tho mid ; also an ambor mouthpiece with silver'ferrel attached,' and a whito handkerchief "spoiled with bipod. The pockets of (he deceased's trousers wore turned inside oqt, as if the' motive of tho murder Iwi been robbery. The police, later in tho day, found at the tent of a man named Procnffy., a native of Finland, some newly washed clothes, still wet ;.and the stains on them are believed to' be blood. Procoffy had been quarrelling.with.the murdered man on tlje previous, night, honce suspicion fall upon him. On being charged with tho murder, the accused replied, ; il don't know anything abnutit. I did not doit." He- appeared much excited On' being asked questions, but answored without Buy hesitation, ; The aooused is a man of small proportions, and from hisappearance not likely to commit the orime, He has been working in the Sunbeam .Claim. The tulives'are greatly incensed. On Saturday afternoon an inquest was' held at Te: Aroha, before-.T. Kenrick, Esq., R.M., and the evidence showed that deceased and prisoner were not on friendly'terms, and had quarrelled on the day of the'murder. The wot clotheV found in prisoner's whare, on which stains, of blood are supposed to exist, we produced. The mediqal testimony showed' that; the wounds were made by a sharp instrument which had been dragged backwatds and forwards across the throat of deceased.. -..Some bruises were also found on prisoner's- body. The medical man could not say if tho stains on the clothes were of blood until the spots had been subjected to .microscopical observation, After half an hour's deliberation the jury returned a verdict r " That the deceased Himione Haora, had been found foully murdered b,y sqrqe person or persons unknown.' 1 '"■■'■ The circumstantial details of the'oas'o are most auspioioiis, and there is a feeling here (that the enquiry was brought to a termiqation too abruptly;. _The prisoner was brought up before Mr Kenrick at Te Aroha, on Saturday nMit, charged with the wilful ■ murder" of .Hintfone, andremaqded to Grahamstowu for eight days, ' . •,,-.