Suspected Murder at Wellington.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3220, 3 June 1889, Page 2

Suspected Murder at Wellington.

Weliington, Monday.' Mr Hawkings' death is now considered to be n case of murder. The result of the post mortem is not disclosed. It is known that a charge of shot was found in the body, and that there are a number of stabs in the neck, Vengeance, not robbery is believed to be .the motive. The, police searched tho house of an Italian who it ia believed, quarrelled with Hawkings, but found nothing to connect him with the case.

i The Murder ot a Farmer near 1 Wellington. The following further particulars are <>iven in tcdn/s Times of the . oircumstances in.connectiea with the : death'.of Mr Thomas Hawking,'.-, farmer of Upper Kaiwhara,: while,on i his way to his homestead at about 6 o'clock on Friday night examination of the body and of the ground since then, has made it cleai* beyond all doubt that Mr Hawking™ was murdered in a most atrocious i manner, and with ferocity almust-^rf, [ lingular. Mr Hawking lived on the hills at the back of Kaiwhara, aliont a mile from the main road, The road to his place runs up into (he hills from Messrs Cato and Dimock's I establishment, and a more suitable i locality for the committal of a crime t than that where Mr Hnwkings wa» ■ killed, could not well be'imagined, , At that particular apot the road, or \ cars track, having left the main ' gorge, skills round a alight bend on ' towards the top of the hill. ' Tho body of the deceased having i originally been found about 25 yards on thie side of the curve, almost i covered in blood, it was supposed that / he had met with au accident or been- > killed there. When an examinaliea - of the body came to be made, how-. v ' eyer t it was found that two charges of shot had been fired into the deceased gentleman—one (apparently .from close quarters) having lodged in his left side, and the other in his shoulders The shpulders aud neck showed a great number of wounds, inflicted by stabbing with daggor. furthermore, tho upon examining the .locality closely, discovered in the bend of; the road and among the furze on the low bank '■ which runs along it, a quantity of half burnt paper, wbioh had been .*.. ' used for wads' in loading a fowling \ '. piece. Small pieces of cloth and : A - ■ tweed, subsequently identified ns belonging to the deceased's waistcoat, weie also found in the v road; and a part of Mr Hawkingascarfpin was picked np by Detective Campbell in the grass inside the bend •", . —just as though it had been dropped , by some person making a short out across the bend. Tbo deceased's' penknife was also rickediip in the same place in such a condition as to warrant the supposition that it had been carried away by the • charge. Blood stains were also : discovered on an embedded stone lying • about fifteen yards. Irora tho spot where the body was found,-, What happened then it is tolerably easy hjft imagine.^Mr Hawkins.was leading '■:', bis horse, as usual, and when "he ■ ' reached the nppor part of the bend ' would be between the animal and the bank. The man, whoever he ji, who '• ■ :: shot him, WBB on,the, tank, and ho: ,v-------fired, probably ot a • dlatencejof a few ', yards.: Mr Hawkjh.slftceiyedOljte :■■:.}:■ % icharge'Jiiv.'the ■ iS'vA down,!■ and ;partß .of : waistepafc:were:carried:;;awsy by;ihe i^K: ;! :ajjroi|.tbJ9 r^ It rprjai hil l: t6:5 Sis BBsailanccamefrowtjj«tenkjarJo;. i^!^

having evidently a double barrelled gun, fired the second barrel. The charge lodged in Mr Hawkins' shoul- • der, and the unfortunate man dropped in the road. The determination of ,lhe assassin is proved by what must jfljhve followed. Whon Mr Hawkins Tell upon being shot tha second tirao • ■'. the other ran up with the intention—- ' carried out in a manner almost fiemlisli-of fitiishinsj hia work, and . as tbo man lay face downwarca, senseless, very likely, his murderer slabbed him time after time in the neck and shoulders, one of tho wounds thus / givon Mat in tlio right jugular) producing the hemorrhage which caused death. This theory, we believe, V, is generally accepted by tho police -' aftor their investigations, and upon tho' ■ evidence available it seems exceedingly feasible, if not inevitable. But in any caso the fact that Mr Hawking was shot twice, and Etabbed in about a dozen places, shows W . conclusively that a murder was b - committed under circumstances of exceptional bwality. The deceased carried very little monoy wi h him, but such as he had (die amount being believed to be a few pounds) is gone, together with his pocket book and s papers. His watch was found hanging loosely by the chain, Evidently, /Jfcwover, the object of the murderer .'Wffas '\m pecuniary gain than satisfaotwu of ill feeling toward the \ deceased, ) The police, of course, have been , actively engaged searohing for clues to tbe identity of the murderer, but are necessarily handicapped by the configuration of the country.' During Saturday and yesterday they seized a double barrelled gun, a quantity of shot, and a dagger, belonging to a .Settler in the vicinity, hut it in only fair to state that the fb.it is not the same size as that found in the body. A house has also been searched, but without any good result, Mr Hawkings is known to hare slated to

bis wife a lew weeks ago that a man whom he named, had threatened " to ' s do for him," or something to that effect, Mis Hawking urged her husband to give information to the police, which he declined to do, remarking that no harm conM come to him in daylight. It is a remark--1 able fact that since that time nniil Friday night Mr Hawkings had never #n on the road at night time, No bttheciremtanjis will be gone into in detail at tfio inquest, which is to be held this morning, and to which additional interest will attach from the fact that the result of the post mortem examination will lie disposed to by DrCahill, who in the meantime naturally declines to give any information whatever, Wo understand that the police do'not expeeo to finish the inquest to-day, and will probably ask for an adjournment of some few days, The deceased was an exceedingly popuhr man in the district as well as in Wellington, and ,deep regret is everywhere expressed at bis terrible death, Hnwas plaintiff in a civil action Hawkings v. Cheais, which was to havebaen heard at this week's sitting of the Supreme Court, and in which he sought to make the defendant fulfil an agreement in connection with a lease.

(United Press Association). 7\jk Wellwoiok, Monday, the inquest on the body of Thomas Hawkings, his wife gave evidence that about two months ago deceased came home put out because Louis Chemis, it man who worked on the road, had sworn at hiai, and said he would have him yet. There was a lawsuit pending in respect of a fifty aore section rented from lior husband by Chemis.

Taratabi-Carterton Road Board

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Board was held on Saturday, Present: Messrs H. K, Bunny, J. Rayner, E. Morgan, Jas. Stevens,

B, B. Alaunsel], N, Grace, E, W. minutes of the previous meeting rend and confirmed. Returning Officer • rend ih of the late election ot wardens the Boar J, when it wan resolved, on motion of Mr Stevens, seconded Mr Morgan (lint MrH. R, Bunny re-elected Chairman to the Board fjr the ensuing twelvw months. *ie Chairman returnod thanks for honor conferred on him. The Treasurer reported au overdraft of ,*l§Bß3l2s4d. • , ' CORRESPONDENCE. From Mr G. Buttler ra the ur.sife state of a bridge on Para Road. Lelt to the warden to deal with. From Hutt County Council re the amendment of the Lionising Act, to have the powers of the sumo invested in local bodies. Tha wardens oxproaiod themselves Ai appro»iig xr't'he alteration as suggested by the Hutt County Council, and a resolution w»s passed to that effect, From Mr J. King, re the Wainuioru bridge, and the estimate given to put.it in repair, It was moved by tho Chairman, • seconded by Mr N, Grace, that Mr Diwscm havn the job to put ic in lepair for £3B Bs, From ftthialua County Council vo the amendment if the Crown Lands Act. The Chairman moved, and Mr Dellar seconded, that ' this Board approves of the soheme as set forth by tho Pahintua County Council. From Kniwhata residents re the road. Left to tho wardens of tho district, W Deputation, *sS' A, Moody waited on the Board ; " in reference to a bridge which had i been washed away sometime ago, and asked tho Board to hayo jt put buck again, Besolved that the matter be lnft to the warden with power to spend £5 on tho job. Jjlr J, Basset re road clearing to his ■. -• property, Lower Dalo6old, He offered to do the work for Ssachiinj (that was, fall a"chain wide and clear it of stumps Hfeet wide), Resolved that Mr Bassett do the work for the prico stated,

MrMaunsell and Mr Dorset asked to be allowed to.Lave a few chains of road repaired to tho Para road, and asked that some littlo bush be foiled so that tho water there could be taken through lo Para creek. Permission granted to spend Jjß. # MrDarrock was authorised, to rake )Q tbo ruts on Craitbwuito's lino ot road; Mr Cadwallader to be omployed in repairing fenco on Para road; Mr Beard to draw a conveyance for graA pit on Bristol Boad j Mr Cartor to msked to give a gravel pit from bia land. The question of clearing the creek on Park Boad which iB choked up with ru'ibisb, ws.3 left in tho hands of $e Warden, Mr Allen, ro gravel pit for his ward, moved that Mr Kempton be asked to sella pit to-th'e Hoard. Carried. .

Mr R; 1 Goodwin asked that some

,; Btlimps nud logs be clerroil off tho kroad known as Oliver's liiio*. an it is dangerous r

(o dear the road as the ■timbsivfell from his land,

It was resolved that toudera he called for eighty chains of fencing,

Mr Bayner moved that the Bmgcr havo notice that his services are dispensed with, and that applications bs called for a' ranger, and that the bonus be L 5 a year, Carried, Specifications for tho maintenance of the Main Road .was read by tho Chairman, and after somo few alterations wore made, it was resolved that tenders be called for the work.

Moved by tho Chairman, secondod by Mr Grace, that af d rate in the £ be struck for the ensuing year. Carried, Mr Maunaell thought n halfpenny rato would do, Messrs Grace and Dorset wore authorised to sign cheques on behalf of the Board. Accounts amounting to Ll!iO wero passed for paymont. This closed the business and the meeting adjourned. Castlepoint Road BoardThe first meeting of tho new Board was hold on Saturday, 251 h May. Present—Messrs Maunaell, Andrew, EUer and Laugdon. Mr Mannseli was again elected Chairman for the ensuing year. Tho Clerk stated that no member had been elected for No. 4 sub-division, and the matter was allowed to'stand over. The minutes of tho previous nueting were read and confirmed. Tho Treasurer, reported balance' in Bank, general account LilO 19s 7d, and L69.12s separate account,

Correspondence read; From Colonial Secretary re gazetting new members on the 9tb inet. From Treasury re sums paid into Bank on account ol Uriti loan. From Bank of New Zealand, ro amounts received tor J. McMillan,. From County Engineer «i h ctrtifa'cates of contracts completed on Uriti roud. From County Clerk with account of Engineer's expenses in connection with the expenditure ol the loan-on Uriti road, From Mr M. Nathan applying to have the road repaired from tho Pos f , Office to the saddler's shop in Tinui. Messrs Nathan, Hancock, and Armer wuiled on the Board in respect to re-metalling the road near the Tinui Hutel, Tho Chairman informed them that the Board had considered the matter, and had voted a small •sum for the purpose of re-metalling tho road in question. Rffiolved.-That Mr Nicholls be requested to cut the Ittize encroaching on the road from hia fence between 'he Tinui Hotel and Mr Stewart's stables; and that the Clerk ol Works tako steps to remetal the road near Tinui Hotel. Accounts amounting to Llll 12a fid were passed for payment. It was resolved to hold a special meeting of the Board on Saturday, the Ist June, to consider the question of raising 10 per cent on tho loan for the Uriti road.