THE INQUEST.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 152, 29 April 1873, Page 2

THE INQUEST.

The names of tho jury we have already printed ; it is \ therefore unnecessary to give them hero. After view ii>^ the body, the Coroner, W. 2f. Searancke, Esq., proceeded to take evidence The body was frightfully mutilated ; the head was off, ,iud the gi eater portion of tlie intcbtines had been extracted. The Hist witness called was lUvid .Toues, who upon being sworn, deposed as follows : I left my hut yesterday morning, the 24th iast, in company with Rugers and deceased for the purpose of making a fascine road across a piece of swamp situated outside the boundary line. Wo had been working for two hours, or probably two hours and a half, when we crossed the fascine road we had made for the purpose of getting some wood to boil the " billy." I left my coat on this side, and my dog with it ; he barked, and I looked up and saw a native. Directly the native observed that I had seen him he drevr back. I said to th« men who were with me, " The natives are on m." Directly afterwards four natives came down the hill towards us. They were about three chains off when I first saw them. They came down the hill and crossed the swamp, and we ran away together. I waa leading. Sometimes one got to the front, and sometimes the other. The natives followed us closely. Sullivan ran for about three quarters of a mile, and then stopped, bemg unable to go further. He said: "I ani done; I shall stand. Take care of yourselves." About five minutes afterwards I heard a shot fired at the plate whore Sullivan had stopped and hidden himself among the ti-tree in a gully. The native I supposed to havo shot him did not stop, but followed us. Another native stopped beI hind. All this timo Rogers and I were running away us fast as we could. The native was about 50 yards behind when ! the sliot wa» fired. At tho time wo armed at tho confinesI tion Jme the leading native fired at us, and at the iamo time , called out to tin* others to give up tho chttse. He was 500 yards distant when he fired at us. That was the last 1 saw of the murdering parly. Aitor the- soeond shot was fired, they railed out to me to stand. I didn't. I know one of the natwes; his name is Potoruru (Bell). It is my belief that it was he who shot Sullivan and punuod us. Ho firod tho second shot. They were all armed with g.una» Wo ran away because we had no arms. I cannot wear to the other three. I think two of them were Wira and Paul. We were going on land leased from the natires bv Mr G-. B. Walker, three chains from the boundary line. Wo ran parallel with the boundary, for some time. Sullivan was just behind us when lie stopped. Tho body I have seen n that of Tim Sullivan. I recognised it by the clothes and by the- knife t was present when tliu body naa found. I guided the men out. At the time of the attack we were so situated that tho natives could como quite close without our seeing them. When first seen, the natives were between m nnd Cambridge. That is the reason wo made sucli a long detour. 1 saw Mr Parker and another man some distance oft", but could not give them notice. I was warned by Te Huua on Woduesday night to taks care of myself, and to c*rry a revolrer, also to tell Mr Walker to get all tho station hands m at night, as natives were out in tlie fern, and ho did not know whatthev might do. I had no time to warn anybody. When wo found the body it was mutilated. The head was cut off and the body 'was cut open. I warned my mates Rogers and Sullnan the same evening. Ino often received warnings that I did not take much notice of them. Sometimes I carry a revolver and 6omctimes not. I would havo taken firearms, but had no time to go for them. I was warned by the same man once before, wheu Limey was struck m the swamp, to go inside and stop at the station, and take care of myself, and to wait until I heard from him whether it would be safe to go on the run, T told no one but my mates, as T had no time to warn anyone else. My hut is' six miles from the station. I hare had repeated warnings from different natives to look out during the last two years. I have made these warnings known to my employers when I thought them of any importance. T expected Mr Parker out on the morning on which the aflair took placo. Tho natives came upon us at about holt-past 11 o'clock. Chailes Rogers, sworn, said r We were fascining a piece of road on Thursday, the 24th mat. We were at work when Jones said, " My Ood, run boy«, the natives »re upon ua. We are all dead men. I said let us run, and we did run. I got very much excited and confused We all ran together. I remember Tim Sullivan (topping. He said "Go on, boys, go on ; I am done ; take care of youmelves." I heard the shot fired two or three minutes after Sullivan had stopped. We ran three-quartere of a mile before we hcai d the shot ffred. Sullivan sat down beside some dead manuka. It was about five minutes after he sat down that the shot was tired. Jones was quite cool when we ran away. Richard Parker, sworn, said : I was going, yesterday, where Jones ami his mates- were laying fascines, for the purpose of taking a dray load of fascines to them, When f got theio they were gone. I gave a " coocv," and there was no answer. I saw two nativesjabout half-a-mile off on the rise of the opposite ridge. I was suspicious that something was wrong. To make sure, I ran down to tlie place wheio they ought to hive been working, I returned to the dray. I stopped there about' ten minutes, keeping my eyes ti\ed upou the two nait.ilHtM. L -aw a third come down the sumo ridge that I had come down. About hall" a mile from me ho stopped At tlie '•nine time T saw the two natives moving ofl' in the opposite direction awny fiom mo. Feeling convinced that tliev wore coming round to where the third nati\c was, I got into the dray and mored off up the ridee On mv road I had to pass the third natne. Directly I got opposite him, he levelled hi« fowling piece at mo. I cried out to him, and hu piece missed fire. Ifc aguin cocked his piece and it snapped ajuin, but it did not go otF. T win jmt on the point of ]umpm<r out of the dray, when I called to tlie man who hud been in the druy with me to conic and collar the native, but found he had gone; mul as 1 saw tho native seeking nnothor cap in his pouch, 1 dro\e the horses awa\ at a gallop for 200 yards and called to the man who had jumped of! 1 the dray to run. I did not ccc him, but thought he was in the fern. I stopped then for a few- minute*, and then started oiF lit. a trot, ;is 1 ■k»»y the nntwo coming towards me a^ain. 1 dnl not hoc an} thing of Jones or his mates on this" the second trip t'mt 1 had made. Ido not know the native called Hell. 1 did not recognise tho native who followed nic nnd fired at me. He was a niiddlc-ag<-d man, light complexion, and slightly tntooed on cheeks. Jones told me that they hud been told to be on their guard Lloyd is the niiinc of* the man who was with me when the aftair took pliice tfS>(!pnrce Lloyd, sworn snid • T went with Mr. Parker yestorday to cart'taseinest to whole Jones and his matc3 weie working. [Mr Paiker's evidence up to the time of Lloyd leaving tho dr.iy was here read over and con tinned by Lloyd.] 1 saw all the men at woik on the first trip I jumped oft' the dray. 1 i\p» frightened. The gun was pointed at either Mr Paikur or myttelf. I ran into the fein, and tumbled down 1 then lati off as quickly as possible. I dul not bee any luoie of the nativci. I identify the body as that of 'lim Sullivan. Mr & Is. Walker, aworn. said : 1 was informed yosterd.ay tha j •Shllm.hi, one of the men winking for mo, had been shot, and that Mcssis Paikerand Lloyd had been missing, and supposed to havo shared the same fate. 1 went out to whoiuthe men hnd licui at woik. Whon a short distance fiom the spot, I saw I'aiker coming behind me. We ciossed the fabcinus, and met Major Clare and party in search of SuHiwn's body. I found it lying in a small gully, clo.se to r. biauch of niamika. He -was lying on hta back, His

head wj3 cut off ami camel away, aiul his heart kid been cut out and also earned away. His own pocket knife was lymg by hi 9 side opeu, and coveied with blood. I called* the party up. I found a bullet- wound under his right shouluer. I then went to the telegraph office to tell Colonel L)ou, and to send a telogiatn to the Native Mnustet from Major Clare. 1 identity the body ai that of Tim sulhvon. It 1 had thought tnere was .my d*uger to be .ippiebcmled 1 would have brought my nieu into the home aD<i bum. Charles Collins, sworn, depojed ; Ima a constable, in charge ol ilatioti. -Mr Jones told me he had been attacked bv natives. 1 repoi ted to Alajoi- Clare, aud under his command started » ith nine others to where murder had beeu committed -Mr Waller loiuul tlte body, »Jnch I believe to be that ol'Tnn Sullivau. Henry Tiaver-, sworn said: On la-.t Wednesday I received .i verbal notice from a Maori boy, telling mo that the llmih.ui-. weie lost or nns-ung. I asked linn liowmany there were-* He amwerid, two, I'aoni and 8011. On my road home I fold -Mr Jones what I had heard. I'aua is the natno ofthc h>v who gave nic the information. 1 have been so ofion warned tlut I take no notice of it. U K'iikwood, said- About a fortnight ago I was plavmi; cnekot in Cambridge. A native tame up and spoke to inc. I did not know- lm name. I wanted to get rid of him, ami ho said I have soaietmng to saj to jou. He said ""oine Kiin)|.eiiiw are f;oin<c to bo killed. 1 laughed at him, nn I he said it was ti iu>. 1 aske I who was going to kill them, llevrid tl c Kauliaus I then a*ked, do they mean to *i*rlit v lie said, no; thej siiupl) mean to nmrdci. I asked where it was going to happen, and ho pointed to Monnninle, Tnotaoroa, and Miti .\iata ; it might be there, or there, or there. 1 made light ot what lie said, and he remarked, when I'm gone \ou will remember my words. I know the man to be a Jfauhau. Taira la Hura, sworn, baul : A native named Martin came to me from Areletahn, and siud to mi', "Tell Jones to be careful." The natives arc determined to kill him. I came into Cnmbridge and sent, a boy to tell Jones to come into Cambridge to me. When be came I told him what I had henrtl, and not to sleep at out 'stations ; to do bi» work in the d.vylight, and to bring a gun with him. Martin said that the- danger \\.ia to be expected from the Arctetaha people, and n t from the Hauhaus generally. The verdict appealed in <>>u last issue,