THE EPSOM MURDER.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 578, 3 February 1876, Page 3

THE EPSOM MURDER.

The Auckland police seem to have been quite unequal to the occasion, and as yet are in complete darkness, as to the whereabouts of the murderer Winuita, or any , pf his movements since the morning of 'the murder. Whether he has gone North or South, there is not a tittle of evidence from Auckland to show that can be relied on. The Auckland papers of course contain the most absurd stoiies as to his whereabouts, such as that he is hiding at Orakoi or in the caves and scrub about the Three Kings, and we notice tho supposition raised to account for his not being yet found that he m.iy have committed suicide. The "Cross" leans to the Orakei theory in support of which it says : " Mr Oolhns, is tho master of tho nativo echool at Orakoi. This gentleman resides in an isolated house at Orakei, vritli his wifr and two young sons. A.t eleven o'clock on Sunday night his attention was roused by some one timidly rapping ft* vo times at his door. The other members of the family also heard the sound as did two does which were fastened inside tho house. Mr Collins, who is in a delicate state of health, did not rue immediately, but called out " Who is thore?" Receiving no reply, lie determined to get up and loud a revolver he had in |Ihe house, at tho samo time rouoing his «ons. Tina he did, and then opened the door. Ho found no one thero. It is beliercd by Mr Collins that the knocking was caused by Hairy wishing to be^ for food, and trucUrg to tho uews of hia crime not having readied a spot so out of tho way. Upon hearing euch formidable- preparations boing made for his iccoplnn, it is surmised tho fellow decamped dreading that his hopes weio fallacious. Mr Collins fools confident that none cf the natives settled at Orakei would come at so late an hour, as thov are in the habit of betaking themselves to their wl'ares early in the night, The latest hear at which they have e?er vi*ifod him before has been 8 o'clock. Yesterday Mr Collins learned from a neighbour that he also liad hoard some ono knocking at Ins door. Information of tho above baa b«en given to *he police constable who was in the dial net." The " Star " of Monday has an account in it, which if not like most of these accounts— a lock and bull story— would serve to point that Winiata is keeping • close to the police barracks as the safest place. " A report -which throwß a new light upon the possibility of Wynyard's whereabouts has been ma'Jo known to the police. Mrs F Gittos was on % visit at her father's residoncein the vicinity of Arch Hill, not far from tho water- works. On ■Friday night she wiw alarmed by hearing a noise abouUhe place, but saw no one. On Saturday, at two o'clock, she observed a Maori coming over from tho direction of Mount Eden or tho Three Kings. The accounts published of tho murder and Wynyard'i appearance naturally led her to note tire dress of the man and she found it tally exactly with the description given of tho murderer. Ho wore duck trousers, a slouch hnt and blurher boots. His hat was drawn over his face, but below it a tuft beird could bo eecn projecting. He leaped across the hedge, and ran up to tho top of the hill close to tho water- works and tat down. Mr Gittos brother came in shortly afterwards and went over to see the native, ,but by that time he wai gone either in tho direction of P int Chevalier or Cox's Greek. Mr Gittos knew Wynyard well, and it is hia opinion that ths acoundrel would hide for a day or two in tbo broken places abDiit Mount Eden or Three Kings. His object m goin j t > Point Chevalier is supposed to be tho chance of picking up a <tiagy to ferry himself across to the North Shore -and thence on to the Hay of lalandi, from whenco he is said to l»».il." Whether the ono or the other of the one thousand and ono yarns which gain currency in Auckland havo any truth in them the fact stil! remains that the police — detectives some of them are called — are as wise as thoy were when first informed that the murder had taken place.