THE EPSOM MURDER. Newton's Evidence.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1563, 11 July 1882, Page 2

THE EPSOM MURDER. Newton's Evidence.

The examination of Winiata was continued at the R.M. Court, Auckland, on Saturday. Clement Newton, a half-caste, deposed that he resided at Raglan, and was residing there in ISSO, and went to Hikurangi in October of that year. He arrived there at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. He did not then know Winiata, but something happened in the evening which drew his attention to him. A boy asked Winiata to go for some water. Winiata replied, " I am afraid, because it is dark." The boy then said, " Why were you not afraid when you killed a pakeha at Epsom ?" Witness then asked the boy secretly if that was Winiata, and the boy replied ''Yes." He indentified the prisoner as the man the boy spoke to. Witness then said to Winiata, "You had better state all the circumstances in connection with your killingthe pakeha." He then commenced to make his statement to witness, and made a very long statement, which witness committed to writing when he returned to Raglan. Winiata said he was first a sailor on board the Luna, The steamer went to Wellington, and thence to Waitara, where he (Winiata) made love to a woman, and brought her with him on the steamer, and they came to Kawhia with Sir Donald McLean and others on board. On reaching Kavrhia Sir Donald McLean saw the woman, and told Winiata to return her. The steamer went on to Wellington, and he then expressed a wish to leave the steamer, but the captain told him he would not get his pay if he did, because, according to his agreement, he was to serve for six months, and two months still remained. Winiata said he did not care for the wages, and he and the woman came to Auckland, w here Sir D. McLean again saw him and the woman, and told him he had better send her back. Winiata then asked Sir Donald whab about his wages which had not been paid, and Sir Donald McLean told him if he sent the woman back he would give him a note to the captain to pay hbn, and he consented. He then became friends with a native of Wanganui, and they came and lived with a European at Epsom, and worked together there, . After, .working three mouths a pakeha came with a saddle, and sold it to his (Winiata's friend. The price was £1, and his fiiend asked Winiata to givo him the money. After that his mate married a European woman, and went to Wangauui without, repaying the^l, but lett the saddle vfith him. Subsequently proclamations were issued about the saddle, and he 'then for] the first time knew that it had been stolen. His master told him he would be arrested on account of it, and he replied it would be better to summon him, in order that he might summon the Wanganui native. Shortly after the police came with the owner of the saddle, and lie rushed to the entrance of his master's house, but his masler pushed him out, and one of the policemen rushed forward to arrest him. He struck the policeman, who fell to the ground. Two policmen then rushed on him but he beat both of them. One of the police then called to his fellow-Avorkmen. Three of the workmen came to their assistance, but he struck them all ; but a European named Packer then threw a piece of iron at him, and his face was covered with blood, and it was then he was arrested and brought to the prison in Auckland, and the next day he was tried. The offence was brought home to him and he was sentenced to three months in gaol. He asked the magistrate what about Packer having struck him on the forehead with a piece of iron, but the magistrate said ne had nothing to do with that. Winiata said he wanted him to be imprisoned for three months, and added, " If he is not imprisoned, I will kill that pakeha when I am liberated." The magistrate then ordered the police to take him (Winiata) to gaol, and he always told his fellow prisoners that he would kill that pakeha when he came out of gaol. When he had served his term, he came out and returned to the master he had formerly worked for, at Epsom, and became friends with a man belonging to the Ngapuhi tribe. They worked together tor the same master for nearly a year. He and his mate came to a public-house at Remueui, and saw Packer theie. They both shouted for him. A quarrel then commenced between Winiata's mate and Packer. The latter stiuck his mate with his fist and then threw him on the ground, and Winiata then rushed forward and threw Packer out of the publichousc. A number of Europeans separated them and the quarrel ceased, and lie and his mate went along the road. While walking along, his mate proposed to him that the European should be killed, and Winiata then remembered having been struck with the piece of iron. They both agreed to kill that European, and arranged to do it at three o'clock in the morning. His companion came to wake him at three o'clock in the morning, and they started on their way to kill that European. The distance between the place they started from and where the European was staying, was about a mile, and when they reached the house it was about sunrise. They went into the stable and Winiata found a billhook and a hatchet there. His mate took the billhook and they went in at the window of tho room where that pakoha slopt, Thoy tried to lift the window. It had not been fastened, and his companion jumped into the house. The pakeha had got up and had his trousers on. His mate struck him on the head with the blunt part ot the billhook, and the pakeha cried out, "Oh dear, dear." Winiata then jumped in and the pakeha was struck and killed. His mate ran out, taking \\ ith him a coat, in which there was a sum of £23, and went behind a furze hedge, and stood there Avhile Winiata wrapped the pakeha in a blanket, and took him behind the house, and placed him under a pile of rails, but his legs were not concealed. He then returned to wipe up the blood at the doorway of the house. The cook had got up and looked at him, and he thought he would kill her too, lest she should take the news, but she went back into her house, and Winiata went to his mate on the other side of the furze hedge, and then saw the cook going to the liouse of another European near by. The father and the son then came out. The son had a gmi, and they went to search for the European, and found him under the pile of rails. The son was startled. He then rushed within himself, to come aud take the gun, lest he and his mate should be killed. The boy returned to the house, got on a horse, and rode towards Auckland, and Winiata and his mate started on their way. Twenty minutes afterwards, aUthe roads were covered with policemen^ They went towards a bush at RemuQra, and were pursued there by the police, but they got up a tree. The bush was surrounded by the police, and was hatched night and day.' Winiata then went away, and his mate remained. That was all Winiata told witness, except he said that his' mate came to Auckland. ■ < The evidence of Barlow 'and Constable , Gillies having been taken, ''the prisoner, |who reserved ?his defence, 1 was'comimfced. to»takeTiis trial at the -present- criminal seasiw of % Supreme Court, i <. > • ■