HORRIBLE MURDER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2561, 8 December 1888, Page 2

HORRIBLE MURDER.

(by TELEGRAM—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Gisborne, Friday. The s.s. Australia, which arrived in the Bay last night, brought information that at Waiporo, a most atrocious murder had been committed, it is supposed, on Wednes-

day evening. Frank Pooke, storekeeper at Motahu, with his wife and child were found horribly butchered. Pooke and his wife were dead, but the child, though much mutilated, is still alive. Motahu is a small native village a few miles north of Waiporo. Mr Wallis, J.P., visited the spot shortly after the tragedy, and states that Mr and Mrs Pooke were found lying murdered in their store. The bodies were behind the counter; the husband had his head split open, the wound being evidently inflicted by an axe. The body of Mrs Pooke was lying across that of her husband ; her head was also split open and her throat cut in such a manner that the head was nearly severed from the body. Pooke's throat was also cut, showing that the murderer was determined to accomplish his diabolical purpose. Their son, aged seven years, was also found in an insensible condition, having received a fearful wound in the head, having evidently been struck with the same instrument with which his parents were killed.

Mr Wallis had the boy forwarded to Gisborne, and he was placed under Dr. Pollen's

care. Robbery was evidently the motive of the murder, as the cash in the place was taken away, and footprints smeared with blood are all over the place. The premises had evidently been ransacked for money and valuables. It is thought the murderer had been purchasing goods, as there was a bundle tied up on the counter and a paper was found with items and prices of articles written on it. Pooke apparently had been making up the account, There does not appear to have been any struggle as nothing was upset to speak of, as Pooke was lying full length on the floor with his wife on top of him, the husband was evidently killed first. It is supposed that while the murderer was searching the house he came across the boy and struck him on the head with the axe. The boy's body was discovered lying on the floor where ho had apparently lain the whole night. Sergeant Villiers has taken charge of the premises. From the class of goods in the parcel, there is good reason to believe that the porpetrator of the murder is a Maori. Mr Pooke had been to Tokomaru that day, having recently taken the hotel at that place. The same store was broken into by a Maori with an axe in March last, who was arrested but discharged owing to want of evidence. Mrs Pooke had frequently applied for protection since, as she has lived a good deal alone, and feared being murdered. Mr and Mrs Pooke, who have been thus foully murdered, belong to the Raglan district, where Pooke's parents still reside. Mrs Pooke was a daughter of the late Capt. Swan of Raglan, and niece of Capt. Fairchild. The wife of Mr W. Duncan, J.P., Auckland, is a sister of the murdered woman The Pookes had only been four years in the Bay district. The murdered lady was about 27 years of age, while her husband was four or five years her senior. Mr Booth, Sergt. Bullen, Dr. Pollen and a Herald representative have started for the scene of the tragedy by the Matai this morning. ______________