ALLECED MURDER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 7, 8 January 1908, Page 5

ALLECED MURDER.

A GUMOIGCERS , QUARREL MAN KILLED WITH AN AXE. A KAUKAPAKAPA TRAGEDY. Am AP.EEST MADE.

o d Information was received by Inspector c Cullen this morning from the Constable 1 stationed at Helensville that a man t named Edward West was murdered at d Kaukapakapa yesterday afternoon, and d that a man named William Stuart had t been arrested charged "with the crime, j £ K.mkapakapa is a small place in the j C Waitemata County; about seven miles j f beyond Helensville. t STOBT OF THE T&AGEDT. ]j In the course of a report to Inspector g Cuilen, Constable Tapp states: " Yester- I j day afternoon, the 7th inst., I received a j a telegram from Kankapakapa. asking mc T to go there at once and bring a doctor j j as a man had been hit on the head with j -_ an axe. Dr. Meinhold went out to the 11 f sumfield, and from inquiries found th=.t j } William Stuart, aged about 60 years, had 11 killed Edward West, aged about 45, by t chopping him with one blow in his head f with an axe. The cut is on the left side of the skull, and is about five inches long j ami four inches deep." i STATSaCSHT BY TEE ACCTTSE33. ■ Constable Tapp goes on to say that j . the accused made the following state- j ment:—"West and myself were at my whare. I had the ase in my luand and was chopping some wood to boil the billy to make some tea and boil some esgs for him. He saw some gum in my whare, and said ' You . you did not scrape all yoar gum.' I, in a moment, chopped liini on the head for saying that to mc. . Soon after, I saw his eyes opening and shutting, and then I saw he was dead.' . Continuing the constable says; '* I took possession of the axe, also \ the Hat the deceased was wearing- at the trine, which, has a clean cut hole in it about six inches long. Both are stained with blood. I had the body removed to j the Kaukapakipa. Hotel. I arrested I Sruart and arrived at Helensville with ! the prisoner at 9.-A0 p.m. last night. The coroner save he will hold The inquest to-day in the afternoon. AWOTHE3 ACCOUNT. GUMDIGGERS' FATAL QUARREL. {By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent) KAUXAPAKAPA, this day. Two gumdiggers, named Stuart and West, quarrelled yesterday afternoon. Stuart sJruck West on the head with an axe. exposing the brain. Stuart went to the nearest farmhouse and told what he had done. The people communicated with the police and doctor. West died before the doctor arrived. Constable Tapp took Stuart to Helensville last night. The body lies at Kankapakapa ' Hotel. The inquest is proceeding. A —