THE KAUKAPAKAPA TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8, 9 January 1908, Page 5

THE KAUKAPAKAPA TRAGEDY.

ADMISSIONS BY THE PRISONER.

"I AFV. A MURDERER."

HOW THE QUARREL AROSE.

Further information respecting the terrible murder tragedy at Kaukapakapa, which was reported in last evening's issue of the "Star," came to light at the subsequent inquest yesterday. From the evidence it would appear that a gumdigger named William Stuart, residing about a mile above Kaukapakapa, was cutting firewood near his whare op Tuesday afternoon, and a neighbour named Edward West, having come up to visit him, the two entered into conversation which terminated in a disagreement, West venting his opinion of Stuart in very objectionable terms. On this Stuart, it is alleged, struck the other a ; blow with the axe on the head, the ! implement dealing a horrible, gash six ! inches long by four deep across the top i left hand side of the skull. I Stuart went immediately to the nearI est farmhouse, and informed the settlers, ! who communicated with the police. ConI stable Tapp and Dr. Meinhold, of Helensj ville immediately proceeded to i .be scene. I The body was removed to the Kaukapai kapa Hotel. Stuart was arrested and i taken to Helensville. I WHERE THE TRAGEDY OCCURRED. | The scene of the murder, Stuart's whare. is situated in a weird-looking spot about a mile, to the east of Kaukapakapa by a rough road. The place is a wilderness of fern and manuka, and although only half-a-mile or so from the nearest house, has an unutterably lonely appearance. The two empty whares of Stuart and West are about a quarter of a mile apart, a.nd each, in its surroundings, corresponds in description to what one would imagine as the fitting scene of such a tragedy. THE INQTJEST. VERDICT OF "WILFUL MURDER." The inquest was conducted yesterday afternoon before Mr. R. M. Cameron, J.P., at Kaukapakapa. Stuart, the man in custody, was present, and throughout i the proceedings conducted himself in a i remarkably cool and collected manner. ! His attituae of seeming nonchalance and i perfect ease never once broke down, and | there was even noticeable on his part a j desire to volunteer information which , might tend to clear up any points in J doubt. Even at the moment when the | dreadful verdict was pronounced he ap- ; peared not to realise the terrible charge | against him, and partook of fruit in much I the same manner as if he had absolutely no concern in the proceedings. I Chief-Detective Marsack outlined the j facts as stated to the police, and re- ! marked that the evidence was much | simplified by admissions made by the prisoner to the constable and other witnesses. The two men had quarrelled, | and it was alleged that Stuart killed I West with the axe. Stuart afterwards j went to a neighbour, Mrs. Shanks, and ■ told what he had done. | Mrs. Elizabeth L. Shanks, after i identifying the body of deceased, stated ' that the latter had been a gum-digger, i and as far as she knew, a single man. lOn the Tuesday afternoon, about 2.30 I p.m., Stuart came round to her house, entered the room without knocking, and grasping her suddenly by the hand, exclaimed, "Mrs. Shanks, I am a murderer." "What do you mean?" I asked. "I have killed West," he said. "How did you do it?" "I split his head open with an axe." Witness asked his reasons for the deed, Stuart explaining that West had used very provoking language towards him, ' accompanied by an objectionable epithet. Mr. Marsack (to Stuart): Do you*wish to ask the witness any questions? 'No. She's given you the truth. She's told you exactly how it happened." John James Hinds, bushman, a son-in-law of the previous witness, corroborated the more important points in Mrs. Shanks' evidence, having been in another room of the house when Stuart en'.ered and overheard the latter say, "I am a murderer." Stuart afterwards went into i the bedroom where Mr. J. Shanks was lying ill. and, when witness joined the party there, Stuart repeated the statement concerning the death of West, adding to witness, "Go over there and you will find his body under the trees." Witness immediately rode off to StuaiV's whare, and, after picking up. the blood- : stained axe in the hut, found the body , of West lying over against a tree about ', 12 yards away from the door. The i head was horribly cut. On mak- | ing an examination for any signs of i life, witness thought he ' could detect .faint sounds as of breathing, but he was ' not certain. He did not notice any ' chopped wood lying about. After tele--1 phoning for the police witness returned jto the whare, where he found Stuart, ■ who further proceeded to explain his i motives. "I was chopping some wood," he said, "to cook West's tea and some eggs for him. West said to mc, "I have sold 201b3 of gum, and you have only sold 5." He then used bad language to mc. With that I hit him with the axe." Witness adeled that Stuart was quite sober. The body had been shifted when he returned t<. the whare. rHuart: Ye_. l shifted it. Mr. Marsa&K (to Stuart): Have you ~u\ ejuustions? Stuart: No. There are little differences, but of no consequence. • Constable Tapp deposed to having arrested Stuart, who pointed out the place 'to kirn, saving, "When I cut him down j that's where he fell." Stuart remarked that West had disapproved of the fact that lie (Stuart) had not sold all his gum. "I was waiting for you," he added to the constable. Stuart twice repeated his statements implicating himself, and further stated: "West and I had been drinking, and if it had not been for the drink it would not have happened, as West and I were friends." Witness stated that eggshells were found in the whare. Dr. Meinhold said that W T est had been about 50 years of age. The wound might have been made by an axe, and could not have been self-inflicted. When witness examined the body at about 7 p.m., it had been dead about two .houra.

After retiring for five minutes, the jury returned a verdict to the effect that Edward West came by his death through a blow by an axe; that the blow was inflicted by William Stuart, who had wilfully murdered the said Edward West. Stuart was afterwards taken back to Helensville for the night. ACCUSED BEFORE THE COURT. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HELENSVILLE, this day. At the Police Court to-day, before Messrs. R. M.' Cameron and W. R. Fosbroke, J's.P., William Stuart was charged with the murder of Edward West. On the application of Chief-detective Marsack, ' Stuart was remanded until Friday, 17th inst. THE CHIEF ACTORS. Stuart's age is somewhere in the neighbourhood of 60 years. Possessing the fine martial bearing of the old soldier, he shows himself to his fuii six feet of height, and altogether possesses a marked personality. The somewhat sliarp and austere features are relieved by snowwhite hair and whiskers, although baldness is already in evidence. The man is of muscular build, and from appearances was easily the superior of West in weight and strength. West, indeed, was not more than sft 4in tall.