COLD-BLOODED MURDERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 192, 14 August 1911, Page 2

COLD-BLOODED MURDERS.

FATE OF FIVE WOMEN. AN INDIAN'S CHIME. The Fiji " Times " of July 29 contains the following account of the murder of five women, which was reported at the tfcne by cable. Though crime among the Indians in Fiji (says the report) is very frequent, no incident has ever equalled the systematic murders which have just come to light. During the early part of the year the portion of a limb protruding from a shallow grave at Calia, Navua, disclosed that a murder had taken place. It was found that the remains were a female skeleton, and no clothing or articles of jewellery were found by which to trace identity. It was also discovered that no one was missing from the district, and Inspector Pennefather was left in mystery. On June 19 last two more female skeletons were found by labourers in a canefield at Navua, which had not been cultivated for some time. Again there was no clothing or articles by which to identify the victims. As no persons were missing from the district excepting deserters from the Vancouver-Fiji Sugar Company's estate, the police immediately gave their attention to discover an Indian deserter who was accompanied by two women when he left. The man, Jiawan, was a few days ago located by Inspector Singleton at ißewa. It was found that at Rewa Jiawan had about three weeks ago enticed the wife and daughter of a free Indian away from ho.ne. Subsequently he was arrested at Koronivia, but the women were not in his company and he stated that he had handed the women over to an Indian named Persadia, whom he had met at Suva, and they were now all at Navua. Inquiry (found that Pexpadia knew nothing of the women, and he had not been to Suva. Jiawan altered his story, and said he had taken the women to Viria. Ho was taken by th e police to Viria, but •before he reached there he admitted having murdered the women and took the police to the bodies, which were in the bush. The murderer returned to Nadurulolo, when he made a full statement, and confessed to having murdered all five women. H e stated that he had given their jewellery which he hjad taken to a Indian named Bamadin, who had received them for safe keeping. This proved to be true. An extraordinary thing about the bodies of the last murdered was that all the flesh had gone from the bones, though the murders were committed only three weeks ago. No doubt the mongoose and weather were responsible for this. Inspector Singleton was untiring in his efforts, and deserves credit for the manner in which he carried out the investigation which has brought to light one of the most cold-blooded murders Fiji has ever known.