AN AUCKLAND TRAGEDY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20272, 25 June 1931, Page 13

AN AUCKLAND TRAGEDY.

WOMAN DIES FROM KNIFE WOUND. I DAUGHTER'S STRUGGLE I WITH ASSAILANT. i j | I MAORI UNDER ARREST. | I [TIIE PRESS Special Service.] ! AUCKLAND, June 24. j Just before 0 o'clock this morning, in a Newton home, Mrs Gwen Johnson, | aged about -10, was stabbed to death, and her daughter, Miss Quccnio Driscoll, was wounded in the arm, and blinded by some liquid thrown in her was thrown in her face. Cries of "He's murdered her," 'attracted neighbours, and a man was seen to stagger down the front steps leading from the house with his hands covered in blood. He ran down the street, turned the corner, and leaped into a waiting tasi. Over two hours later a Maori named George Ramelca, aged 36, was found in a house at Hepburn street. Ho was suffering effects of poison, and he was taken to the Auckland Hospital. His condition this afternoon was reported to have sufficiently improved to enable him to bo questioned bv detectives. Rameka s name is Pahara Rameka Ivere. Story of the Tragedy. An account of what happened was told by Mrs L. Kecsing, the tenant of the house. i "Wo had trouble with a Maori last night," she said. "He came to the front door and threatened to commit suicide, bnt I pushed him out of the door. Later ho went to a dance Mrs Johnson, Miss Driscoll, and Mrs Johnson's son. "Before I was dressed this morning I heard Queenie calling out from the upstairs room where she slept with her mother. I ran up to the room, and found the door locked on the inside. I started to brehk in the door with a flatiron I had taken up with me, wien it was suddenly unlocked. The Maori who had been at the house the night before came out and attacked me. I caught his raised arm and struck at him with the iron. Then I escaped through the french windows on to the balcony. Man Escapes. "The Maori staggered and fell down the stairs. I went into the room and found Mrs Johnson lying on the floor. She di&d shortly afterwards. Queenie had been stabbed in the right arm and was blinded by something that had been j thrown in her face. Queenie said she had been in bed with her mother. The j Maori entered the room, locked the door, j and attacked her mother, who Traa asleep. Queenie told me she had been stabbed while trying to ward off a blow." Mrs Keeping's cries from the balcony attracted the attention o£ a neighbour. He went up to the bedroom and noticed a shfeath knife and an iron lyingr in the doorway. He br.ndaged Mißs Driscoll's arm, and afterwards said that her right eye was closed right tip. Mrs Johnson was twice married, the second time about 12 months ago. Her husband is due in Auckland on Monday by the Niagara, in which he is a steward. Search for Murderer. Immediately the murder was reported Sub-Inspector Gibson organised a search for the who had been seen in the house. Numbers of detectives scoured the city, where it was thought he might be, while Detective-Sergeant 0 'Sullivan and Detective Moore watch-1 ed the railway station, as it was thought likely he might board tho ex- J press. Detective Bowman then decided to visit the vicinity of Freeman's Bay, i where he knew several families 01' Maoris lived. Detective Moore accompanied him, and after visiting several houses in Baker street, they- went to a small two-storeyed house at Hep-, burn street, Freeman's Bay, occupied ! by Mrs Murphy, a cousin of Rameka. Detective Bowman ascertained that Rameka bad been there early this morning, hut had been removed to hospital as a result of poisoning only a few minutes before the arrival of the detectives. "This is the Ead of My Life." Mrs Murphy was not aware that Rameka was being sought concerning tho murder in Randolph street. She said that Rameka, who previously resided in the house, arrived there about 9 o'clock this morning in a taxi. He went into her bedroom and she said "Good morning," to him. He did not reply. He semeed very quiet and would not speak. She pressed him and wanted tp know what was wrong. Then he said he had "done something bad." "Whrtt's wrong? What have you done?" .she asked. "You'll know later," said Rameka, handing her a sealed letter. Rameka tiion said, "Give this to my father. Do that for ine. This is the end of my life." Rameka left the bedroom and went out into the kitchen, where he washed his hands in the dink. On returning to the bedroom again Mrs Murphy again asked him what had gone wrong, and why he should talk of taking his life. "Because my girl- turned mo down and all her people, too," said Rameka. Rameka then began to foam at the mouth and collapsed on the floor unconscious. Dr. Lamb was summoned and, arriving shortly afterwards, attended to Rameka and telephoned the Freeman's Bay police. Constable Higgins was quickly on the scene, and Rameka was taken to hospital in an ambulance. To-night the condition of Rameka had improved considerably, and he is not now in danger. RESIDENCE DESTROYED. . « iPItEdS ASSOCIATION TBLEGfIAU.) DUNEDIN, June 24. j A ten-roomed two-storeyed unoccupied wooden residence at Burke's, the property of Mrs Andrew Johnston, a widow, was gutted early this morning. The locality is outside the Are area and the flames had full play. WATERSIDER KILLED. (I'llZtiS ASSOCIATION TSt,E.J3Aii.) NAPIER, June 24. Samuel M'ortensen, a watersider, was killed instantly by having his head crushed between a bale ot: wool and a hatch combing on tho steamer Port Fairy in the Napier roadstead, <