CHARGE OF MURDER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 90, 9 January 1908, Page 5

CHARGE OF MURDER.

V " A .QUMDIQQER'S DEATH. • CHOPPED ON THE HEAD WITH • AN AXE. ■"•■■ HIS MATE ARRESTED. . (B* TBLSGBAFH—SPEOJAIi COBRESPONDENT.) Auch(arid,'January 8. ; Information was received by Inspeotor Cullen this morning from the constablo stationed at Helonsvillo that a man named Edward: West was murdered at Kaukapakapa yesterday afternoony and that a man named William Stuart jiad boon arrested and charged with tho crime. , Kaukapakapa \s a small place in the Waitemata county, about seven miles beyond Holensville. : : ' ; ; , . CONSTABLE'S REPORT. " In'.i tho courso of a report to Inspector 1 Jullen,' ponstablo Tapp states <" Yesterday afternoon I received a telegram from Kaukapakapa asking me to gothero at once, and.bring a doctor, ■ as 3 man had beep hit in the head with an.axo, Dr. Meinhoid went out to tho gumiield, and from inquiries found that Wjljlam Stuart, aged about sixty years, had kMled Edward West, aged about forty-five, by chopping him with one blow In. his head, with an axe. The cut : Is on the left side of the skull, and is about fina Inches long arid four Inches V deep."' , STATEMENT BY, ACCUSED^ ' Constablo Tapp goes on' to say,that' the accused: maclo, the following statement . West and myself were at'my whare, ; I-had the axe in my hand and wag chop-. ping some wood to boll the billy to make, some tea and boll some eggs for him. He saw some gum in- my whare, and said: ' You , you did not scrape all your guitj. I In a moment choppcd him ■ ori (ha head for saying that to' mo. Soon aft«r 'l saw his eyes opening $ind Shutting, and then I saw he was dead." A. CLEAN-CUT HOLE. , . Continuing his remarks, the constable fays:— ' ...■ . I took possession of the axe, also the deceased was wearing at the time, which had a clean-cut hole in It about,Vlx inches long.' Both are stained w|th ; blood., I had the body removed to tho' Kaukapakapa Hotel. I arrested Stuart; and arrived at Helonsville with ; the.prifbrier at 9.40 p.m. last/night." > ANOTHER ACCOUNT. ' Another account frqm Kaukapakapa states Two gumdiggers named Stuart and WeSt quarrelled yesterday afternoon. Stuart . struck West on the head with an axe, exposing the brain. Stuart went to. the nearest farmhouse and told ■phat ho had done. Tho people communicated; with thp police' and the. doctor. West died before.the doctor arrivec). . -TELEGRAM FROM DETECTIVE MARBACK, /(BT ASSOCIATION-), '

• ' Auckland, January 8, 'A Slightly diCEereni accoiinii-'df tbe : actual quarrel ia given in. a telegram sent to Inspeotor Cullen by Chief Detective Marsack/ ■who ; States that the' version supplied to him was 1, that Stuart was engaged in chopping wopd' and West was looking .at somo Jsun). Then.JVest \acqused him of stealing" the gum, and lucked him. Then, Stuart became ej]raged at the accusation, and at once raised the axe and struck AVest on the head, kiilirig him.

. Accused will be brought before the Helens▼ille;; Pqlicp Court • to-morrowj and charged With murder. . ' ' .. . •