MURDER OF R. RAYNER, ESQ. OF RANGITIKEI.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1928, 21 September 1863, Page 4

MURDER OF R. RAYNER, ESQ. OF RANGITIKEI.

(rROM THE "WANOANUI CHRONICLE," SKPT. 10. Wk i egret to have to record this, week a temblo minder at Itangitikei. The absence of Mr K.iyucr having been noticed for sevctal days, inquiry was made, which resulted n\ an impression that he must luvo been dnm ucd m the Tutannii stream (winch was flooded !tt the time), when returning fioiu a neighbour's house to his own. Apaity of his fellow settleis instituted a search along the bed of the stieam, which, tttns tluough bu-.li foi borne distance helow Mr. JJayner's house, in hopes of lecovering tlio body. The scaich proving fruitless, some of the party leturned to examine the house and sur rounding |)iemises mote closely, and in doing Sf > pciceivpd apiece of a garment showing above the "■oil at a place where a hole dug to get clay for the chimney appealed to have been recently filled in. On fmther seaich the body of the missing gentleman was found at the bottom of the hole, covered over with some si ibs on which the eai th had then been throun It was at once evident that ho had been mmdeied, theie being three bullet wounds in the body, as well a<s a deep cut as if fiom a blunt edged weapon on the head. From an examination of the premise"?, it appeared that the minder li.ul baen committed neat the stable, and the body nftciw.uds dragged to the hole and buued A levolvei, too, which thennfoihinatc man lioughl at a sale m Wanganiu a few weeks pieviously, ami which lie had sinep alwajs aimed about with him, was found in the house with thiee of its chamUcis lecontly dischaiged, it having apparently boon thiown in tluough a broken window The promises had not been lansacked ; and as sonic loose silvei was found in the deceased's poolcet, it appeared that the mnideier, aftci committing the deed, had directed his whole attention to the concealment of the body. Steps wcie of course taken to hold an inquest, and as the only mec'ical man at Rangitdce fills the office of coioner, Dr. Davis, of M.M, 57th liegt., was sent for to make a postmoitem examination of the remains. Several poisons, to whom suspicion attached, were also placed under surveillance of the police, with a view to their being examined at the inquest. From the evidence then produced it would appear that the deceased was first struck down and stunned by the blow on the forliead, and then finished with- his own revolver, one lull from which had enteied at the left side of his neck, pas- I sing downvvaids and lodging m the spine, another at the left bieast passing through the heart and liver and lodging in 'the light nbs; and the tlmd at the upper pait of the tight thigh passing mnvatds and lodjjing in the hip-bone. Two boys (a Maoii and a half-caste) who had been in deceased's employ, stated that ho returned home on the ovening of the 27th nit (the last time he was seen by the neighbours), .supped with the boys, and went to bed ; tliafc next moining he prepared the bieak Fast w lido they milked the cows; and that they aftei w ards, left, the place, their term of sei vice having expired. Fiom that time thu deceased was not seen ahvo actiin ccexcepfc by lm murderer ; and from the clothes found on his body it is supposed he was killed while on his way to the stable to prepare for a day's cattle hunting ; no very material discrepancy was apparent in the statements of thes>e boys, though they had been carefully kept separate for several days. Several other witnesses were nlao examined,

bub \ip to the time when' our informaufc.left nothing - had been elicited to fix the crime with cerWnty upon any individual. Other persons were still awaiting examination, and among them 0110 on whom' Anfl|iiciou had very generally f,vllen, and it was understood -' - that some n.itives from Manawatu or Otnki, whose linrHes had been left in Rayner's paddock a few days before he was misaed, and removed subsequently, hnd also been sent for. Ltia also reported that another settler, Mr. Holgate, in misting, but this n not conlirmed.