THE TUAPEKA MOUTH TRAGEDY.

Evening Star, Issue 7476, 21 March 1888, Page 2

THE TUAPEKA MOUTH TRAGEDY.

THE RESIDENT SURGEON'S STATEMENT. The resident surgeon of the Lawrence Hospital (Dr Withers) made the following statement to the ' Taapeka Times' reporter: The man; when brought in, was blanched and pulseless from loss of blood, his clothes being saturated. No attempt had evidently been made to control the bleeding, the wound not having been dressed, only a | cloth being loosely placed across it. No bleeding was actually taking place, the man being in an utterly exhausted condition from previotfs loss of blood. I immediately gave brandy, and applied a tourniquet, and endeavored to arouse him from collapse; but in less than an hour he became delirious and died suddenly. The wound was a cleanly cut punctured wound in the neighborhood of the left groin, and, from its position, left no doubt as to one or more of the main vessels being necessarily wounded. The wound was such aB might have been caused by some shat p-pointed instrument, and evidently penetrated a considerable depth. There was also a small wound or puncture in the abdomen, about seven inches higher up than the one in the groin. From this, I however, there was flo bleeding of any importance. I immediately sent a written notice to the police, with a request thai the magistrate or justice of the peace should be asked to come and take the man's depositions. The letter was entrusted to the man Edmead, who was the only messenger available, and who undertook to deliver it promptly. So far as I can gather the message was not delivered to the police until about 2.45 p.m., or an hour and a quarter after the messenger had been despatched. A letter was also entrusted to the same messenger (Edmead) for delivery to Dr Blair, asking his assistance in the operation of ligaturing the wounded vesiel. Tnis letter ai3o at 3 p.m. had not been delivered. Finding that the police did not come, and that the man was sinking fast, I, at about 2.15, sent another messenger to the police, and Constable Daubney arrived about twenty minutes later. By this time Connolly had expired. No further bleeding had taken place after his arrival in the hospital. From what I can gather, the man's only chance was to receive prompt > surgical attendance on receiving the injury, . as loss of blood from the wounding of a vessel was the sole cause of death. ' M'RORY'S VERSION.

James M'Rory (the accused) appeared to be fully conscious of the terrible seriousness of his position, and admitted everything. His manner was very subdued, and he appeared to feel hia position keenly. His version of the affair is as follows:—On Sunday evening about 8.30 he went to the Tuapeka Mouth -Hotel in company with David Walsh, blacksmith at Greenfield station, ard Alexander Connolly, the deceased. Walsh shouted drinks for the three. He (M'Roiy) took port wine, Walsh took beer, but he does not know what Connolly bad. Walsh had _ a horse tied up outside, and on looking out to see it, he found it was gone. . He went with Walsh to look for the/horse, leaving Connolly at the bar. Some time after he was standing near Auld's store, when Connolly came up to him and shouted out " Here is the b b—," and struck him with his fist, knocking him down. When on his back, Ccnnolly got on top of him, and put hj s knee across his neck. He tried to get from under him, but could not do so. He then put his hand is his pocket and took out hi 3 knife and stabbed Connolly with it. Connolly, when stabbed, said: " Jim, I didn't think you would do that." The knife which M'Rory used was found by Constable Daubney in his waistcoat pocket, and had spots of blood on it. There were also in the hut an oilskin coat, a pair of trousers, and a vest, all of which were more or less stained with blood.