BATTERED TO DEATH

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1926, Page 5

BATTERED TO DEATH

END TO DRUNKEN CAROUSAL. / ■ ** . MAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER. ■ d —— (Per Press Association.) OPOTIKf, December 2. A tragedy that has every appearance of murder was enacted near Torere, about eighteenmiles Worn Opptiki yesterday .afternoon, when a roadman, J. Williams, was found, by the police badly battered to death. The dead man’s mate, J.' Sullivan, aged 50, was arrested and charged with murder.

The two men were working together in the past four months. Both were in town yesterday morning, and were taken to Torere in tlie afternoon. Both are said to have been intoxicated.

On receipt of the news of the tragedy, the police hurried to.,the. scene, and found Williams dead in the scrub, two chains from where they were dropped. Williams’s head was terribly smashed, and part- of the skull was missing. Bloodstained bottles were strewn around with a full bottle of rum and a full bottle of beer both bloodstained, and half a dozen heavy sticks, also bloodstained. Patches of blood on the road indicated. that the victim had tried to run away, but was finally dragged into the scrub. Sullivan had. a. bottle of whisky in his hand when arrested, and was talking wildly. He is alleged to have said to Drake, the Postmaster at Torere: “I’ve killed my mate,” but denied the killing when arrested. Accused will be - formally charged with murder to-day.