WAIROA MYSTIRY OF MAN’S DEATH FROM AXE WOUNDS

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1949, Page 3

WAIROA MYSTIRY OF MAN’S DEATH FROM AXE WOUNDS

Coroner Uncertain Whether Murder Or Manslaughter Was Weilder of Axe A Woman ?

WAIROA, Oct. 5

Ten months after the finding of the body with severe head wounds in a whare just outside' the borough boundary, the inquest on Herbert William Brunton was resumed, before Coroner L. F. Sinclair, S.M,, police proceedings being conducted by Inspector C. Murphy, officer in charge of the Hawke’s Bay Police district. Dr Debden Wilkins said he had been called by the police to Kaimoana Road early in the morning of December 17, where he found the body, of the deceased propped up in a whare, Brunton had suffered severe head injuries. Bloodstains were found on the floors, walls, and bedding. Against the health in the hut was found an axe, which he believed was used in the attack.

There was very little blood on the floor where the body was found. There were large quantities on the bedclothes and pillow. There was an impression on the pillow, indicating that it had been lain on. Dr Mark Graham Somerville, pathologist to the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board, gave evidence of having examined the body at the ' hut and later carrying out a post-mortem. After the removal of the body he inspected the hut and found bloodstains on the outside door and a large amount of blood, mainly congealed, on the floor near the outside door. On the ledge had been found a small piece of bone, which subsequently proved to be part of the skull, whilst on the floor entering the second door was found a piece of brain matter. There were bloodstains about the floor and also on an axe lying against the stove, ft was smeared with blood and had hairs adhering to it. He believed Brunton had first been attacked in the doorway and the victim then went to the lavatory, for bloodstains had been found on the floor, seat, iron walls and door of that outhouse. There had been cases where severe injuries had been inflicted and injured persons had carried out movements such as walking a considerable distance. It was quite possible Brunton was not even rendered unconscious, despite the severity of his wounds, which did not involve injuries to vital parts of the brain, and the amount of blood discovered in the porch would not constitute a serious loss. The postmortem disclosed he had suffered upwards of 15 wounds, chiefly on the head and arms and death was due to shock and haemorrhage.

Inspector Murphy: Would the de' ceased, following his injuries, be capable of going to the nearby hut occupied by French to seek assist ance? French’s hut is only 15 yards away, whilst the lavatory is 25 yardc distant. Dr Somerville: As he appearec capable of going to the lavatory, thei) he would have been capable of going to the hut. Mr Sinclair; For assistance? Dr Somerville: Yes, but. whether Brunton would be capable of forming the necessary judgment would be difficult to say. Mr Sinclair: The deceased may have been confused or dazed. Dr Somerville: Yes. Evidence of Man Living Next to Deceased WHO WAS THE NIGHT CALLER? P.A. WAIROA, Oct o. At the Brunton mquvst. m«o unv. nuon caaries riuger French, ageu a retired bachelor, owner oi tne section on which Bruntons hut sianus, called by the coioner, said mat urunton who was mtn l ieu,, unu was apart from his wile hud occupies the hut for upwards ot nine years, "-•t last time ne had seen ctecvuscu alive was about u.3u p.m. when brtincuii anti another person hud come to witness’s hut leaving wnnm iiw minutes. Witness reiued at nme alien sleeping approximately four Hours iit was awakened by a torch being shonc through the wjiaow. 'He mqinrcu who was there, nut ne did not hem any reply.. Possibly that was ciue to his dearness. When he leit his oed, a person disappeared from the window, so he switcned on his light, and on opening the hut door he found a stranger outside. 1 said "whats your business? and received me repo "Maori or Marie”, or a similari> sounding name, said witness, lhe person then pointed the torch in the uuecnon of the deceased’s hut and 1 said Lrunton lives there. The person then backed away from the door, which I closed, and I returned to bed. Witness then described the person, who came to his hut, expressing the belief that it was a Maori woman, dressed in mans clothing. Brunton was an early riser, and, as he did not come to French’s hut at the usual hour, witness went over and found a pool of blood and the door open, and after a further investigation found the deceased in a sitting position in the inside room. He noted several deep gashes in his head, and immediately sent for the. police. Brunton was not an aggressive man. He was addicted drink, they were always on friendly terms. Witness was unable to understand why anyone should wish to take the victims life. Witness stated that he had written a note to the deceased, who knew its contents,’ and while waiting for the arrival of the police, he had thrown it in the fire. The note was to the effect of an appeal to Brunton to pull himself together, and to do a bit in regard cleaning up the section. Witness passed this information on to the detectives when they arrived. There was no cross examination by the police. Senior Sergeant. Mcßae, in charge at Wairoa, said he was called to the scene at 6.50 in, the morning, when he found the body of Brunton in a corner of the hut. There was a considerable amount of congealed blood on the floor leading into the room whilst'there was a number of splashes on the outer door, floors a,nd walls nearby. He realised that deceases had received severe (head injuries, five gashes on the head above the right ear being visible, whilst the skull appeared to be’fractured. He made an examination of the hut, but lie found

m bloodstains on the floor between large pool near the doorway and the bed on which there was a pillov • turated, it having soaked right through to the mattress, whilst there ■ T,o>was a good deal of blood on the bedclothes. He noticed an axe standing near the stove, but " . 'thing in the hut or its surroundings to suggest who the perpetrator might ■ r heon After interviewing French, witness returned to the police station and reouested help from detectives nt Napier.

Later witness said he returned to 'he scene and carried out a further examination, finding bloodstains in a Lavatory about twenty-five yards from hut occupied by the Hereased. Tn addition there were bloodstains in and about an outhouse. There was a stained handmark on the door, indicating that some person had supported himself against it by holding . *he door jam. There was a bloodstain on a piece of scrap iron a ’w foot from the door, but no stains could be found on the ground b°•voon the hut and the lavatory. He had immediate inquiries made in the 'ocality with the endeavour to he identity of the person described by French as bavin" disturbed him ‘he evening, but Avithout mccess. All of the people answering to the description that were knov-r. traced, and were found to be Tile satisfactorily to account for 'heir whereabouts on the night in question. The final witness was detective 'lan Purdie Jesson, stationed . at 'T.nstinvc who detailed the activities of the police from outside centres after their arrival at Wairoa, which covered a wide scope, no less than five thousand set*?' of f|in.f<erpifmta having been taken whilst the area over the whole borough and up to a distance of thirty miles had been

visited with a vie"' --'"’’eng information which could lead to the identity if the assailant. Witness also traced Bruntons movements fr?m 10.40 on Thursday morning until the victim was last seen by F*'<*'*-'* that night.

Coroner’s Finding

Lengthy comment was made by the Corner, Mr L. G. H. Sinclair, S.M. at the conclusion of the evidence at the inquest, which was concluded in the afternoon. During the course of his remarks, Mr Sinclair stated that the inquiry was for the purpose of ascertaining how, when and wheie Brunton met his death, and is not in the coroner’s province of investigations. It would not be right to assume the Coroner, Mr L. G. H. Sinclair S.M. the reason all of the evidence before the court showed that he had been found dead. Whilst it was admitted it had been shown that Brunton had suffered grievous injuries, that, at the same time, could not be construed to mean that he had been murdered. It may have been a case of manslaughter, or even justifiable homicide.

Mr Sinclair* said he mentioned this matter in the interest of the public for it would not be right to assume that the man had been murdered. The nature of the injuries had shown that the deceased had been assailed by a person with an axe, and it was a fair conclusion to claim tha? a bloodstained axe that was'found was the instrument which caused the injuries to Brunton’s head. Mr Sinclair then returned a formal verdict, that the deceased had died in Wairoa, on the night of December 16 or ' 17, as the result of injuries received through being struck about the head by an unknown assailant, armed with an axe, the cause of death being shock and haemorrahage as the result of fracture and lacerations of the head.