THE MURDER OF ROBERT STREETER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 485, 26 July 1890, Page 3

THE MURDER OF ROBERT STREETER.

The charge against William Black, arrested on suspicion of having murdered Robert Streeter at Whatatutu, was resumed on Thursday morning. Frank McDonald, stockman on Mr Foster’s station at Whatatutu, deposed: I last saw Streeter alive about 7 a m. on Saturday. March 29. He had on light corduroy trousers, a shirt with the sleeves cut off above the elbow. He had on a black soft felt hat turned in. I have been frequently at the camp where they lived. I passed it on the following day about 2 p.m., and saw Parkinson, who was the only person there. Saw Black on the Tuesday following. I had gone to the camp that evening, stopped there a little while, and not seeing Streeter about I asked Black where Streeter was. He said, We went up to the gate on Sunday. The gate is across the Kanekanae track about 2A miles from the camp. He told me, Streeter took a notion to go home and asked me if I had any money. I (Black) said, Yes I have £3. Streeter said, Let me have it, and he started down the track. We had no other conversation then concerning Streeter. The camp is between one river crossing and the Kanekanae track. I saw Black nearly every night in the week after. It was about a fortnight later, at the camp, I had another conversation with him about Streeter, Black had then come back from a visit to Gisborne. He brought Streeter’s stepson up with him. I said to Black, Where did you get that rooster from ? He said, He’s my nephew. I said, Did you see anything of old Streeter ? He replied, No, but he has been at home; he went home on the Monday after he left (March 31) half tight, kicked up a row with the old woman and cleared out. At a later date which I cannot remember—l often spoke to him ’about Streeter, and he would always turn the conversation to some other subject—l again asked him if he knew anything about Streeter. He replied. Yes, he was seen on the other side of Mohaka, on horseback, with another man. I asked him how the he would get a horse. He said, Well I suppose he pinched it from somewhere. I understood by that he meant stealing it, I passed a disparaging remark concerning Mrs Streeter. He * replied to the effect that she was a relation of his. Then there was a coolness between us for about a month. After the coolness had worn off be showed me a photograph of a female which he said was Mrs Streeter, I said it was a long time fsince the likeness had been taken, and accused said it was only a couple of years. This was in my own whare at Waitangi. I said to him, You‘ve euchred Streeter out of the woman. He replied, Yes, the b——— must have been jealous of me and cleared out. He told me on one occasion that Mrs Streeter was getting £l5OO from her people at home. He passed some remarks about buying places, but I cannot recall them to my mind. I went up the Wairongamia with him one Saturday after Streeter’s disappearance to show him some totara. He said, This will be my last job upjhere. I asked, Why ? He replied, I am going to get a job at the freezing works, so that I can go home every night; the old woman might be dead and a fellow wouldn't know nothing about her. He lotd me all along that he was living with Mrs Streeter, I accompanied a search party that went to look for Streeter's body. When we go to the rimu stump in the bush I noticed two mauls. [Witness then described the finding of the body] I have been 35 years in New Zealand, was born in it, and from my experience I think no one who understood anything about pigeon shooting would be likely to go along the fence in search of pigeons. To Mr Rees: Had been nearly two years at the station. Was driving a mob of cattle when I last saw Streeter, the latter then being in the camp with his mates. When I went to the camp on the following Tuesday (March 31), saw Parkinson, Waring and Black together by the fire. I did not particularly ask the accused what had become of Streeter—the question was a general one.. Grass seed had been sown on the station about the 28th March, by the oil springs, four or five miles from the camp. The grass seed sown was about 7| miles from the Toromiro bush. The grass had been sown by seven or eight Maoris—Robin, lihia, and Mohe, were among them—l forget the others. Was not sure whether i any of the natives who formed the search I party, were among those who sowed the grass seed. The natives stayed at my camp on the 28th March, They went home on the 29 th because it was wet—some to Mangatu, some to Taiamite. They accompanied me as far as the Oil Springs Hotel, i along with the cattle. I am almost sure the I lot went, but did not know the numbers »Wa» certata none rembinod about thd

station. The Taiamiti natives left me at the homestead—Robin and his wife and Hone were among them. Those going to Mangatu came down to the public house, and I saw no more of them. I saw Robin on the following day at Taiamiti. Therchad been no other camps at Waitangi until after the disappearance of Streeter. Do not know Mrs Streeter, except by sight. Could not tell the date when accused said Mrs Streeter had some money coming to him—believed it was about a month ago. Mrs Streeter was pointed out to me before I had seen the photograph. Could tell one of the mauls found had rings on at one time, because of the marks. Did not know what the wild pigeons were feeding on at the end of March. There are plenty of bushes which can be reached by leaving the Kanekanae track. Heard no ehooting on Sunday (31st), I was at Black’s camp. Was guiding the search party that went out on July 16. To the Bench: The length of the sleeves on the shirt produced corresponded with that of the shirt Streeter was wearing when I last saw him.

Arthur Parkinson, laborer, deposed : I was working at a fence for accused, at Mr Foster’s station. Went there on March 2, a fortnight later than when Streeter went there. I slept in a tent with Black and Streeter. On Sunday, March 30, Streeter, Black, Waring, and myself were in the camp. Got up about 7 a.m. and had breakfast about an hour later. Waring went to Whatatutu for provisions, by Black's order, and I went to McDonald's for a book. Black and Streeter were left in the camp. Black said to mo that Streeter and he were thinking of going to the old fence (which they put up last year) pigeon shooting. I returned between one and two, when there was no one there. Waring was the first to return between three and four. When I was helping Waring to unload his horse Black came up—l did not notice from which direction, having my back turned to him. I said, Where’s Bob (Streeter) ? He replied, He’s gone home, by the Kanekanae road. I said, Had Streeter got any money on him ? Black replied, No, I gave him £3—all I had on me. That was all that was said about it that day, but on the Tuesday and Wednesday following, up at the fence where we were working, accused said to ma, Streeter shook a post and said it was too wet to strain up. Accused had his gun with him when he returned to camp on the Sunday. I did not again speak to ac oaae d on the subject he returned from town about a fortnight a’terwards, on a Monday. I saidi Did y ou hear anything of Bob ? He replied, Yes, he was home on the Monday after he left; he said to his wife that he was going awa Y—would she cry ? She (accused ata'e d ) eaid, No, I have shed euough tears for y ou » and Streeter said to her, Y u b o ow, make you when Igo away. Accused further said, Streeter was seen going throuSh the Wairoa with another man who had a horse. Subsequently I asked accused several times if he knew where Streeter was- He said he Supposed he had gone to his brother On the Sunday accused told me he had left Streeter at the fence. On the Saturday after Streeter disappeared I had been working near the bush. Prior to the disappearance of Streeter I had been packing battens from the rimu tree shown on the plan On the Saturday before March 30 accused told us to knock off early, as he said we had done well that day. . When we were starting home accused said, I will take this axe with me and knock off a pair of maul rings. Waring and I then went on in front, leaving accused at the gate. There was only the one way so far as I know by which anyone could ride into the bush to the spot indicated. Black came after us in about two or three hours. I said. What kept you so long ? He replied, I got too low down out of the bush and had to return for my horse. He said he was going to the bush for a pair ot maul rings and to have a look at the bush, which Mr Foster wanted falling. I did not see him bring any maul rings back. There were two mauls at the tree, one with a handle and rings and one without rings. They were there in that condition whan I was bringing out the battens. I saw a pair of articles at the camp purporting to be maul rings, but which were really piece of oil pipe. Those rings were too small to fit either of the mauls in the bush. There were two other mauls in the camp, both of which had rings on. On the following Monday we returned to our work, and on the road I saw an axe and spade lying down, at a junction in the track. I got off and handed Waring the spade and took the axe myself. Those articles were not there on Saturday. I last saw Streeter alive on the morning of March 30. He had on tho clothes produced, and also ihe sheath knife. Among the clothes Streeter had in the camp was a black hat which accused wore at his work after Streeter’s disappearance. The gun produced is the one that was in camp, and the only firearm there. Tbat is the gun Blank had when he returned to the camp on March 30. Accused first told me he had left Streeter at the fence two miles away and then afterwards that he had left him only 300 yards away. That was after accused had come to town to see the Sergeant. Accused said, This is a nice mess you have got me into. I said, A nice mess you have got me into; I only went and told the Sergeant all I knew about Streeter. Accused said, Before I get out of this I'll make it hot for you—who told you I shot Streeter ? I said, I heard it from Bob Loyd (Devery’s coachman) in town. Previous to this Constable Farmer called accused away, and then the latter said, I’ve given Farmer a statement to clear you, and I’m going down to see the Sergeant to clear myself. I told him, That is the best thing you can do, as I don’t want any trouble about it. The Sunday prior to the 30th March, Black and Streeter left the camp together to go pigeon shooting, and they said they had gone up the old track, in a different direction to Kanekanae. There is no bush along the new fence to shoot pigeons in except the Toromiro fence. To Me Rees : Started for McDonald’s between 9 and 10 a.m. on March 30, before -Black and Streeter had gone out. McDonald and Fred Goldsmith came to the camp shortly after I came back. Knocked off packing the battens on Monday, and about twenty battens were left at each of the two rimu trees fallen. On the 30th March three or four native men passed our camp on their way to go sowing grass seed. This was about 3pm, before Waring had returned, and after McDonald had passed. I do not know the names of the natives, nor where they camped that night. Since Streeter’s disappearance I have had a good many conversations about it with different people, also with McDonald. After I heard the the report of tho murder I gave my opinion about it.

To Mr Nolan ; To the best of my belief Black had no mousy on March 30, because he had to go down to Foster’s to draw money to pay Jack Halloa, a fortnight before the 30tb. Accused then drew £7 odd and paid Halloa £7 odd—Mr Foster and Black told me that. Beyond that fact I do not know whether Black had any money in camp—if he had I don’t think he would lose a day going down.

James Wareing, laborer, gave corroborative evidence as to his leaving the camp for the homestead on March 30 for provisions, returning about 4, when only Parkinson was at the camp. Black returned alone about half an hour afterwards, wrth the gun produced. Witness corroborated Parkinson’s evidence as to the conversations, with the addition that accused eaid Streeter told him he would come back by Wednesday’s coach, and that he (accused) had left Streeter at the gate. After Streeter left they did not trouble about the other spades, as each had his own. Before Streeter had disappeared Black and he had talked of moving the camp two miles nearer the Toromiro bush, but nothing was said about it after Streeter’s disappearance. To Mr Bees: When Black came back to camp on March 30 the gun was loaded, and I shot the charge off at his request. It was not customary for Black to leave a loaded gun in the tent. When we had finished the day’s work it was customary to leave the tools at the fence. On the two Saturdays previous to the one before Sti ester’s disappearance they had worked until about 5.30 p.m. On the Sunday after Streeter disappeared I went into Toromiro bush to look for pigeons, shooting three. To Mr Nolan : When I went to pack stores on March 30 I took an old mare belonging to Black. This closed the case for the prosecution, and Mr Bees said the defence would be reserved. Accused was therefore committed for trial at the next sittings oi the Supreme Court.