A ROUGH TRIP FOR THE POLICE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9538, 25 November 1893, Page 3

A ROUGH TRIP FOR THE POLICE.

A report was current in tovvu yesterday to the effect that a man named Taylor, a settler on about 150 acres of land at Maraetara, Carter's Point, which abuts on the inner harbor, bad murdered his wife by cutting her head to pieces with a slashing hook. Fortunately the report turned out to be quite unfounded, although it caused the police some trouble before its falsity was known. It appears tbat Taylor and bis elde.-t son, a lad, were yesterday morning abont to start work at hedge slashing, and each bad a slashing hook. Taylor, finding that his leggings were devoid of buckles, charged the boy with haviug worn them, and when this was deuied threatened to knock him down for telling a lie, and at the same time he raised the book as if to tUlke, but with the handle part to the boy. Mrs Taylor ttied to sacify ber h,ustand, but it appears that he is a very passionate man, a&d that be talked roughly and told bia wife to clear out. The altercation became so violent, so far as words were concerned, that the younger children got frightened and ran off to the house of a neighbor named Clark, where they told an jocoherent story in which the two slashing hooks played a part, and tjjat led Mr Clark to, conclude (hat mnrder had been pommitted. He very properly communicated with the police, telling them what the children had said. A party cooslsting of Sergeant Cullen, Detective Kirby, Constable Rutledge, and Dr, Jnrvis at ores started for the spot by way of Petane. Ttp roads were very bid, and after reaching Petane the party bad a rongh journey for several miles on froo. Upon reaching the house they found no murdered woman, but Taylor said his wife had cleared out. This, although at first disbelieved, was correct, for as a result of the quarrel she took ope oF the children and tramped over the hills by way of Taradale to Napier, reaching he;e before 6 o'clock last evening. At dark Sargeojit Cullen and Dr. Jams started for hofee, leaving the detective and the contttble at the house of Taylor. The latter sailed the Sergeant and Dr, Jarvis to the Spit in bb boat. When they arrived there they

learned i hftt Mis Taylor was in town-, and instruciisus were therefore given- to Taylor to bring the other two of the party to the Spit. It) transpires that nobody wai straok or injured in any way as a rtsiilb of the quanel, bnt the police party hud a bad time, and Mrs Taylor a shock ing tramp in the wet from Maraetara (o I Napier. AH the trouble hoB arisen from bad temper and a passionate disposition.