TRIPLE MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 4403, 11 October 1934, Page 3

TRIPLE MURDER.

FATHER, MOTHER AND SON ' DEAD. SECOND SON IN CRITICAL CONDITION. POLICE IN PURSUIT OF SUSPECT. Te Kuiti, Last Night. Mr and Mrs G. M. Davenport, well-known farmers of the district, and their son Albert, aged about 33 were murdered in cold- blood! at their isolated sheep run in the Rangitoto district on Tuesday evening. Edward Davenport, aged about 27, is at present in the _ Te Kuiti Hospital, in a very critical condition. The murders were, although probably the work of someone mentally deranged, planned with devilish cunning. Edward Davenport \vas assaulted while ho was clearing a slip on the access road. It is thought that, while he was enticed away from the homestead, Albert Davenport, was shot in a whare four miles up the same road. This would leave the way clear for the murderer to return and kill the two old; people at the homestead.

The first news that anything untoward was afloat was received when Major Westmacott-, who lives about eight miles away and is the Davenports’ nearest neighbour on - that side, informed the police that he was perturbed at the actions of a Maori. The man had threatened to commit suicide. This was frustrated! by the removal of the bolt from his rifle, but the Maori ran away into the bush in the direction of the Davenport home. Search parties looking for him heard a shot. The police, following this advice, rang up the Davenport homestead. This was about 9 p.m. on Tuesday evening. Mr Davenport, senr., answered the call. He said that his son Edward had left the house about 5 p.m. in order to investigate a slip in the road! to the run, about 3i miles away. At about 6 p.m. he told the police that a Maori called. This native said that Edward Davenport had been attacked by white men and he had come to obtain help. Albert Davenport and this Maori set off on horseback for this purpose,, leaving the parents alone in the house. Both the Maori and Albert Davenport were armed' with rifles taken from the Davenport homestead. Neither had returned nor had Edward Davenport. The police telephoned to the homestead shortly after, but no reply was received. About 10 p.m. Constables Muir, Fry and Rose left by car for a 32-mile trip out to the homestead. About midnight their progress along the rough bush track leading to the homestead from the Otorohanga side was stopped by the slip on which Edward Davenport had been working. y They noticed a pool of blood by the roadside and a hat. Then they heard groans from down the precipitous bank on the edge of the road. Clambering down, they found Edward Davenport. He was very severely wounded’, his head having been cut deeply in two places. With considerable difficulty they brought him to the road. Constables Muir and Pry then brought the injured man back to Te Kuiti, arriving at about 4 a.m. When he taken to the hospital, their fears that his condition was very critical were con finned. The head injuries were very extensive. The homestead was found in flames and an investigation verified the searchers’ worst fears.

No sign of the Maori, nor any of the Davenports, was discovered until the body of Mrs Davenport was later found among the flames. About an hour after Constables Muir and Fry arrived in Te Kuiti they set out for the district again, accompanied by Inspector While and another inspector from Hamilton and! by Sergeant Paine and Dr. de Castro] for the homestead.

About 9. or 10 a.m. next morning two Maoris reported to the augmented party at the homestead and said they had seen the body of a pakeha in the vicinity of a whare about four miles up the road. Investigation showed that this was the body of Albert Davenport. He had been shot in the back of his head. His hands were firmly clasped on his rifle. When he was killed he had been in a stooping position. Evidently he had been shot from behind while creeping on what might have been the people or person lie thought had attacked bis brother. The murdered man’s body was zealously guarded by his three dogs.

Two labourers employed by the Davenports, living in a whare about half a mile away, knew nothing of the tragedy until the arrival of the police on the scene. The fire was seen from Te Kuiti, but these men did not happen to have cause to look in that direction. Surmising that Edward Davenport was attacked first, Albert Davenport must have been guided over the slip below which his brother lay injured and for which his brother had left with the intention of 'investigating. This portion of the road had been the cause of trouble before, being very liable to slips. Mr. Davenport, senr., came xroin Alarton, where he had business interests.