The Tapanui Murder.

Manawatu Standard, 22 November 1905, Page 2

The Tapanui Murder.

(Per Press Association.)

DUNEDIN. November 21. At the Supreme Court to-day Y/m. Thomas Stott and George Hill Bromley were charged with having on or about the 21st August murdered Ham Sin« Tong, near Tapanui. Sing Touk lived by himself in a house on the outskirts of Tapanui. and ahvays locked the door at night He was last seen alive on the 21st August. That evening a shot was heard in the direction of his house, and next day another Chinaman, who called, found the dead body of Sing Tong in the the house. After the man had been killed, an attempt had evidently been made to set idr-e to the house. Deceased had been in the habit of carrying money oa him from £50 to £100, hut this was not found. Altogether £73 was found in the hut. Under the body was found a waist strap. This strap had been lent to Bromley, who also borrowed a Remington rifle and bought some cartridges, though he at first denied having done so.

The suggestion of the Crown was that Stott and JtSromley, who slept in one bunk at the hut about two miles from Tapanui, had committed the crime during the night, and that this accounted for Stott having money, whereas it was known he had none before. A waistcoat, in which Siog Tong usually kept money, had disappeared. Search had resulted in the finding of a " plant." In this " plant " was some tobacco of the description kept by the Chinaman wrapped in a handkerchief similar to one sold to Stott; also some skeleton keys. One of these keys would .open the door of deceased's hut. Thera are a large number of witnesses, and only five had been examined when the Court adjourned.