Wilful Murder.

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13581, 21 December 1916, Page 5

Wilful Murder.

THE RIVERBANK TRAGEDY.

(Per Press Association.) »f WAIPAWA, Last Night. The adjourned inquest on.. George Dodd, the victim of-the riverbed trag? edy on the 10th inst., was held'to-day. Joseph Wainwright, mate of the murdered man, stated that he was awakened to find Patrick Kiely kneeling beside Dodd and slashing his throat with a razor. He endeavoured to pull Kim off, and Keily attacked him, inflicting* wounds on his leg and neck. Witness later returned to D-odd and found him dead. He went to Kiely and said: "My'mate is dead, and you have killed him." Kiely repMed: "He was better dead than alive." Witness denied that there had been much drinking on Saturday night, and bo far as he knew Kiely had had none. Constable O'Halloran deposed to finding a bloodstained knife concealed in Kiely's camp. He charged Kiely with committing the murder, and the latter said: '' Dear me, I did not think it was as bad as that." He took Kiely to where the body was lying in the scrub and, looking at deceased, he said: "His throat is cut like a Bheep's. I suppose they will hang me up by the two heels!" Later Kiely said: "I do not remember doing it. May be I did and maybe I did not. I don't remember interfering with deceased. Perhaps his mate did it." There was blood on Kiely 's coat, trousers and hat. The Coroner returned a verdict that from the evidence addueed deceased, George Dodd. met his death at the hands of Patrick Kiely." At a sitting of the court subsequently Kiely was charged with murder and remanded till to-morrow.