ATTEMPT ITD MUHDEIi IN OTAGO. o

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 172, 24 July 1869, Page 2

ATTEMPT ITD MUHDEIi IN OTAGO. o

An extraordinary attempt to commit murder has taken place at Marewhenua di»gtu<is, by John Warden or Gallagher, who was liviug in a tent with one Craig a storekeeper. One evening the two men went to tether a horse, tn 1 white Crai*r was holding the tether pin which the prisoner was driving he received a blow on the head which partially stunned hiin. The prisoner declared the blow w--s caused by a piece of wood flying from the post, he was driving. On the following day Craig felt his head very painful, and was unai-le to sleep. The prisoner was anxious to give him some opium, and asked Mrs. Craig if she had any, but none could be procured. Craig and his wife and infant child went to hi-d" esrly that night, but the prisoner sat up by the fire, which was in the same room, a li-ihted candle, being near the bed. Presently prisoner said he bad made them some tea, of which all three drank. Almost immediately after doing so, Mrs. Craig and the child vomited, and Craig fell asleep, ihouyh up to that time he had been unable to do so. He had only been asleep a few minutes, when he received a blow on the head; then Mrs. Craig received a blow, and Craig another. Both of them saw the prisoner standing over them with a tomahawk in his haul—in fact, after the first blow, Cr^i*,' saw him strike bis wife, and then himself again. Prisoner then got on the edge of the bed , on; his knees, and abi.el another blow with' the tomahawk, wbich, however, was intercepted by a sapling, which stretched over the-bed,"-"a sheet being .tacked to it .to serve as a curtain. 'The -force of the bio*' .was thus des- ' : troyed, and the rebound threw the prisoner o2'the ** bed on. to the floor, when Craig and his- wife jumped out of bed and.secured, him Mrs. Cr.ug i then/.' ra_;: to the. next fetore.' kept by a, man •7 M^uadeji who. retimed with lVcr,.' and a'ong . i^with the stoßistance' of Mothers working in the !^ yicinityV took ;, '<^r^of.V:thet;.*;! pinßoner,' who was taken to vQamartjj, |?wli.e_e he has been : :;<*k*_»roittedfo^ the, wounds iT^ivedixhy'&^gJmil^a wife, although severe, fjj^ngtf^^ y": 7 '-.