A FIJIAN MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9531, 25 November 1889, Page 5

A FIJIAN MURDER.

The Fiji Times of November-2 says :— Last Tuesday morning the body of an old identity, a native of Holland, named Bernard Sassen, familiarly known as Ben Sasson, was found under circumstances which made it evident that the old man had boen murdered. He was legally married to a young Fijian woman, between whom and one of her countrymen there had been, prior to the marriage, very intimate relations. Although she preferred to marry the kai vavalayi, she, it appears, still retained her penchant for her sable lover, and there is reason to believe that it was to join him that she left her husband's house between 11 and 12 o'clock last Saturday night. On Sunday, Sassen instituted inquiries as to where she was, which resulted in ner being found in the Wesleyan Church whence he had her removed, and forcibly carried her back to his dwelling. The house he occupied is near the residence of Mr. West and ne has recently been in the employ of that gentleman. On getting his wife home it appears that Sassen, to prevent her from again decamping during the night, fastened her with a chain ; and on the Monday morning eeemed to think that that method had wrought a satisfactory cure to her objectionable inclinations. There seemed to be some grounds for the belief for the woman declared that she would not run away again, and suggested that he and she should go oat into the bash to get some ivi nuts or kavikas. This was agreed to, , and they left the house together on Monday morning, the woman taking a basket and a large knife. During the afternoon she returned alone with a gaah ..in one of her arms, not a clean straight*cut, but one as though (if inflicted with a knife) the weapon had glanced, and was a blunt one. Her account of it was that when they were out together " Ben" again got angry with her, and cut her with the knife; that she had sat down and cried for a loug time, and that her husband had left her and gone into the bush. As • Sassen did not return, Mr. West got her on the Monday evening to point out where they parted. On the following (Tuesday) morning there was still no sign of the missing man, and a regular search was instituted by Messrs. West and Robertson, and carried out by them and some foreign labourers. This led to the discovery of the body, which was lying on the edge of a tidal creek near the roots of a large tree. When found the upper part of the figure was uncovered, and one foot was visible sticking up from the sand and rnbbish with which ' it had apparently been covered. The epot was within the reach of the .tide, and the very fact which had probably been regarded as affording effective concealment had been the means of discovery, for the ripple of the water caused by the strong. breeze of Monday night had washed away much , of the sand and drift rubbish with which the corpse had seemingly been covered. There were several wounds visible on the head of the deceased, one apparently given from the side and back, being of a terrible nature. The discovery was immediately reported to the police who at once visited the scene of the traged}', arrested the woman on the charge of murder, and brought her and her, alleged : victim to ■ Suva, where a post mortem examination.was held on the deceased, and the woman remanded to gaol until the tith instant." Since her arrest she has confessed, it stated, that she did kill Sassen"; that she pushed him into a creek and tried ,to drown him knowing that he could not twim ; that while in the water and subsequently she attacked him with' the knife, and that the .wound on . her arm was produced by the wounded man biting her. Considerable doubt is felt as to the complete credibility of her statement .or confession, as a.whole ; and a variety of stories*are afloat as to the; implication of another in the crime; but no further arrests have l been made, although one other individual is under the surveillance of the police.