THE WINTON MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8955, 12 August 1892, Page 5

THE WINTON MURDER.

[by telegraph.-—press association.] IsrVKRCARGiJUL, Thursday. The inquest on the body of Richard Bell, farmer, at Lore Gorge, who was shot on the night of the 25th ult., was resumed at Winton to day, and concluded. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased was murdered by some person or persons unknown. Mcßae is kept in custody, and has been remanded till the 18th inst. Mrs. Bell, who was recalled to-day, was less certain that her husband said John Mcßae shot him. Ib might have been Donald (the locality is full of Mcßaes and McLeods). Bell's daughter deposed that the accused had told her he would pub a ball through the head of Bell's cow if he found it trespassing. She also admitted that she had cried to her mother, while running to the place where her father was found, that her father was shot by John Mcßae. This was before she had seen her father or heard him make a statement. Sergeant McDonnell gave evidence that Mcßae sent for him iu gaol, and made a statement to the effect that on the 18th May, 1891, he saw the gun found where Bell was murdered in the hands of Pat Walsh, who was out shooting ducks, that he (Mcßae) took hold of it, that ib was not Taylor's (Walsh's employer), and that he (Mcßae) would swear that the ramrod (manuka stick) that he saw in the constable's hands after the murder was the same as Walsh had in the gun last year. He remarked to Walsh that the ramrod was little good, and he replied that he used Taylors ramrod to load with. Mcßae, continuing, said: "I passed on, and have not forgotten the look on his face, and never shall. If ever a dragon was on earth he was about there that night. I told my housekeeper to bolt the doors well that night for fear he might comoabout." This was corroborated br the housekeeper, who said he kepb the practice up for some time. Walsh was next called, and denied that he was out of his master's house on the night of the murder. He met the accused next day, and asked if he had heard of the murder. He replied, " My man that is bad news, it can't be helped." The gun produced he had never seen * before. He never had a gun of his own and used Taylor's. He did not remember meeting Mcßae on the 18th May, 1891, but this year about March or April, he met him when out shooting with Taylor's pun. He had been eight years in Taylor's house, and it would be known if he (witness) had a gnn of his own. He had a slight quarrel with Bell five years ago, but had been on good terms with him since, and " Bell never showed an angry face to me." The other evidence threw no light on the affair, although there was confusion of times and dates as between Mcßae's statement to the police and his housekeeper's evidence. The ownership of the gun is still a mystery, and no one can be found who will say that he has seen it before.