OFFENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10252, 2 October 1896, Page 3 (Supplement)

OFFENCES.

The adjourned inquest oil the human remains found at Choka, Christchurch, on September 14, was hold at Kaiapoi on Monday, tho 28th -of Sepb. The evidence of Drs. Parsons and Symes showed that there were four distinct fractures of the skull, and traces of blood found in the hair and on' deceased's shirt. The remains were found in a gorse hedge on Mr. J. S. White's land. There is a hub aboub 200 yards away, and which for .several years has been used by swaggers. The police theory is thafc the deceased, while staying in the hub with other swaggers, was murdered, and his body placed where it was found. No definite evidence as to identification was forthcoming, lb had been ascertained that the life insurance policy renewal notice found on the body was issued to a man named Ohlsen. Ohlsen's father lives at Svdney, and has roceived no news of his son for some considerable time but whereas Ohlsen is 29 years of age, the police are of opinion the man whose body has been found was about 40 years old. The jury, after a brief retirement, returned a verdict 'That tho doceased, unknown, had been murdered by a person or persons unknown, and that the body had afterwards been placed where found.' Tho jury also suggested that the contents of the swag should be carefnlly washed, and preserved for identification, and that the Government should offer a substantial reward for the conviction of the murderer,

The statement by a prisoner in Sydney Gaol that he was the murderer of Hawkins (for which Chemis is now serving a life sentence), and had buried the weapons (a gun and a knife) with which the deed was committed in a newly dug grave in Sydney-street Cemetery, Wellington, was further investigated on Sept. 5. Hareford, alias _ Tmdgeon, the confessor, gave a description of the spot where the weapons would be found, and the authorities were asked which ( graves would be newly dug at that time, seven years ago. This having been ascertained, Mr. Charles Mills, M.H.R. (who has persistently urged the innocence of Chemis), Chief-detective Campbell (representing the police), Fornaudos and Conoi (friends of Chemis), and others, including press representatives, proceeded to the cemetery, and two graves were opened to a depth of five feet, but nothing whatever was discovered. The police adhere to the opinion that there is nothing in Hareford's confession. The trial of Carl Matson for the murder of Mary Matson at Rankleburn in February last was commenced at Dunedin on Sept. 3. Mr. Haggett, the Crown Prosecutor, detailed at length the circumstances of the case. The parties, who were man and wife, had disagreed and separated. A maintenance ordor had been taken out, which prisoner tried unsuccessfully to upset. A summons had been taken out for arrears, but before the case came on Mrs. Matson agreed to go back to live with Matson. At this time a girl named Clark was living with Matson, but after the wife's return she was sent away to Dunedin. Prisoner was the only person who could relate what happened when he returned home, when tho woman he wanted was gone and the woman he hated -was left alone with him at his mercy. His story was that next day when talcing away Clark's box, his wife wanted to go with him, and when he refused she became excited, and ho gave her a few cuts with a whip and loft her crying on the ground, threatening to drown herself. When prisoner gob bask home next day his wife was missing. Some of Mrs. Matson's clothes, etc., were found in the river, The body was found some months later, tied up in a bag. Three weeks after Mrs. Matson disappoared the girl Clark, went back to livo with Matson. The theory of the Crown was thntprisonor placed the body in the sack, and either put stones in or on the top to weigh ib down. The body lay where deposited for four months, when it was liberated by a flood. He contended that no other theory but murder or manslaughter seemed possible. After hearing the ovidence the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter. Prisoner was sentenced to twelve years' hard labour,