TRAGEDY AT OPAWA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10347, 23 January 1897, Page 5

TRAGEDY AT OPAWA.

A MAN KILLED WITH AU AXE. THE ASSAILANT CONFESSES THE DEED. A PLEA OP SELF-DEFENCE. [by telegbaph.—press association] CnßisTCHOiicn, Friday. This morning, a man named Horatio John Parkes, single, 71 years of age, residing in Pines Road, Opawa, confessed to Constable Heyee, ab Woolston, that he had killed another man named Michael Ryan, in selfdefence, with an axe. It appears thab Ryan had been living with Parke3 for about nine months, the atter having a small income sufficient to keep him. Ryan, it is alleged, was in the habibof coming home the worse for drink and assaulting Parkes, and last night, between twelve and one o'clock, Parkes was awakened by Ryan pulling him out of bed. Ryan struck Parkes with what) he (rarkes) thought was the leg of a table, and then got an axe antl threatened to cut Parkes up. Parkes, however, got the axe away, and striking Ryan two blows with the front of the axe, killed him. Parkes says he then fell into a state of semi-unconsciousness, and when he recovered sufficiently this morning he went and reported the matter to Conatable Hayes. Parkes is a very old resident of the district, having lived by himself for over 20 years at Opawa. Ryan was about 45 years of age. When charged at the Christcliureh police depflb with having murdered Ryan, Parkes said: "I did not murder him; I killed him in self-defence." Ho also added, "He very nearly killed me. lam half-dead now."

Parkes had a bruise under his loft eye, evidently the result of a severe blow,