THE TAPANUI TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13030, 22 November 1905, Page 5

THE TAPANUI TRAGEDY.

CHARGE OF MURDER.

A CHINAMAN'S MYSTERIOUS DEATH. [fit TELEGRAPH.-I'BESS ASSOCIATION.] .. Dunedix, Tuesday. At tho Supreme Court to-day, William Thomas Stott and George Hill Bromley were, charged with having, on or about August 21, murdered Ham Sing Tong, near Tapanui. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr. J. F. M. Eraser).' and Mr. P. S. K. IMacassey ' conducted tlio prosecution, and Mr. P. O. Hanlon defended.

Sing Tong lived by himself in a house on the outskirts of Tapanui, and always locked the door at night. If he allowed admission it was only to one he knew well. He was last seen alive, 011. August 21. That evening a shot, was heard in lie direction of his house. Next day another Chinaman, who called, found the dead body of Sing Tohg in the house. After tho man had been killed an attempt had evidently been made to set lire to flic house. Deceased had been in the habit of carrying money 011 him, .from £50 to £100, but this was not found. Altogether £73 was found in the hut. Under the body was found a waist-strap. This strap had been lent to Bromley, who also borrowed a Remington rifle and bought some cartridges, though ho at first denied doing so.

The suggestion of the Crown was that Stott and Bromley, who slept in. one bunkill a hut about two miles from Tapanui, had committed the crime during the night, and that this accounted for Stott having money, whereas it was known lie had none before. The waistcoat in which ; Sing Tong, usually kept the money had 'disappeared. A search had resulted in tinding a plant" on land belonging to Bromley's father. In this " plant" was some tobacco of the description kept by the Chinaman, wrapped in a handkerchief similar to the one sold to Stott, also some skeleton keys. One of.these keys would open the door of deceased's hut.

The Crown Prosecutor detailed the evidence which tended to incriminate accused, including blood stains on the clothes.

There are a large number of witnesses, and only five had been examined when the Court adjourned.