MOTU RIVER MURDER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11162, 18 March 1922, Page 7

MOTU RIVER MURDER

YOUNG NATIVE ON TRIAL BROTHER OF ACCUSED IN WITNESS BOX. SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. GISBORNE, March 17. The trial of the young native, Rutene Topi, on a charge of having murdered Paul Zambucca at the Motu ny©r on November 4th, was continued! m the Supreme Court to-day. James Harvey Mansell, telegraph linesman, gave evidence as to the natives who were on the road about the time of the murder; Teruru Kopa as to the purchase of goods from 2aanbucca; Hariota Tangaire as to seeing a bundle of notes in the possession or tho deceased; Tuhoromona as to the search for Zambucca and the finding of his packs. The latter was present ait tho arrest, when accused Rutene him to see IVehe Brown and tell her to say wliat she said to him (Rutene). Witness added that about three weeks ago lie was on the road from Saxby’s to Maraenui, and witness saw fungus on a 6tump of a tree, and, on going to gather it, saw a shirt _ underneath a fog, which was identified as a shirt which Rutene owner.. It was a very uncommon sftnrt, the only one of its description in the locality. The shirt had; some bluish-black spots on the front and . arms. These spots were not pant of the pattern, hut foreign to the shirt. He put tho shirt back under the log. Peeti Topi, brother of accused, detailed incidents respecting Zambucca’s visit to his father’s house, where lie stayed two nights. He left an hour and a half after Rutene left. The witness later saw Rutene returning, carrying * double-barrelled gun. Rutene asked witness to take the gun home, which he did. He said there wds an arrangement between, accused, his father, and himself to say that Zambucca left their house before the accused. The suggestion to hide the guns and cartridges was made by accused. As at the hearing of the Gpotiki ease against him, witness was dismissed. An objection to a question whether he since had been asked to change his evidence was upheld. Witness said he tokl his father and another native something he had learned in gaol. Accused became very anpry and he (witness) asked to be put In a separate cell. Kopu Eruiti, recalled, said that at the time of the Opotiki preliminary trial he went to say good-bye to «accused, who gave him a penny—“on account of nun murdering the man.” The interpreter explained that the ' giving of a penny ■was a sort of religious rite, and the coin Would be handed over fie a priest of the Ringatu Church. To His Honour; Accused was a sort of grandnephew of his. It was a penny given to pay for rN-prayer for accused’s soul, or far a prayer to get him out of trouble. . Witness: To get him out of this trouble.

Sam Topi, accused’s father, said that Rutene left the house after Zambuoca. Witness heard somebody say, Hie fallowing Thursday, to clean the guns and hide the cartridges. He thought it was accused's voice, hut was not sure. The family now were outcasts, not because it was thought accused commited the crime, but beCause ' ZambUOpa. Was last seen olive in their pa. THE CRIME RECALLED, A COLD-BLOODED MURDER. The murder of Pqd! Zambuoca was a cold-blooded crime, committed evidently for the theft of the victim's money and valuables. Zambucca was a well-known and respected Syrian hawker of '4l years of age, who travelled the country districts with pack-homes, peddling drapery and fancy goods. His home was in Auckland, and .he proposed giving up the road 1 and starting business in the city at the oorndnsion of the trip, in the midst of which he was murdered. The scene of the tragedy is one of the most isolated spots in tho Bay of Plenty, about twenty mSee from Opotiki, through dense bosh, and near a small native settlement at Omaio Bay. Zumbuooa bad' worked the settlements between Gisborne and Maraenui, Which village be left for Omaio on November 4th, and after crossing the Motu river was hailed up a few yards from, the honk and shot. He was evidently killed on the track, and the body was afterwards carried or dragged a distance of about 20 yard), being subsequently found lying in a pool or blood, face downwards, and partly covered by logs and driftwood. The murdered man bad a <xm•kfaraMe sum of money on him when he left Maraenui, but, when found, his .pockets were empty, while his gold watch and chain were also missing. The post-mortem examination showed that the unfortunate man must have been shot at close range, the charge entering between tho eyes and nose, Mowing out both eyes. The finding of Zambupoa’s pack-horses Wandering at large with rifled pocks led to suspicions of foul play, /and a party of natives immediately instituted a March, resulting in the discovery of the body. _ Meanwhile the police bed been notified, and officers were Bent from Auckland and Gisborne to oonduct investigations, which led to Che arrest of the .brothers Rutene and Peeti Topi at Maraenui Pa on November 15th. At the .preliminary trial Peeti Topi stated that Zambucca, who had slept at their homo on the Wednesday and Thursday nights preceding Ihe murder, left after dinner on the Friday, Rutene having gone aWav before dinner was finished. He, Peeti, later took an axe, and went on horsed back to the Motu river for some timber, and when returning he mot Rutene, who gave him a double-barrelled gun to take home. While awaiting trial at Gisborne a man named Hfokey Wd him that Rutene had admitted to Jum that he (Rutene) had shot Zamhwxwjbnt he (Peeti) did not believe V: ™*surterral trial lasted several flay*. 45 witnesses being called, and «t itacopchmoTi Peeti Topi was diseharged, there being insufficient eviJ*™' «»d Rutene was ooammtted to stand his trial.