THE TARANAKI MURDER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 15 December 1880, Page 2

THE TARANAKI MURDER.

(by telegraph.)

Wellington, December 15.

At the Supreme Court to-day Tuhi's case was resumed. In addition to the previous confession which had been made public, Constable Taylor, stationed at Gpunake, gave the following statement whioh was made to him by Tuhi two days after the inquest was held :—Tuhi said as follows : " I know that I come to some sudden death in consequence of some dream I had. I saw men felling a tree on top of my whare, and the whare pame dpwn with the exception of two posts, one at each end, and the ridge-pole. I knew it was a dream of a sudden death either for riie or some younger relation. J know now that dieam concerns myself." He also stated—"l had no intention of killing the woman when I left. When we met, I said, ' Where did you come from V She did not understand me. ' I continued to ask her. The woman ip English. I did not understand her. She was frightened, and gave me money ; she gave me Gs 4d. I was on my horse at the time. When I received the money she said shg would tell the soldiers about me. I was afraid of my crime of taking the money from the woman. I got off my horse and tied it to the flax. The woman ran away when she saw me tie up the horse. I ran after her, threw her down on the ground, and choked her. I thought that if fl choked or strangled her she would die. I let her go, and a little while after she rose up. I then ran to her and cut (or stabbed) her throat. I choked her by the back of the neck, and drove her along so that she might be a distance from the road. When she had gone a distance she fell, and I fell too, J dragged her, to a place where there was a large quantity of flax, and there hid her. I then went to catch my horse, and heard Honi Pihama's buggy going along the road, When they had passed I caught my horse and went, That's all," The evidence in Tuhi's case has concluded, and the Crown Prosecutor and counsel for the defence have addressed the jury. The Judge sums up this afternoon. Later. The Judge's surptfling up occupied twenty minutes, The jury returned a verdict of guilty. The Judge passed sentence of death upon the prisoner.