SUPPOSED MURDER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 32

SUPPOSED MURDER.

TRAGEDY IN TARANAKI,

HOUSE DESTROYED BY EIRE.

THREE CHARRED BODIES FOUND. INGLEWOOD, August 14. An awful tragedy is reported to lave occurred at Kairnata (18 miles from New Plymouth) during last night. A man named Julian bought out a farmer named Virgin. Julian took possession last night w:th hia two daughter’s, aged 19 and lb, ard a son aged 14. These, with the driver of tire furniture express, slept in the house with Virgin. Julian, hie son, and the driver occupied one room, Julian and the driver sleeping in the same bod. The girls occupied another room. During the night the daughter Dorothy was awakened by a blow. She tried to wake her sister, but could not get a reply, so she made her own escape. She found the house in flames. The boy says he heard someone come into the room, strike his father arid the driver, and then heard a gurgling sound in his father’s bed, and he got o'it of his own and crawled under it. When the man left-the boy says ho made his escape. The house was totally destroyed by fire. It is just reported that Virgin’s hat and eoat have been found on the Waiongona River bridge. There is nn trace of Julian, the driver, or the eldest daughter. Later. The charred remains of three bodies have been found in the debris of the house. From the positions they are undoubtedly those of Julian and the driver (Smith, of Now Plymouth), who were in one room, and one of tlie daughters, who was in another room. The first person to escape from the burning building was Julian’s son, 14 years of age, who ran to Mr S. S. Death’s house, about a quarter of a mile distant. Ho reported the tragedy. Shortly after his sister, 16 years of age, arrived at the same house. Both children were much bruised, and were very sore. There is very decided evidence of foul treatment. They were clad only in, their night apparel. Virgin, who is missing, was a well-known and prominent farmer in the district, being for a number of years a member of the Moa Road Board and the Kairnata Branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. It appears that he regretted the deal made to Julian, and endeavoured to revoke it, offering compensation, but the latter refused. Tin’s evidently preyed on his mind, and drove him to commit the dreadful act. The police are inspecting the scene and the country in the vicinity of the river, where Virgin’s hat, coat, and waistcoat were found, but up to the present no further trace of him has been found. Mrs Julian is expected to reach Kaimata this evening with the remaining members of the family. She is driving through from Warea. August 15. Nothing further has transpired in connection with the Kairnata tragedy. Virgin is still missing, and the police, assisted by local residents, are engaged dragging the Mangonui River, as it is generally supposed that he threw himself off the bridge. The river is in flood after recent, heavy rain, and this greatly hampers operations. HAWERA, August 14. At the nieetincr of the Taranaki Executive of the Farmers’ Union to-day a letter was received from F. J. Virgin resigning hie position as treasurer and member of the executive He stated that, as he was about to remove to Warea, it would be inconvenient for him to attend meetings. Hi thanked the members for kindness shown him in the past NEW PLYMOUTH, August 18. The police and private search parties have -been out all day' searching for the missing man Virgin, in connection with the Kairnata tragedy, but without success. Yesterday holes in the river were dynamited without result.. The search will be continued to-morrow. There arc rumours of sensational developments. The inquest will be opened at Inglewood on Thursday. The story told by Dorothy Julian in con. nection with the Kairnate tragedy is ts the effect that she was awakaned by someone giving her a blow. She lay very still and when the man had left the room she spoke, to her sister, but got no reply and endeavoured to awaken her, but without avail. All she heard was a gurgling noiso and as the house was on fire she made her escape and ran to Mr Death’s house. Sho was badly bruised about the back as the result of the attack which was made upon her. The boy, who was sleeping in tho same room a.s his father and Mr Smith, says that the first thing he remembers was someone over by his father’s bed saying “I’ll get up.” There was a lot of commotion going on at his father’s bed, and ho could hear blows being struck, ile got

out of his bed and hid himself underneath it. He heard a man oorne across to the bed on which he had been sleeping and could tell that he was feeling about for him. The man appeared to be pouring kerosene over the floor, and as soon as he left the room the lad got away and reached Mr Death’s house. The boy has had a heavy blow across the face, his right eye being seriously injured, but he does not know how this was caused. Apparently he received a blow across the face whilst asleep, and ;l was this which awakened him. A irgin was a married man. His wife and family drove into Inglewood on Wednesday and were to go through to Warea with him on Thursday.