THE TORERE TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3802, 25 January 1927, Page 16

THE TORERE TRAGEDY.

INQUEST CONCLUDED. •OPOTIKI, January 20. The I {’9.”est concerning the death of Jeremiah Williamson near Torere on December 1 concluded to-day, a verdict being returned of murder. The trial of John Sullivan on a charge of committing the murder opened to-day before Mr W. G. Kenrick, S.M. Evidence for the Crown is proceeding. . Mr Nolan (Crown Prosecutor) is prosecuting, and Mr Hodgson appears for the prisoner. A murder was enacted near Torere, about 18 miles from Opotiki, on December 1, when a roadman named Williams was found by the police battered to death. The dead man’s mate, Sullivan, aged 50 years, was arrested on a charge of murder, lhe two men had been working together for the four previous months. Both were in town the day before, and were taken to Torere in the afternoon Both are said to have been intoxicated. On receipt of the news of the tragedy the police hurried to the scene, and found Williams dead in the scrub two chains from where’they were dropped. Williams’s head was terribly smashed, _ part of the skull being missing. Blood-stained bottles were strewn around, including a full bottle of beer, also bloodstained. Half a dozen heavy sticks were also blood-stained. Patches of blood on the road indicated that the victim had tried to run away, -and had finally been dragged into the scrub. Sullivan had a bottle of whisky in his hand when arrested, and was talking wildly. He is alleged to have said to Mr Drake, the postrtiaster at Torere: “I’ve killed my mate,” but denied the killing when arrested. The name of the deceased was previously telegraphed as Williams.