BRUTAL MURDER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5023, 3 June 1889, Page 3

BRUTAL MURDER.

(By Telegraph. ) WELLINGTON, June 2. A post mortem on the body of Hawkins was conducted all yesterday, and is still going on, bnt the authorities are vsry reticent as to what has been discovered. To all appearances, however, a most determined and at the same time, a most cowardly murder has been committed. From enquiries made on the spot and the nature of the wounds so far ascertained it is evident that the poor fellow was fired at twice, and his life finally extinguished by the blows of a knife. Portions of his vest and coat which were blown away ns by the discharge of a gun, were found on the road some distance from the body, and stones marked with blood are lying about in various places along with the fragments of cloth, and the remains of Hawkins’ pocket knife, broken up and twisted as though considerable force had been used. There was a great deal of blood where the body lay, but little anywhere else. In a gully about 25 yards from the scene was found a stone weighing perhaps Hlbs, pigged and partly covered with blood. 'I here were no signs of the body having been dragged from where the patches of cloth and knife lay, to the spot where it was found. These discoveries dispose of the possibility of Hawkins having been killed by a simple fall from a trap, and besides it is known that he always used to walk up this part of the road, which is very steep and narrow, and dominated by banks on either side. When it was found that, besides the wounds in the throat, there was a charge of shot in the shoulder, the police at once regarded it as a case of murder, and began to look for further clues. The theory which an inspection of the locality seerr s to favour is that the assassin waited for his victim on the bank, in a position where he would be very close to anyone toiling up the steep hill. As soon as Hawkins came near he fired one barrel of a shot gun, but did little more than cut away the portion of clothing found on the road. Hawkins instinctively suspecting, perhaps, with whom he had to deal, turned and ran down the road ; for his life, but a second shot better aimed struck him in the shoulder and brought him down before he had gene many yards. This wound was not necessarily fatal, but the murderer, determined to leave nothing to chance, must then have gone up to the prostrate man and finished his work with a knife or other sharp weapon. Hawkins was lying on his face, and from the position of the bands, would seem to have pub up his arms to ward off the blow of the knife. This is the opinion the police have formed of the circumstances of the tragedy, and on it they are working. Dr Cahill has given it as his opinion that no blood would spurt up from the wounds so made by direct downward force, and consequently the murderer may have gone away without a spot on him. Having come to the conclusion that it was a case of deliberate murder, the police turned their attention to the assassin. From the facts that the dead man’s watch was not taken, and that if ho had any money on him it was not a large sum, the cause of the crime is at present believed to be vengeance rather than robbery. Amongst Hawkins’ neighbours is an Italian, wbo has been beard, so it is alleged, to utter threats against him in consequence of some litigation in which they were engog-rd. His house was searched and a bone-handled dagger with a double-edged blade about six inches in length was found. A shot flask was also obtained. The dagger, however, bore no signs of blood and the shot in the flask were not of the same size as those in the body. No clothes were discovered at all blood stained and none had been recently washed. The demeanour both of the man and his wife was calm and not that of guilty people. Inspector Thomson said the detectives were busy all yesterday and to-day

prosecuting their search, but up to the present it is not known whether they have found anything more conclusive. It may be mentioned that this is the first murder which has occurred in Wellington since a bank manager named Miller killed his father and mother on Wellington Terrace and then committed suicide, some nine years ago. Dr Cahjll finished his pod mortem late this afternoon, but has declined to give any information till after the inquest which is fixed for 9 to-morrow morning. In the Beardi at the Italian’s house a double barrelled shot-gun was found and a double eet of tracks leading from his house to the road where the crime was committed were discovered.

WJHWtV*V"» - THE INQUEST. June 3. At the inquest on the body of Hawkins, his wife gave evidence that about two months ago deceased came home much put out be" cause Louis Chemis, a man who worked on the road, had sworn at him, and said he would have him yet. There was a law suit pending in respect of a fifty-acre section rented from her husband by Chemis. One witness deposed that shots were not likely to, be heard as the vfind was blowing away from the nearest houses. Dr Cahill said as soon as he noticed the stabs he suspected murder, but said nothing until the body was taken to the morgue. There he found a large number of stabs, one of which divided the jugular vein. The wounds were thick about the neck and shoulders, and appeared to have been made from above and forwards. One cut severed the lower jawbone. On the trvnk there were more than a dozen stabs. In fact the corpse waa slushed all over. These was also a gunshot wound in the lower part of the neck, immediately above the shoulder. One stab penetrated to the heart. All the wounds were clean cut, and he believed they were produced by a double edged weapon. They were all broader at the surface , than in the interior of the body, and he believed the instrument must have been sharp, two-edged, tapering and strong, and at least five inches in length. He believed the Eortions shot off the coat and vest must have een torn away by a bullet fired from above, which passed through the coat and struck a knife, or something hard, in the vest pocket There was a contusion corresponding with where the knife would have beer. The shot from behind must have beep firt .1 whpp both were on a level, and not two yards away. Many of the wounds would cause death almost jpunediatclj'. ; *

Inspector Thompson produced a dagger found by the police* (without mentioning how it was obtained) and asked Dr Cahill whether the wounds could have been produced by that weapon. Dr Cahill said yes, any of the stabs could have been inflicted with it. The inquest was then adjourned for a week. No arrest has yet been made.