THE SUPPOSED MURDER AT WAITAHUNA.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5024, 4 June 1889, Page 3

THE SUPPOSED MURDER AT WAITAHUNA.

(By Telegraph.) DUNEDIN, June 4. A Times special says enquiries on the spot elicited that Bradford and Waddell had not been on good terms for some lime. Waddell had resided in the locality for twelve months, having come from Balclutha. Six months since Bradford joined Waddell in working a claim at Goghili’s hill. The claim was not of much account apparently, and they were anything but contended partners. They had no water rights, and Bradford came to tho Warden at Lawrence and made application for a dim and water race in his own name, not mentioning his mate, thus virtually becoming proprietor of the claim. This is what is freely stated. After this the relationship between tho partners became less agreeable, but no tlireals of violence were made use of. Whnt is regarded as suspicious is that Waddell never reported that his mate was missing, or took any part in the search for him, beyond helping to remove a fall of earth at* the claim, under which it was thought possible Bradford’s body might be found. Another singular circumstance is of a mysterious character. The body was found at night by a search party directed to the very spot where the the body was found. This accounts for its being discovered at nearly midnight. At 8 o’clock on Sunday eight a note was found tied to constable West’s gate, saying, “ Bradford’s body will bo found in the gully a little above the dam at tbo claim." The constable got some men in the district to go with him, and they found the body in the spot indicated. It was hidden by a growth of ferns, not by anything placed over it to conceal it; still, it was so situated and shielded from view that a close search was necessary to discover it. Nothing is known as to the writer of the note, and the most probable conjecture regarding it is that it may have been written by some one who accidentally found tho body, and did not want to bo troubled about giving evidence. It it said the body had the appearance of having been in water, and that there were signs of death having resulted from asphyxia. A bruise on the face is extensive, and one on the thigh is the result of a considerable degree of violence; but these would bo insufficient to account for death. Whether tho bruises were such as might have been caused by a fall will depend largely upon the nature of the locality where the body was found. lam informed by those who know (he place that this is improbable, and if so the inference that Bradford was murdered is almost inevitable.