The Pomahaka Crime

Southland Times, Issue 13509, 17 July 1896, Page 2

The Pomahaka Crime

[By Telegraph.] Dunedin, July 16. The inquest touching the death of Mary Matson, whose body was found in a lagoon near Pomahaka river on the 4th inst, was continued to day. Sixteen witnesses were examined inc’uding two doctors. The taking of the evidence concluded at 5.30, when an adjournment was made to the evening. Dr. Nicoll said that on the left side of the head he found an oval-shaped wound about an inch long and from half to three-quarters of an inch broad. The bone was exposed and the edges of the wound were slightly ragged. There was also a star-shaped wound over the right temple. In his opinion the first wound was produced during life. It was produced by a blunt instrument, used with a large amount of violence, and was sufficient to cause death. The skull was slightly indented, not fractured. He was unable to say whether drowning or suffocation was the cause of death but the condition of the heart made him think tho woman died by a slow process, such as drowning, rather than the wound. He did not think the woman was killed by an instrument and then thrown into the river. Dr. Sutherland, who assisted at the post mortem, said it was possible that the woman died of the wounds but it was improbable. Wm. Brown, a rope expert, gave evidence that the ropes found tied around tho body were similar in every respect to the tope found on Matson’s plough. Duthie, a shepherd, stated that when he urged Matson to put the girl Clark away when bis wife was coming back, as they would be fighting, Matson said he would leave the gun loaded with the girl and she could use it if tho old woman interfered with her in his absence. He said he would keep the girl in the hut with him aud he would keep the wife in a tent a few yards away. Witness said “It wont do at all, Charlie. Put the girl away.”— “ Well,” he said, “if she kicks up a row I will club her brains out"; at the same time taking up a rabbit grubber or small adze. Witness said “ That would be murder, you know. You will get hung for that.” He exclaimed, “No fear, I will cut my throat.” Ho said his wife was the cause of putting him to a lot of trouble. The Coroner pointed specially to the statement made by Matson to Constable Broberg, in which he admitted having struck his wife as he was leaving for Clinton, and that when he looked back he saw her lying there kicking on the groun J. It seemed to him that Matson must have stunned her. He also pointed out that there was a creek near Matson’s house in which there were deep holes; that creek flowed into the Pomahaka. The jury, after two hours’ absence, returned a verdict that they were unanimously of opinion that Mary M.atson came to her death by murder, and two-thirds of the jury found that Carl Matson was guilty of that murder.