MOTIVE OF THE MURDERER. ARRESTS MADE.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 325, 15 December 1888, Page 4

MOTIVE OF THE MURDERER. ARRESTS MADE.

The deceased gentleman ail d his wife were most popular with cho natives, find hence the crimes are attributed by many to 9, sudden outburst of anger, probably bscause credit wab not allowed for articles •which had been bargained for. A native ■was detained in custody, suspicion falling on him because he foimerly broke into the store ; but hi» whereabouts on the night of the murder being proved, he was dismissed. Four other natives aie being detained because they left the Waipiro Hotel at ten o'clock on the night oi the murder, and did not reach their residence, four miles from 3lr Pook a, until midnight. There are small blood stains on the troupers of one of the pi isoners, but he states that his nose was bleeding, and that his horse had a soie back. Their statements in other respects as to their doings that night have been found to be correct. On Saturday morning Constable Gerard (a native) arrested two natives. Besides the boot and knife of Hohepa te Peri, his legging", and a piece of dress stuff similar to that found amongst the purchases en the counter, both bloodstained, have been discovered. THE MEDICAL EVIDENCE. At the inquest, on Satuiday, Dr. Henry Pollen gave evidence as to the post-mortem examination of the two bodies. That of the man was fully clothed ; the face •was bespattered v. ith blood, and the left side of the cheek and bide of the head had large clots of thick blood. There was h wound (incised) an inch and a-halt long, j and penetrating thr.ugh all the soft parts to the bone on the left bicfe of the forehead, high up. At an angle of the jaw, on the Jeft side, there was an irregular contused wound, causing a compound fracfcuie of the left end of the jaw. In the centre line of the lov>er jaw there was another contused wound, causing a fractiue at that spot. A piece of bone containing four centie lower teeth was displayed in the mouth. On the left side of the neck was a wound four inches long, extending fiom an inch below the ear in an oblique direction towards the throat. This wound was an inch and a-halt deep, and severed the main nerves and vessels in its course. There was a similar wound on the ritrht side of the neck, not quite so long, but deeper. At the deepest portion of the latter wound witness found a fracture of one of the neck bones. There were a few small incised wounds at the lower paitof the throat. The man's singlet, shirt, waistcoat, necktie, and coat had cuts corresponding with the wounds beneath. The back of the left hand, and also the clothing, were more or less covered u ith blood. Witness next examined Mrs Pook's body, and found the left side of the face clotted with blood Two inches above the left ear the skull was paved in, and the brain was protruding. He removed a piece of bone about an inch square from the wound. The throat was cub from ear to ear, the windpipe, gullet, and all the vessels and nerves completely severed. The nec,k was broken, and a large wound was at the back ol the neck — in tact, the head .was only adhering to the body by a piece of skin three inches wide on the left side and an inch wide on fche right; sido. Across the back of the crpwn.of the head there, were three deep yuts penetrating to the bone, and oi the

shape of an avrcn% The wounds in the throat in both bodies soi'incd to have beon inflicted with tho same weapon, with tho exception of the wound on the right sido ot tho man's throat, which, in witness's opinion, mu«t have been inflicted with a nai'row-bladed instrument, owing to its depth and tho comparative smallness of the opening". The wounds on the loft sido of the woman's head and the man's jaw must hr.ye been caused with a heavy blunt instrument. The mutilation of the woman's body was the most extensive witness had ever seen in his experience as u suigcon. The bur of iron produced exactly ) corresponded with the wound on the woman's head. The man had also a wound on tho faco which o HTospouded with the bnr of iron, and the hair on the latter was the same as that on tho lips. Tho axes and tomahawk produced would ciusa the other wounds, except tho one before mentioned. From appeal ances he should f-ay that the woman was killed outright with the wound on tho head with the bar, and that her tin oat was nfterwards cut; had it been otherwise the blood would have ilowed more copiously. The severing of an impmtant nerve in the neck was the cause of tho man's death, if not hemotrhaoo. it would have beon impossible thar the man killed the woman, and then inflicted his own injuries 8 , as both of his carotid arteiies. weic seveied by sepaiato wound-. Henry Cannon, Edward Swan, and Alfred Hamilton gave e\idenee as to ihe bodies. Edmund Villiers, sergeant of police, also gave evidence. The latter witness stated thai he seaiched the body of Took, and found a silver watch, some silver, ke\s of a safe at Tokomaiu hotel, locket, book, and other aiticles. There only appeared to be footprints of one man. These were no rings on Mrs Pook's fingers Two gold watches wetc in tho bedroom. Witness could not find tho keys of the t«tore. At Mr Pooled hotel at Tokomani, the di c coveiy has beon made of £25 in ca*h, and the cheques that -were known to be in Mr Pook's possession, and supposed to be stolen. There is a possibility of this discovery throwing new light on the murder, and that the object v\ as not plunder ; but it is believed theie must have been more money at tho Mataahu store. Two axes were iij>ed in the committal of tho deed, but that does not lead to tho supposition that there was mote than one murderer. The axes weic lirge and -mall, and iv the small space there is behind the counter there would not have been room to swing the big one, and the smaller axe would then have been used.

A MAORI CHIEFS ACTION. Tuta Nihonibo, the chief of the tribe, was in Wellington at the time of the murder, and left immediately for Gifborne, and forwatded oider.s that 150 men should Match all the roads, and give the police every assistance. Tuta is greatly excited at the crime, as the murdered man was his personal fuend, and was entrusted by the chief with all his valuable documents when the latter had occasion to leave the district-. Pook's child was chiistened aftc Tuta, who is a leading chief of the Ngatiporou tribe, which has always been friendly to Europeans. Tuta at first did not believe that the murders were committed by any member of his hapu ; but if it was so, he named one a& the murderer. The Maori whom he mentioned is the person against whom the police have the strongest t-uspicion. Mr Pook's life was injured in the (Government Office for £500. He was a'so insured in the New Zealand Accident Company for £500, but allowed his policy to lapse in February last.