DEATH OF A CHINAMAN.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13592, 6 October 1914, Page 5

DEATH OF A CHINAMAN.

A WELLINGTON MYSTERY

[United Press Association.]

Wellington, Oct. 5. ;. An inquiry into the circumstances of the- death of the Chinaman, Wong Way Ching, who, it is presumed, was murdered between ,a Quarter to and a quarter past eight- o'clock on the evening of September 11th., was conducted by,tho Coroner (Mr I>. G. A. Cooper, S.M.) today. t ' -

Dr Henry said the deceased had two distinct wounds —one on the right; cheek wrt-li a smashed! jawbone and the other on the right-hand side of the skulk on the top of the forehead. The wounds could have been caused by a. blow from the piece of blood-stained iron bar produced.

-Edward Kruger, a lad 14 years of ago, residing in Adelaide road, said he lived nearly opposite tne deceased's shop. He remembered Friday night, September 11th last. On that evening his father sent him to purchase a stick of tobacco from the Chinaman;;* That would be at 2# minutes to. 8-"o'clock. He saw the deceased, who- was beside the counter. Standing in the corner outside the counter was a bag tall man. j This man was- not talking to the ChinaI man when witness entered the shopWitness returned home, but as he did not got the correct tobacco ho had to go back.to. change. it. When he returned to the shop the- same man was stilU there. The Chinaman was behind the counter, and the man was leaning with his left elbow on the counter. His right hand was hidden. The man, who was silent, had a brown felt hat pulled well down over Ms face, and wore a dark green overcoat. He was clean shaved, and had two "prominent teeth in his Upper gum. Witness could not say whether he was- dark or fair, but he was of medium build, and was about 28 to 30 years of age. He was neatly dressed—not of the tyjje that hung about street corners. Matthew Henderson said he knew the shop kept by the deceased Chinaman, and recollected passing it at about a quarter to eight on the night of the 11th nit. The shop was closed, but was lighted up in the front. It struck witness as unusual that the shep should be closed so early,-and he stopped. When he did so he heard the sound of a man groaning. Witness peered through the window, but could see nothing. Concluding that everything was all right, witness continued on his way to drill. The sound of moaning that he heard was like stertorous breathing. . .... ... The Coroner retuvned; a verdict that the death of the deceased was due to fracture of the skull, caused by an iron bar, inflicted by some person unknown. -