WOMAN STABBED TO DEATH

Taranaki Daily News, 25 June 1931, Page 7

WOMAN STABBED TO DEATH

GIRL HAS INJURIES TO ARM MAORI SUFFERING FROM POISON. SENSATION IN AUCKLAND HOUSE. LANDLADY ATTACKS SUSPECT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, June 24. Mrs. Gwen Johnson, about 49 yeais of age, was <stab'bed to death short y after 8 o’clock this morning in a house at 47 Randolph Street, off New Road. Miss Queenie Dristoll, ag< 16, was ■tabbed in the arm and had Ijsoi thrown in her face. Subsequently a man named George Rajnake, aged 36, was found in another house suffering from the effects oi poison and taken to the hospital. The story told to the .police is that a man alleged to be Ramake, arrived at the house, went into Mrs. Johnsons room and locked the door. Screams ■were heard from the room and Mrs. ■Keesing, occupier of the house, tried to force open the door. A man emerged, ■stabbed Miss Dristoll in .he arm, threw lyeol in her face and rushed downstairs. Mrs. Keesing struck him with a flatiron and he rolled downstairs and staggered down the steps and along the street. He went off in a taxi. Neighbours meanwhile entered the toom and found 'Mrs. Johnson on the floor bleeding from a deep wound in the breast and with lysol on her face. A sheath knife was also found. The hospital reported at noon that Ramake’s condition was serious. Miss Dristoll is a daughter of the late Mrs. Johnson. Mrs. Keesing said to-day that last night a Maori came to the house and threatened to commit suicide by taking poison. She pushed him out of the door. The girl was in bed with her mother, who was asleep when the Maori entered and attacked th mother. The girl'tried to ward off the blow and, in the struggle, was wounded. Mrs. Murphy, Ramake’s cousir, said that he returned this morning, and asked her to give a letter to his father. .He added: ‘‘This is the end of my life,” and collapsed.

GRAPHIC story of tragedy.

WOMAN ATTACKS THE INTRUDER. Auckland, Last Night. A graphic story of the tragedy was told by Mrs. L. Keesing, tenant of the house. “We had trouble with a Maori last night,” she said. “He came to the front door about 7.30 and threatened to commit suicide by taking poison. I said to him, ‘Do it outside, not in here,’ and I pushed him out of the door. After that we went to a dance in the Orange Hall with Mrs. Johnson, Miss Queenie Driscoll and Mrs. Johnson’s son, Sydney Driscoll. ' ... “When we came home I had it in my min'd that the Maori might be dead under the house,” remarked Mrs. Keesing. “Before I was dressed this morning I was kneeling at my bedside saying my prayers when I heard Queenie calling out ‘Murder!’ from the upstairs room where she slept with her mother. I knew instinctively what had happened. I grabbed a flatiron and rushed up to the bedroom. The door was locked from the inside. I screamed, ‘Open the door!’ “Inside I heard Queenie screaming, and I started to smash the door in with the flatiron. My efforts apparently frightened the person inside, as the door was quickly unlocked and the Maori who had been at the front door the night before rushed out and made for me with his right arm raised. In his right hand was a new sheath knife. I attacked- him, caught hold of his raised arm and struck him with the iron. .He made another rush at me and, fortunately, the French windows on to the balcony were open, so that I was able to escape.” The Maori staggered and fell down the. stairs, said Mrs. Keesing. She went into the bedroom and found Mrs. Johnson lying on - the floor bleeding from a deep wound in her right breast. She died shortly afterwards. Queenie, said Mrs. Keesing, was bleeding from a stab in the right arm above the wrist, and was blinded by poison which had been thrown in her face. Her right eye was closed. Mrs. Keesing asked Queenie what had happened, but the girl could tell only an incoherent story. She said she bad been in bed with her mother when the Maori entered the room, locked the door and attacked her mother, who was asleep. Queenie tried to ward off the blow, and, being a strong girl, had a short but fierce struggle with her mother’s assailant. In the struggle Queenie was wounded. The Maori who took the poison is named Pahara Rameka Kere. Queenie Driscoll is aged 16. She is a daughter of Mrs. Johnson by a previous marriage. Her condition to-night was not serious. Ramaka Kere’s condition has improved considerably, and he is not in danger.