A SUSPECTED MURDER AT HOKETIKA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3564, 13 October 1880, Page 2

A SUSPECTED MURDER AT HOKETIKA.

[by telegraph. J David Hutchinson was committed for trial for the murder of his wife — Margret — and his infant son Patrick. The principal witness was the prisoner's mate, named Reardon, who deposed as follows : — I lived on Tucker Flat ; I returned home about 11.30 on the night of tho 20th September, aud, when I came within thirty yards of my own place I heard a woman shriek, and a kind of choking sound followed. 1 listened and heard some noise from fiutchinson's place. Again I listened awhile and as they appeared quiet I walked towards my own place. When I got there I heard a noise again as if there was scrambling on boards at Hutchinsons. I listened for a few minutes, but everything was quiet again. 1 went inside and lit a caudle, aud saw it was about twenty-five minutes to twelve. Soon after that I heard a

noise as if furniture was being shifted. I went to my back window and heard Mrs. Hutckinson say "Davy, ])avy, what are you going to do." 1 heard again some more noise as of a scuffle, and then there was quietness. The scuffle continued about a miuute or so. Then I saw a light iv Hutchiusons house. I did not go out for the purpose of reconnoitring. When I saw the light I went into my bedroom, and when there, thought I heard Hutchiusons baby crying. I went to my back window facing the track, and thought I heard a noise of " thuds " again. The noise ceased quickly, and I went to bed. 1 thought prisoner was beating his wife. I lived near to Hutchiusons for three or four months. I have heard disputes and quarrels between the prisoner aud deceased, and thought something serious was going on. I thought at the time the woman's life must have been in danger, but did not care about interfering. Afterwards 1 was sorry I did not go. I was aroused next morning between two and three o'clock, by Mary and Johnny Hutchinson. They sang out that their house was on fire and mother and baby was nside. I got up and went out ; the door was open, and the kitchen wasiu flames. I saw the prisoner and the children. The latter were standing some distance away, while prisoner was moving back something from the fire, prisoner was crying. I think I asked him where the missus was and he said she was inside. I got an axe and went to the bedroom window. I could sec no lire, but there might have been smoke. I think the door between the bedroom aud kitchen was closed. The prisoner said his wife was in the kitchen. The space between the door and stretcher was not on fire. The flooring was burning every where else. I then went round the house again and found that the flames had not reached the bedroom. By this time three or four minutes must have elapsed. I then asked the prisoner if he had seen his wife, aud he told me he shook her by the leg to rouse her, but the heat was too strong. He remarked that he might have saved the bab\ but for Mary singing out that Maggie was inside. He said he had saved some blankets, and I asked him how he got them out as I knew these things had been in the kitchen, and prisoner had on his hat, shirt, trousers, vest, and boots, as when I saw him in the morning about seven o'clock. The remains of the body were found lying alongside a stretcher. 1 saw nothing of the remains of the infant that time. There was a heap of charred bones found near the middle of the room. Further evidence given by this witness went to show that the prisoner and his wife had quarrels previously. About a dozen other witnesses were examined, the evidence being purely circumstantial. It was shown that the accused had saved several articles from the room in which his wife and child were consumed. The prisoner offered no defence, but by direction of his solicitor said " I am innocent of the charge. 1 '