ALLEGED MURDER AT KANIERI.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1891, 13 October 1880, Page 2

ALLEGED MURDER AT KANIERI.

[PBB PEBSS ABBOOTATION SPECIAL WIBB.] Hokitika, Oct. 11. The following telegram was crowded out of yesterday's issue : — On Saturday evening David Hutchison wu committed for trial for the murder of his wife Margaret snd bis infant sod Patrick. Tho prinoip&l witness era* Mat Reardon, who deposed — On the 20th and 21et September last I lived on Tucker Flat. I know the prisoner, with whom I worked as mate up to the 20th of September lait, the dale of tho (ire. The kitchen wai lined about four feet up with boards, and abore that with paper. Prisoner's gun was suspended close to the ceiling m the kitchen. I last saw Mrs Hutohiion alive at Kanieri m tho evening of the 20lh about half-past nine. I saw the prisoner at the Kunieri the same evening. I returned home about half-pait eleven on the night of the ?Oth September. When I came within thirty yards from my own place, I heard a woman shriek, and a kind of choking sound followed. I listened, and I heard some noiio from Hutchison's place. I listened a while and things appeared quiet, so I walked towards my own placa. When I got to my own place I heard noise again as if there was a scrambling on the boards. I listened for a bit, and everything was quiet again, so I went inside and lit a candle. I saw it was about twenty-fire minutei to twelve. Soon after thnt t heard a noise as if furniture was being shifted. I went to my back window, and heard Mrs Hutchison say, "Dary, Davy, what are you going to do?" I heard again some noise as of a scuffle, and then there was quietness. The scuffle continued about a minute or so. I then saw a light m Hutchison's house. I did not go out for the purpose of reconnoitering. When I saw the light 1 went into my bedroom. When I thought I heard the baby crying I went to my baok window, faoing Iho track, and thought I heard a noise of thuds again. The noise ceassd quickly, and I went to bed. I thought the pritonor was beating his wife. I went to bed at twelve o'clock. I lived near the Hutchisons for three or four months. I heard disputos and quarrels between priioner and deceased. I thought something aerioui was going on. I thought at the time that the woman's life most have been m danger, but I did not care about interfering. Afterwards I was sorry I did not go. I was aroused next morning between two and three o'clock by Mary and Johnny Hutohieon. They sung out that their house was on fire, and that " mother and baby " were imido. I got up and went out. I saw Hutchison's houso on fire. The door wns open and the kitchen was m flames. I saw the prisoner and the children — the latter were standing some distance away, while the prisoner was moving baok some things from the fire. Prisoner was crying. I aiked him where the missus was. He said she was inside. I got an axe and went to her bedroom window. He said "not there." Looking through the bedroom window I could see no fire, but there might have been smoke. 1 think the door between the bedroom and kitchen was cloied. Prisoner said that hia wife was m the kitchen. The kitchen and front door were opon. There seemed to be a •htet of fire from the upper part of the kitohon door to the fireplace. The space between the door and Btretoher was not on fire on the flooring, which was burning everywhere else. 1 then went round tho house again, and found that the flames had not then reached the bedroom. By this time three or four minutes must have elapsed. I then aaked prisoner if he had Been his wife. He told me that he shook her by the leg, but that the heat was too strong. He remarked that he might hare saved the baby bnt for Mary singing out that Maggie was inside. I taw that he had saved soma blankets, and I asked him how he got them out, as I knew they had been m the kitchen. Prieoner had on his hat, shirt, trousers, vest, and bootß when I iaw him. In the morning, about seron o'clook, the remains of the woman were found lying alongside the stretcher. The remains wore very muoli charred ; tho whole of the flesh was burnt off tho brad, body, and legs. I could see no anna. I saw nothing of the remains of the infant at that time. There was a heap of charred loose bones found near the middle of the room. Subsequently I, with Mm Maher, wont to hare a look through the debris of tho fire, and -we found »omo bones close to the fire-place, m a different direction to where prisoner bud said the cradle had been lying. Theio were said to be the remains of the infant. Prisonertold witnessthat he had shifted some tools out of the house a few days previous to the fire. I know that prisoner and his wife had a row a abort time ago. She appeared to be lame after the row. She showed me a swollen finger — that on which she wore her ring. She spoke of going to tho dootor about it. She also had a out on her head. About firo or six months ago she came to the claim once or twice where we wera working, and mod quarrelsome language towards him. After everything was burned prisoner and I sat down on a log. Prisoner said, " Well, I'm on the broad of my baok again." I replied that tho fire would not ! much matter, if his wife and child had been saved. Prisoner then replied, "Things cannot be muoh worse than they were." About a dozen other witnesses were examined, the evidence being purely ' circumstantial. It was shown that prisoner had saved several articles from tho room m which his wife and child were consumed. Priioner offered no defence, but by direotion of hia solicitor, Mr Purkiss, aaid, " I am innocent of the charge."