THE MURDER OF ROBERT STREETER.

Timaru Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4895, 19 July 1890, Page 3

THE MURDER OF ROBERT STREETER.

♦ — - THE BODY IDENTIFIED. {By TKLsa&ArH.) QISBORNE, Jvlt 18. The body of Robert Streeter was brought on a packhorse from the place of discovery 1 S miles along a fearfully rough road, to the Whakatutu Hotel, 36 milesfrom here, J)i" Innes cond.i'-lf d the post mortem, and Mr Booth, R.U., conducted tho inquest. Mr Bees appeared for the prisoner and Mrs Streeter. Constable Low s«d that he and a party of natives set out on Wednesday morning to search for the body. They wore only 20 minutes searching before they found it. They went m a direction indicated by one of the meu from lue camp as the place where Black had left a spade. They found a spot which looked like a fireplace made for boiling a billy. They looked about and casae across a man's foot. They then dug deeper into the side of the hill and tame across the body, jammed m anyhow with sticks and earth to cover it up. Dr loneo deposed that tho body was fully dressed except for tho hat. The clothing was blood-stained, and the battens which had been placed over tho body were also bloodstained, lliere was a hole behind the right ear, three inches by two inches, and tbe skull wrs fractured into many pieces. There was no mark of powder around the wound. On searching, the brain he found pellets of shot and several fragments of gravel. The body \vd» healthy. He considered Ibit the wound was caused by a shot from a gun. Tbe charge had passed through tbo head and come out at the left temple. Elizabeth Streeter said that the body was her husband's. She laaVs&w him five months ago. Arthur Parkinson and Frank McDonald also identified the bori? as that of Streeter. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased was murdered by a gunshot wound, but that there is no evidence to show by whom inflicted. The magisterial enquiry takes place on Monday. The body was a ghastly revolting spectacle but was m fairly good condition, tbe flesh being white but much shrunk. Tbe head, however, was a mass of corruption, and the wounds made it most sickening to look at. The whole of the face had been flattened m and the features were indistinguishable. The party which left town had a rough trip, the rivers being m high flood and the roads very had. IThis morning the prisoner (Black) was taken m to view tbe body. Immediately ho entered the room the sergeant asked him "JJoyou'know whose body that is?" He replied " Yes. Robert Streeter's." These were tha only wordii that have fallen from him, and throughout be remains of stolid, simple nppearance.