THE WOOLSTON HOMICIDE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2303, 25 January 1897, Page 3

THE WOOLSTON HOMICIDE.

(By Telegraph.) CHRISTCHUROff, January 23.At the Police Court this morning, Horatio John Parkes, charged with the murder of Michael Ryan, was remanded pending the result of the inquest, which will be held this afternoon. January 24. A Coroner's Inquest was held yesterday before Mr Beetham, on the body of Ryan, the victim of the Opawa tragedy. The jury returned a verdict of justifiable homicide. From the Lyttelton Times we learn that Horatio Parkes is a nephew of- Sir Harry Parkes, formerly British Ambassador to China, who selected a piece of land from the plans of the Canterbury Association m London, and sent his nephew out m one of the first four ships, and Parkes has lived upon it ever since. The property has been known all along as The Grange. Eighteen months ago the Government bought most of the property to form the Roimata village settlement. Ryan, who it is supposed was about 55 years of age, was released from gaol m April last, having undergone a sentence of six months' imprison' ment m default of finding sureties to keep the peace against a man named Weeks. According to Parkes's statement, Ryan, upon coming out of gaol, had been unable to find a place to which to go, and had asked to be^allowed to stay at Parkes's house for a fen days, but had remained there up to the time of the tragedy, although Parkes had frequently tried to get rid of him. He looked as if he had led a rough life.