STABBED TO DEATH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 148, 25 June 1931, Page 7

STABBED TO DEATH

WOMAN’S LIFE TAKEN A TRAGEDY AT AUCKLAND MURDERED IN BEDROOM MAORI MAN IN HOSPITAL (Pet crest Association.) AUCKLAND, June 24. Airs Gwen Johnson, aged about 40, was stabbed to death shortly after eight this morning in a house at 47 Randolph Street, off Newton Road. Miss Queenie Dristoll, aged .16, was stabbed in the arm and had lysol thrown in her face. Subsequently a man named George Ramake, aged 36, was found in another house suffering from the effects of poison and was taken to the hospital. The story told to the police is that a man, alleged to be Ramake, arrived at the house and went, into Mrs Johnson’s room and locked the door. Screams were heard from the room and Mrs Keesing, occupier of the house, tried to force open the door. The man stabbed Miss Dristoll in the air and threw lysol in her face. He rushed downstairs and Airs Keesing struck him with a flat iron. He rolled downstairs and staggered down tho steps along the street and went off in a taxi. Neighbours, meanwhile, entered the room and found Airs Johnson on the floor bleeding from a deep wound in the breast and lysol on her face. A sheath knife was also found. Tho hospital reported at noon that Ramake's condition is serious. Alisa Dristoll is tho late Airs John son’s daughter. Airs Keesing said to-day that last night a Alaori 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 Alaori entered and attacked the mother. Tho girl tried to ward off the blow and in the struggle was wounded. Airs Murphy, Ramake’a cousin, said he returned this morning and asked her to give a letter to his father, and added: “This is the end of my life,” and collapsed. Graphic Story.

A graphic story' of the murder is told by Airs L. Keesing, a tenant of the house. “We had trouble with a Alaori last night,” she said. “He came to tho front door at about 7.30 and threatened to commit suicide by takingpoison. 1 said to him ‘Do it outside and not in here’ and I pushed him out of the door. After that we went to a dance in the Grange Hall with Airs Johnson, Miss Queenie Driscoll and Airs Johnson’s son. Sydney Driscoll. “When we camo homo 1 had it in my mind that the Alaori might be dead under the house,” remarked Mrs Kecsing. “Before I was dressed this morning I was kneeling at my bedside saying my prayers, when I heard Queenie calling out “murder” from the upstair bedroom, where she slept with her mother. 1 knew instinctively what had happened. 1 grabbed a flat iron and rushed up to the bedroom. The door W was locked from the inside. I screamed ‘Open tho door.’ Inside I heard Queenie screaming, and I started to smash the door in with the flat iron. Aly efforts apparently frightened the person inside, as the door was quickly unlocked and the Alaori who had been at the front door the night before rushed out and made for me with his right arin raised. In his hand was a new sheath knife. I attacked him and caught hold of his raised arm and struck him with tho 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 Alaori staggered and fell down the .stairs,” said Mrs Keesing. She went into the bedroom and found Airs Johnson lying on the floor bleeding from a deep wound in her right breast. She died shortly after. 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. Airs Keesing asked Queenie what had happened, but the girl could only tell an incoherent story. She said she had 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. Tho Maori, who took poison, is named Pahara Rameka Kero. The injured girl’s condition to-night was not serious. Pahara Rameka Kcre is generally known as George Rameka. His condition has improved considerably and he is not in danger.