Further Particulars.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7846, 12 September 1904, Page 5

Further Particulars.

Horrible Atrocities.

Horrifying Details.

A Dreadful Narrative.

(Received To-day, at 9.18 cm.)

Brisbane, This Day

Details of the massacre show that the attack was made at nine o'clock in the morning. It appears that the murderers stood by their victims until the signal was given by Tomari, who was the only one with a gun. He shot Rasher in the head with a charge of buck shot while he sat reading in his house. Immediately other members of the mission were killed. The majority were struck down with hatchets from behind.

Clen Clarchaert Scheltekin, at the time, was engaged in joinery work at the new church. Sister Anna was in the next room to Rasher, and when she heard the shot, went to his assistance. Tomari followed and shot her through the head.

Sister Sophia was returning from the villege where she had been attending a sick native when'she was struck down.

Sister Agatha , met her death while binding a wouud on a native.

Sister Agnes, teacher at station, was at the time engaged in needlework.

Sifter Wilhelmina was murdered while arranging ornaments on the altar of the new church. Her mutilated body was found on the altar stairs.

The new church was to be opened on August 26th, and preparations were being .made to celebrate the event.

Lotten's head was chopped off and the skull battered to pieces.

Rasher was the founder of the missions, and had received from the Kaiser a Prussian order of recognition for his works in the Native language and ethnology.

All the other victims were of Dutch or German extraction.

Two of the murderers were freed slaves, and the rest were from the adjacent mountains.

The chief criminal, Tomari, had been at the mission since it started.

The general opinion at the Islands is that the attack was not only against the missions, but really a prelude to an outbreak against all whites.

It is understood the attackers intended to make an assault on several other stations, and only tbe watchfulness of the people prevented a further massacre.

Three other attacks were afterwards made on the station belonging to the Catholic Mission, but the people were prepared, and it proved unsuccessful.

It is stated that the outbreak was due to the desire of the natives to be free from the presence of white men, they not liking being compelled to work, and wished to be allowed to live as they liked without restrictions.