THE SUPPOSED MURDER AT TUAPEKA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2632, 6 February 1868, Page 6

THE SUPPOSED MURDER AT TUAPEKA.

We extract, from the Tuapeka Press, the following account of the inquest on the body of Jane Geddes, who is supposed to have been murdered : — An inquest was held before Major Croker, coroner, and a jury of twenty, at Tuapeka Mouth, on 22nd January, on the body of Jane Geddes. Wm. Geddes, the husband of deceased, was present in custody, charged with having caused her death. Mary Euff, wife of Noble Euff, deposed that deceased came to witness's house about midday of the 20th instant, and asked me to go with her to her own house. I did so. About two hours later a man named Mat called. I had never seen him before. Deceased was the worse for liquor, and went to bed between six and seven p.m., after asking witness to take Mat away, lock the door and throw the key inside over the top of the door. Witness took Mat away, leaving a little girl named North in the house till she came back ; took the child away, locked the door, and threw in the key as requested. Saw the prisoner Geddes go towards his house about an hour afterwards. The child, Mary Ann North, corroborated part of the above evidence. Witnesses deposed to having seen accused go to his own door, and, not being able to open it, take an axe from a heap of firewood, break the door open, and enter the bedroom. One witness deposed that immediately after Geddes broke open the door he observed the man Mat fast asleep in Taylor's store. Dr Hailey, who conducted the post-mortem examination, stated that he found two contused wounds on the forehead above the centre, the upper one a mere skin wound, the lower one extending to the bone, but not fracturing it ; there were bruises on the chin, on the breast and abdomen ; a great deal of lividity {post-mortem) about the arms and back ; pillows and sheets stained with blood ; brain, lungs, heart, stomach, liver, and uterus all healthy. Believe cause of death to be congestion ofthe brain. Cannot say what caused the congestion. The wounds might have caused it ; it may have resulted from natural causes. Constable Purdue deposed to a statement made by the prisoner to him to the effect that he had gone home about half- past seven. Finding the door fastened, and not being able to gain admittance, broke it open, and found his wife in bed with her face covered with blood; washed the blood off, and found that she was not dead ; he was there about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes before calling assist ance ; that she did not speak, and as he thought she was dying he went and called a neighbor named Thomson. The same witness also deposed that after comparing the wound on the head with the axe, he was of opinion that if the blow was inflicted in a certain way it would cause such a wound as appears on the forehead. John M'lutyre deposed to finding the key inside the honse, where it had been thrown by the witness Euff. The jury, after retiring, delivered a verdict that the deceased was wilfully murdered by some person or persons unknown. The prisoner was discharged but was immediately re-arrested. — Information was received by the polico in town last evening, to the effect that Geddes bad been brought up in the Ecsident Magistrate's Court, Lawrence ; and that he was, on Saturday, committed for trial on a charge of having murdered his wife. The deceased was 47 years of age.