TRAGEDY AT PUHIPUHI.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3199, 21 April 1911, Page 5

TRAGEDY AT PUHIPUHI.

CUMDICCER SLAIN BY MAORI.

CONFESSION BY THE MURDERER.

[PER PREBS ASSOCIATION.] WHANGAREI, April 20. A revolting crime, committed in the depths of the Puhipuhi State forest, has bectj revealed. Kake, a native youth, aged 18, was arrested at Kaikohe on , _ Tuesday on a charge of murdering John ,- Freeman, a European gumdigger, wittt whom Kake resided in a whare. Sus-L' picion fell on Kake, by his prodigal spending of money, and because Freeman had not been seen for ten days. Kake was brought down to Whakapara (the nearest station to Puhipuhi) this morning, where he was met by a police sergeant. Accused confessed to the sergeant that he hit Freeman over the head with a heavy wooden bludgeon killed him and robbed him of £4O realised by sale of gum. He dragged the corpse into a secluded place and buried it. He proffered to show the burial place. The police, with the captive, immediately set out for the scene of the crime. DISCOVERY OF THE BODY. HOW THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED. A message from Whakapara states that the body of the murdered gumdigger, John Freeman, was recovered in Puhipuhi forest to-day by Sergeant Moore. 'The prisoner, a stalwart Maori youth about 18, described as a ne'er-do-well, led the party to the spot. The head was practically smashed to a pulp, and the body was in an advanced state of decomposition. It is stated that the tragedy occurred on April 5, and that Freeman, who left his whare that day to go gum, digging, was followed by the Maori into the bush. The Maori accosted Freeman, who appeared to have resented, and defended himself with, a gum spear. The prisoner is supposed to have struck Freeman on the side or the head violently with a stick, felhng him, afterwards dealing two murderous blows while the man was on the ground. The prisoner afterwards spent money freely in the locality and at Kaikohe, where, from a statement made to other Natives. suspicion/was aroused, causing his arrest.