The Waitahuna Murder.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 309, 8 June 1889, Page 4

The Waitahuna Murder.

WAiTAnr.N*, Wednesday. The Otago Times Special saysEnquiries cn spot have elicited the fast that Bradford an I Waddoi had not been oq good terms for soma time. Waddel hud resided in the locality for about 12 months, having oome there from Balelutha. Six months since Bradford joined W-addel in working the claim at Cogh.lV* hill. The claim was not ui much account apparently, and they were anything but coufteuted. The partners had no waterrights. w ,d Bradford camo to the .Warden at L&'.rrence and made an application for a daun and water (race in hie own name, not motioning his mate, and virtually faaaonvog tha proprietor of the claim. This is what is frady stated. After thin the relationship } <;war>n the parties became less agreeable, but m threats of violence wore mads cm of. Wiiet is regarded as auspicious is that Waudei never reported bis mate missing, or took a*>y part in the search beyond helping to remove a fall of earth at the claim under which it was thought possible Bradford's body might be found. Another singular ciroumstance is of a mysterious character, The body was found at night by a search petty cireoteu to the very spot where the body was found, This accounts for its being discovered at nearly midnight. At 8 o’clock on Sunday night a note was found tied to Constable West’s gate saying Bradford’,! body would be found in the gully a little above the dam at the claim. The constable got some men in the district to go with him, and they found the body in the spot indicated, where it was. hidden by a growth of ferns, not by anything placed over it to conceal it, but still it was so situated and shielded from view that a close search was necessary to discover it. Nothing is known as to the writer of the note, and the most probable conjecture regarding it is that it may have seen written by some one who accidently found the body and did not want to & I troubled about giving cvidenM. It is gain '

that the body had the appearance of having been in the water, and their were signs that death resulted from asphyxia. Theie was a bruise on the face of an extensive character, and one on the thigh, the result of a considerable degree of violence, but these would be insufficient to account for the death. Whether the bruises are such as might have been caused by a fall will depend largely upon the nature of the locality where the body was found. I am, informed by those who know the place this is improbable, and if so the inference that Bradford was murdered is almost inevitable.

The prisoner was remanded for a week. He still asserts hie innocence and does not seem greatly concerned.