TERRIBLE OCCURRENCE AT LOWER HUTT, EVENING POST, 30 SEPTEMBER 1890

SECOND EDITION.^[1][]

TERRIBLE OCCURRENCE AT LOWER HUTT.[]

Young Man Fatally Stabbed by a Chinaman.[]

Three Men in Custody.[]

The usually peaceful district of Lower Hutt was disturbed last night by a shocking fatality. The exact particulars are not easily obtainable in town to-day, only the most meagre outline of the facts having reached the city police It seems, however, that the tragedy occurred under the following circumstances :— For some time past a number of sportive youths residing at the Hutt have been in the habit of annoying a party of Chinese gardeners who have settled alongside the main road, nearly opposite Dr. Wilford's residence, by paying them nocturnal visits and baiting them in no small degree. That this has been the practice is proved by the testimony of neighbours, and a visit was paid to the Chinamen's house as recently as Sunday night. Last night, again, another party of lads were in attendance, but whether with any malicious intent is not absolutely certain. The repetition of the annoyance had aroused even the submissive Chinese blood, and the occupants of the house turned out in force to resent what they expected to be another attempt at intrusion. Amongst the visitors was a young man named Thomas James Smith, 22 years of age, a labourer, who lived with his widowed mother at Alicetown. Smith was considerably weakened by a recent illness, and when his companions turned to run away he was left in the rear. He was overtaken by the party of Chinamen, and nobody seems to have any certain knowledge of what occurred next. Constable Cruickshank, who had only taken charge of the Hutt station yesterday, was informed that a disturbance was going on at the Chinamen's house. On going to the spot he found Smith lying on the ground, with a Chinaman named Sam Koy on top of him. Young Smith was then alive, but blood was pouring freely from wounds on his leg and arm, and he died a few minutes afterwards. His body was seen by. Dr. Wilford, and was then removed to his mother's residence at Alicetown. Sam Koy, who also had some injuries, was brought into town, and taken in custody to the Hospital. Later on, two of Koy's fellow householders, named Tom Hung and Yung Bin, were arrested on suspicion of complicity in the affair. Sergt-Major Ramsay went out to the Hutt by this morning's early train, and brought the two prisoners to the city police station, where they are still detained. Mr. R. K. Jackson is understood to have been retained to defend then. These were all the particulars available in the city this morning, and they may not be absolutely accurate in all details. On hearing of the tragedy we despatched a special reporter to the Hutt, whose report appears below.

Latest.[]

THE STORY TOLD BY AN EYEWITNESS.[]

I BY TELEGRAPH. I[]

(From Our Special Reporter.)[]

LOWER HUTT, THIS DAY, 1 P.M.

As was almost to be expected, the facts of last night's tragedy were somewhat mangled in the report which reached town this morning. The scene of the sad occurrence was the main road, almost immediately south of Dr. Wilford's residence. Here, about 150 yards from Dr. Wilford's three Chinamen, believed to be those in custody, have leased a section of swamp land and begun to lay out a market garden. They have been a source of amusement to the Hutt lads, and early last night a party of the latter made sport for themselves by throwing stones on the iron roof of the gardeners’ hut, Sam Koy thereupon sought out Constable Cruickshank, who had newly arrived in the district, and complained of the annoyance. The actual facts of what occurred later on, as related to me by one of the participants are as follows : Having been chased by the Chinamen in the early part of the evening, the party of lads amused themselves about the township till nearly 11 o’clock. Then it was suggested that they should go to another Chinaman's at the north side of the bridge and throw some stones. The party, it is said, then consisted of Charles F. Hobbs, Henry Bolton, Walter Maidment, William Rouse, Edward England, the deceased Thomas Smith, and another. They carried out their plans, and on being driven away by the Chinamen, Smith suggested they should go across the bridges to the Chinamen they had visited early in the night. No sooner said than acted upon. Stones were thrown, my informant states, for nearly five minutes, and then three Chinamen sprang out of the hedge where they seemed to have been, and others of their race joined in. The lads ran along the road towards Dr. Wilford's for nearly a hundred yards. Smith shortly fell behind, and the three foremost Chinamen drove him into the ditch close to Dr. Wilford's fence and got him down. The other lads heard Smith call out “Help, they are sticking me.” Hobbs, Bolton, and Maidment at once ran back. England following closely. They saw Smith lying on his right side, one Chinaman kneeling on his legs, and another holding his head down, both, it is asserted, having knives in their right hands, with which they seemed to be stabbing the prostrate man. Hobbs struck one Chinaman with a heavy slip rail from the fence of the adjoining paddock, and struck another of the Chinamen— evidently the man now in the Hospital— across the head and shoulders with it, upon which the Chinaman ran away towards the township. Smith staggered into the middle of the road, stating he was badly wounded, and was assisted to Dr. Wilford's surgery. A long trail of blood along the road now indicates the route taken, and the grass about the scene of the struggle is trampled down and spattered with blood, as is also the fence rail. Dr. Wilford had been previously awakened by a call at his door from the retreating Chinaman, but had been unable to gather anything coherent from him, and mistook him for a drunken brawler. When Smith was brought in he was cold, bloodless, and in a dead faint. Dr. Wilford found he was suffering from a punctured wound on the outer side of the left leg, which levered the main artery. It was haemorrhage from this that caused his death. There were also two deep flesh wounds across the left forearm not in themselves dangerous. In spite of Dr. Wilford's best efforts to restore him the wounded man expired about 20 minutes after he had received the injury. A stretcher was afterwards procured, on which the body was taken home. Dr. Whitehead was sent for to attend the injured Chinaman Sam Koy, and found him at Cavanagh's old farm. He had a wound three and a half inches long on the top of his head, evidently inflicted with a blunt instrument, such as the edge of a piece of wood, the scalp being partly peeled. There was also a severe contusion over the left shoulder blade, extending across the back, paralysing the arm. Constable Cruickshank shortly came in and arrested the man, who was conveyed by two mounted constables to Wellington Hospital in a farm cart during the course of the night.

2.43 p.m.

Detective Kirby and Constable Cruickshank are ransacking the district for information bearing on the sad affair, and have seized a number of articles found in the Chinamen's hut as an important exhibit.

It is understood that the inquest will be held at 9 o’clock on Thursday morning, at the Courthouse, Lower Hutt.

TWO OF THE ACCUSED BEFORE THE COURT.[]

A REMAND GRANTED.[]

The Magistrate's Court was half filled with Celestials when Tom Hung and Young Bin (sic), two of the Chinese arrested for complicity in the affair, were brought up at half-past 10 o’clock this morning. The third man, Sam Koy, who is in the Hospital, was included in the charge, which was to the effect that the accused, on the 29th of September, at the Lower Hutt, did feloniously, wilfully, and of malice aforethought kill and murder Thomas James Smith.

Mr. Jackson appeared in defence.

Inspector Thornton, after the charge had been read, applied for a week's remand, pointing out that it was impossible to produce the third man at present, as he was seriously injured.

Mr. Jackson urged that the remand should only be granted until after the inquest, urging that it was unjust to the accused then in Court to keep such a serious charge hanging over their heads simply because the other man was unable to attend.

Inspector Thornton undertook that the case would be brought on within the week if it was possible.

The remand asked for was granted by the Bench (Messrs. Eb. Baker, J. W. Poynton, and W. Littlejohn). Bail, which was applied for, was refused.