SECOND EDITION.
MURDER IN OTAGO.
ARREST ON SUSPICION.
[BY Telegraph.] [united press association.] Dunedin, This Day.
James Bradford, miner, of Waitahuna, who has been missing since 20th May, was found last night a short distance away from his place, evidently murdered. His mate, Robt. Waddell, was arrested on suspicion this morning. -Evening Post, 3/6/1889.
MURDER AT WAITAHUNA.
THE DECEASED'S MATE ARRESTED.
The following telegram from Constable West, of Waitahuna, was received by Inspector Weldon this morning: — "James Bradford, a miner at Waitahuna, who has been missing since the 20th ult., was found last night a short distance from his place, evidently murdered. His mate, Robert Waddell, has been arrested on suspicion. An inquest will be held this afternoon."
Inspector Weldon and Detective Henderson left for Waitahuna by this afternoon's train.
It appears that the deceased and the accused worked together in a claim a mile from anyone else, and it is known that they did not agree. Bradford has been missed since the 20th ult. A search party was out yesterday looking for him, and his body was found after dark last night in a gully about a chain from where he was last working. There are marks of a violent blow on the side of the head. The body was partly concealed with fern. Waddell has been working at the claim since his mate has been missing, but took no active steps to search for him. Mr Revell opened the inquiry this afternoon, but after identification of the body an adjournment was made. Dr Withers is conducting the post mortem examination. -Evening Star, 3/6/1889.
THE WAITAHUNA MURDER
(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)
Dunesin, June 8.
Very few particulars are yet to hand as to the supposed murder at Waitahuna of Jas. Bradford by his mate Robt. Waddell. It appears that the deceased and the accused worked together in a claim a mile from anyone else, and it is known that they did not agree. Bradford has been mixed since the 20th ult. A search party was out yesterday looking for him, and his body was found after dark last night in a gully about a chain from where he was last working. There are marks of a violent blow on the side of the head. The body was partly concealed with fern. Waddell has been working at the claim since his mate has been missing, but took no active steps to search for him. Mr Revell opened the enquiry this afternoon, but after identification of the body an adjournment was made. Dr Withers is conducting the post mortem examination.
The "Daily Times" special reporter who visited Waitahuna sends the following particulars: — On arriving at Waitahuna I found a great deal of excitement prevailing regarding the suspected murder. Inspector Weldon and Chief Detective Henderson were passengers by the same train, and talked over the investigation of the matter. At present but little can be learnt, the police are unusually reticent, and nothing but the barest outline of the facts can be obtained from them. Inspector Weldon was very courteous and cautious, and was kind enough to be present during my interview with the local police for the purpose of preventing me learning too much from the police. Little more information could be gained than was conveyed in the telegram you received early this morning. The man who is supposed to have been murdered is a miner named James Bradford, a widower, who has been residing in the district for the past fifteen years, but he does not appear to have been intimately known by many people. Bradford has been missing since the 20th of last month. On the 17th and l8th he was working at his claim with his partner, Robert Waddell, who was this morning arrested upon a charge of wilful murder. Both Bradford and Waddell lived in huts in Waitahuna Flat close to the Railway Station. Bradford lived by himself, and Waddell, who was married, lived near Bradford. They were partners in a claim at Cogghill's Hill. When last seen alive Bradford was going out of the township towards their claim on the morning of the 20th May. On being missed search was made but without result until yesterday, when the body of Bradford was found shortly before eleven o'clock that evening in a narrow gully about a chain above the dam at the claim. The body was not much decomposed, and it had on it two bruises, one on the face and one on the thigh. The accused, Waddell, was arrested at the claim, which he had continued to work, this morning, and after being taken to the lock-up at Waitahuna, was brought on to the Lawrence gaol this evening. This afternoon, Mr Coroner Revell assembled a jury of six, of whom Mr W. Auld was chosen foreman, and the body of the deceased which had been removed to Laffey's Hotel having been viewed, formal evidence of identification was given by James Toner, and the inquest was then adjourned for a week.
Dunedin, June 4.
A "Times" special says that enquiries on the spot elicited that Bradford and Waddell had not been on good terms for some time. Waddell resided in the district for twelve months, having come from Balclutha. Six months ago Bradford joined Waddell in working a plaint at Coghill Hill. The claim was not of much account apparently, and they were anything but contented partners. They had no water rights, and Bradford came to the Warden at Lawrence, and made application for a dam and water race in his own name, not mentioning his mate, and virtually becoming proprietor of the claim. That is what is freely stated. After this the relationship between the partners became less agreeable, but no threats of violence were made use of. What is regarded as suspicious is that Waddell never reported his mate missing, or took any part in the search for him beyond helping to remove the fall of earth at the claim under which it was thought possible Bradford's body might be found. Another singular circumstance is of a mysterious character. The body was found at night by the search party who were directed 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 that Bradford's body would be found in a gully a little above the dam of the claim. The constable got some men in the district to go with him and they found the body on the spot indicated. It was hidden by the 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 been written by someone who accidentally found the body, and did not want to be troubled about giving evidence. It is said the body had the appearance of having been in water, and there were signs of death having resulted from asphyxia. A bruise on the face and one on the thigh were evidently the result of a considerable degree of violence, but would be insufficient to account for death. Whether bruises such as these could have been caused by a fall, depends largely upon the nature of the locality where the body was found. It is said by those who know the place that this is improbable, and if so, the inference that Bradford was murdered is almost inevitable. -Ashburton Guardian, 4/6/1889.
The inquest on the body of James Bradford, who it is supposed was murdered at Waitahuna, and whose mate, Robert Waddell, is at present in custody on the charge of murdering him, was resumed at Waitahuna this morning before Mr Revell, coroner. Some important evidence was given, and a solution of the mystery now seems probable. From the evidence of Dr Blair it appears that death was caused by drowning. The deceased was evidently struck a severe blow on the face and he fell, probably stunned, into a dam. His assailant then appears to have taken the body out and to have hidden it in the ferns. The deceased's hat cannot be found, and his dog is missing. A discovery that is at least curious was made yesterday by a constable and came out in evidence to-day. The remains of a box of trinkets belonging to the deceased were found in Robert Waddell's garden. The remains have all the appearance of having been quite recently burnt. The accused was present at the inquest. He was very quiet, and only spoke a few words to his solicitor. After bearing the evidence the jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persona unknown, Robert Waddell will be brought before the R.M. Court and remanded for a week in order to allow of evidence being got together. -Hawke's Bay Herald, 11/6/1889.
The man Robert Waddell, who is under arrest for the murder of his mate Bradford at Waitahuna maintains a stolid indifference to his position and is particularly reticent. The Tuapeka Times thus describes the finding of the body: “After the fruitless search of the day (Sunday) the mystery began to deepen, and doubt and suspicion began to take the place of perplexity. At about eight o’clock, however, Constable West found a paper attached by a string to his gate, and on examining it he found it contained pencilled directions indicating where the body of James Bradford might be found. After a brief search, the body was discovered a chain or so above the dam, situated in what is known as Tanton’s Gully held by the two men. The body, which was eventually concealed from view by a heavy growth of ferns, was stretched at full length on the ground, and not in the position it would naturally have been if death had resulted otherwise than from violence. The right arm of the deceased was placed in his coat sleeve, whilst the remainder of his coat was lying underneath him. The body had evidently been or dragged after death to the spot where it was found; otherwise, there was no visible attempt at concealment. The constable with some other men remained with the body all night, removing it in the morning for the purpose of inquest and examination. The note revealing the whereabouts of the body was, of course, retained by the constable, and may yet prove a very important clue in revealing the nature of the man’s death, and, not improbably, the identity of his murderer.” It should be understood that Waddell is only arrested on suspicion, there being as yet no direct evidence against him. -Dunstan Times, 14/6/1889.
THE WAITAHUNA MYSTERY.
(From Our Special Reporter.)
Lawrence, June 15.
Robert Waddell, charged with the murder of James Bradford at Waitahuna on or about the 2oth of May last, was again brought before the Resident Magistrate's Court here this morning.
Mr Finlayson appeared on behalf of the accused.
Sergeant Green said: Your Worship, the accused was remanded from the 11th inst. for the purpose of giving you an opportunity of looking through the depositions, in accordance with the Coroners Act, to see if you thought that there should be any further investigations. Since then no further evidence has been collected by the police, and there does not seem to be any chance of there being any more procured at present.
Mr Revell: Then do you withdraw the information, or what?
Sergeant Green: Well, that will be the only course, I suppose, your Worship.
His Worship: Well, I'll state that on looking over the coroner's depositions I did not see that there was anything to implicate the accused, and if the police think they can get nothing further the accused will be now discharged.
Accused then left the court. -Otago Daily Times, 17/6/1889.
The dog belonging to James Bradford, who was murdered at Waitahuna about the 20th of May, mysteriously disappeared a few days after Bradford was missed, and has now turned up in the possession of Mr Livingstone, a farmer at Waitahuna, whose sons found the dog while out rabbiting some two months ago. -Evening Star, 10/9/1889.
James Bradford's grave in the Waitahuna Cemetery is possibly unmarked. I'll search for it next time I'm over that way.
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