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Tales of Banks Peninsula

Murder at Little River

Murder at Little River.

Another incident worthy of record here is the murder committed at the Lake Forsyth Arms Hotel on October 2, 1887. Mention is made of this in the article on Little River in the second edition, but, as it created such a stir at the time, the story is worth fuller record. We give here a reproduction of a "Mail" extra published on Wednesday, October 4, 1887:—

"About ten o'clock on Monday night a murder was committed at Little River on the verandah of the Lake Forsyth Arms Hotel. It appears a party of three Russian Finns, working at Mr Coop's saw mill, went to the hotel about nine o'clock, Mr McNae, the late proprietor, was bidding good bye to his friends, and there was a good deal of joviality, songs being sung and soon, The men came in and stood there while a song was being sung, and then all three went into the dining room, where they had some refreshments by themselves. Two of the men had words. The men's names are not known, but there is one much bigger than the other two, and it is said it was the bigger man who was quarrelling with one of the small ones, while the other held aloof. After a time, however, the quarrel seemed to cease, George Robinson, the half caste, having gone in to pacify them; and they went out together at ten minutes to ten by the front door on to the verandah, No page 373noise appears to have bean heard, but a short; time afterwards a man named Leon on going out saw a man lying on the verandah, as he thought, dead drunk, and the big Finn standing a short distance off, ready for going away Leon spoke to the Finn about leaving his mate, saying it was not the right thing to leave his mate there, drunk. The Finn replied in his own tongue, as Leon understood him to mean, to the effect that his mate was all right where he was. Leon then went in, but shortly after went out again with a man named Ray, and a lad named Hichens. Hichens lit a match to look at the supposed drunken man, and holding it to his face, noticed it was ghastly white. There was a general exclamation that he was dead, and then they noticed blood on his clothes. Looking further, they found the clothes were in places saturated with blood from dreadful stabs, one of which appeared to be right in the heart, and the other in the entrails below the navel. They then ran in and gave the alarm, and it was ascertained that the man was dead. George Robinson then at once saddled his horse and started in pursuit of the big Finn, and overtook him some 200 yards from the hotel. He went up to him with a bottle saying, "mate, have a drink," and threw the man quickly, being afraid of his knife, and bound him with a strap, and others coming up he was taken to the lock up, George Robinson meanwhile going after the other Finn, whom he found between Joblin's store and Coop's mill. This man came back quietly also, and they were both locked up. Constable Ryan was away, but they were safely locked up after tibeir being searched and their coats taken from them. Nothing was found on them but some matches and tobacco. There was a little knife, quite incapable of giving the stabs, found on the smaller man, and there was a slight wound on the right hand of the bigger man, but this might have been caused by his falling on the ground. It was at once decided to communicate with Akaroa. The Telegraph Office called Akaroa, but without avail, and then there was a difficulty in getting horses. It was getting on for 3 a.m. when young Mr Hichens got page 374away with the news, and he reached Akaroa between 6 and 7 a.m., and at once Informed the police, who seat Constable Crockett off to the River. The body was left where it was till the arrival of the Constable."

There is little to add to the information already given. The murdered man's name was Max Johnson, and the murderer's Nils Jacobson, while the other man was Anders Nyman, At the inquest held at the Lake Forsyth Arms Hotel on October 5th, 1887, before W. B. Tosswill, Esq., Coroner, a verdict of wilful murder was brought against Jacobson. It seemed to be the general opinion that the man committed the crime when maddened by drink, and at his trial before the Christchurch Supreme Court on Saturday, January 14th, 1888, before Mr Justice Ward, he was found guilty of manslaughter alone, and was sentenced to penal servitude for life. The sentence was commuted later to a few years imprisonment. It is worthy of note that the residents of Little River made a presentation to Mr Geo. Robinson in recognition of his bravery in capturing the murderer.

An amusing incident is often told in connection with the Little River murder. Some of the residents, who were watching the other Finns with interest shortly after the murder, saw two of them steal away into the bush one night, and following, found them digging a grave, Thinking another tragedy had occurred, they sent a man post haste for the Akaroa police, who arrived on the scene in time to find the Finns carefully burying an old white horse of theirs, which had succumbed to old age.