Maori warrior in wood
On May 9, 1865, George Gibson, a private of the 65th Regiment, appeared to have deserted the Ōhaupō military post.
He had been working for some German settlers but he did not turn up when expected. When nothing more was heard from him there was speculation about his sudden disappearance. It seemed doubtful he had deserted, as he had left his belongings behind and generally when a solider deserted the first thing he did was sell his kit. Although he had some five or six pounds on him when he left, he also left money behind.
Around August 11 Private Edward Kirk, fishing for eels near Horseshoe Lake, thought he saw a sheepskin in the water. But it was the body of George who to all appearances had been killed and thrown into the lake. His skull was fractured as though by a tomahawk. A verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown was returned at an inquest.
William Jess, of the 3rd Waikato Militia, went missing sometime in July. He was a German who had joined the 3rd Waikato regiment as a private in Brisbane in 1863. It was assumed that he had drowned trying to cross Walker’s Gully, where a narrow creek swelled up to a dangerous torrent in wet weather. On August 17 some German settlers came across his body in the tall ti-tree at the edge of Morgan’s Lake, about two miles west of the Ōhaupō redoubt. He also had dreadful head injuries. At the time William disappeared he was known to have ten pounds in cash, two rings, and a silver watch on him but none of these were found. A verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown was also returned at this inquest.
In mid-August another German settler was murdered, his throat cut as he lay in his own bed, and the same verdict as the two other murders was reached at his inquest.
The murders were thought to have been committed by Māori. After the Waikato war (1863-64), the district was very unsettled, with ongoing hostility. But it became apparent that two out of the three murders had been committed in a way to make it seem it was the work of Māori.
It was suspected that there was a concocted plan amongst some European settlers for entrapping solitary travellers or those living in isolated areas, the victims selected at a time when it was known they possessed money or valuables. There was a “screw loose somewhere” said the New Zealander newspaper as the Ōhaupō military post became notorious for ‘barbarous murders’. “We hope that justice may soon overtake those vile wretches,” said the NZ Herald of the person or persons unknown.
In late September it was rumoured that a soldier of the 65th Regiment offered for sale at Cambridge a silver watch, belonging to William Jess.
As suddenly as they started, the murders stopped.
The victims were likely buried in the camp cemetery near Old St John’s Church.
Maori warrior in wood
