Bio

Arthur Rottman was born in 1893 in Germany. He grew up in a family with a history of mental illness and alcoholism. His father had a notable position in the Prussian Civil Service, but he also had struggles with alcohol. Rottman's mother had been in a mental asylum on two occasions. He had two brothers; one of them died from brain fever.

In May 1914, Rottman arrived in New Zealand after serving as a sailor. He worked on the government vessel "Hinemoa". When World War I started later that year, he was detained as a German national. Many Germans were treated with suspicion during the war, and Rottman was no exception.

After his detention, Rottman found work on a dairy farm owned by Joseph McCann. He quickly learned his tasks and became known for his willingness to work hard. He was responsible for tasks such as milking cows and delivering milk to the local dairy factory.

Rottman was under strict regulations as an enemy alien. He could not travel far from his place of work and had to report to the police regularly. Despite this, he settled into his job and seemed to get along well with the McCann family. 

Murder Story

On December 27, 1914, Arthur Rottman was involved in a confrontation with Joseph McCann on the McCann family farm in Ruahine, New Zealand. After a night of heavy drinking, Rottman and McCann argued. During this argument, while McCann was trying to mend a board in the cowshed, Rottman struck him with an axe, delivering six fatal blows. After killing McCann, Rottman went to the farmhouse and murdered Mary McCann and their infant son, John Joseph, with the same axe.

Following the murders, Arthur Rottman fled the scene and took a train to Wellington. He was later arrested when William Kelly, a construction worker where Rottman stayed, became suspicious after reading about the Ruahine Axe Murders in the newspaper. Rottman was apprehended and charged with the murders that shocked the local community.

His trial began on February 11, 1915. Throughout the proceedings, evidence showed that Rottman did not deny committing the murders. He claimed he had swung the axe without intending to harm anyone, stating that he remembered very little of the events. Alcohol played a significant role in his defense, as he argued that he was drunk at the time of the killings. Despite this claim, the jury found him guilty.

On March 8, 1915, Arthur Rottman was executed by hanging in Wellington's old Terrace Gaol. He was just 21 years old at the time of his death. The brutal nature of the crime and the murder of an entire family deeply affected the community and remains a significant event in New Zealand's criminal history.