THE KALWAKKA MURDER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2173, 15 July 1889, Page 3

THE KALWAKKA MURDER

(PBB PBBSfI ASSOCIATION, Wellington, July 13 Before addressing the jury for tbe defence Mr Bunny oalltd witnesses m to the good and peaceable character of 1 priioner, Mr Bonny said It would be his duty to point oat tbe weak points m tbe evidenoe adduced by the Grown. That a foal mutderbad beeu committed nobody wQuld deny, and statements were made which were highly perjudioial to prisoner. No loffiolent motive for tbe murder had been proved. The alleged conversation with Tuoker toi k place seven months ago, and this evidence should be regarded with suspicion, Burred, tbe butcher, showed b!aa against the prisoner, wbioh the* j dry must consider. Hawkins vraa shown to be a m»n not generally liked by his neighbours. He would ask the jury to consider whether it was likeiy a man would take a gun and stiletto to commit this murder when he bad » five-obambered tevoiverin bis possession, which would have done tbe deed so simply and well. la referenoe to the stiletto, Mr Bunny said if it bad pierced so far bb Dr Oahill said, the verdigris would have been removed or covered with blood. No blood bad been found about the sheath. He severely orltiolsed the conduct of Mrs Hawklnn and Bowles on the night of tbe murder, and thought there was a certain amount of mystery about it. He said tbe polioe irere made aware of the murder on. the night of 31st May, but took.no action till the following afternoon. He characterised tbe conduct of the police as slow and dilatory In tho extreme ; In fao'', all tbroqgh thj investigation it had been strange that not oce of tbe polioe could identify any piece of psper found by them, while other witnesses wbo ploked up fragments did. He thought tbe bit of p«p r r wrapped by Dr Oahill as coming from the wound had not been satisfactorily explained, ebd urged upon tbe jary how necessary it was for them 10 give the prisoner tbe benefit of the doubt. He drew tho attention of the jury to the fact that Hawklut' plaoe was infested wltb poaohers wbo were constantly seen about with gons. He said it was m consequence of newspaper paragraphs that tbe praloner was arrested, and havng arrested blm tbe prosecution endeavoured to Import all kinds 0} motives, Tbe evldenoeof tbe Grown bad been placed before them very unsatisfactorily through the negligence and dllatorlntss of the polioe His Honor said he wonld sum up on Monday and the Gourt rote at 5.50 pin, Wbllikgtov, July 15. The Ohlef Justice summed up m tha Kaiwarra murder oase this morning. He first pointed oot thai. Ohemls was of a nationality generally understood to use weapons In tbe way done In this murder. The Jury must be careful with regard to the small pieces of paper said to have been found In tbe wound, that there was no mistake, and they most consider whether they were eatUrhd beyond reasonable dcubt that the prisoner was tbe person who oon>mitted the orlme Counsel had suggested that tbe police evidence should be watoheo. very carefully, and it was for tbe Jury to s»y whether they could see any reason for witnesses making wilful mlstatemsnts. He then proceeded to review tbe evidenoe m detail. His Honor's charge laoted two hours and three quarters. He said It was not an unusual thing for an Italian to have enoh a dagger m his possession as tbe prisoner had, and of oonrse In a country district everyone had a gun. He oonoluded by telling the Jary If they found a doubt at all In prisoner's favor he must hive the benefit of it. The Jury retired at ten minute* to one.