THE KARIOI TRAGEDY.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16160, 14 March 1918, Page 7

THE KARIOI TRAGEDY.

ROBERTSON CHARGED WITH I MURDER. j (PRESS ASSOCIATION" TELEGRAM.) OHAKUNE, March 13. The adiourne.l inquist on Peter Larsen. who was killed at Karioi on February 24th, was hi Id to-day. A verdict was returned that deceased diod from injuries to his head, inflicted by a person at present unknown. At the Magistrate's Court. .John Robertson was charged v/ith the murder i.f Peter Larsen at Karioi on February 21th. W. Far re':!, a cook employed at tho camp. gavj evidence. He said that all had dnnks en tlr- Udth. and played | cards. Deceased knocked off, saying i 1 hat" Robertson was cheating, and struck him in tho lace. About 0 a.m. witness saw Robertson putting oil his boots. He then went towards .Peter Larsen's tont carrving a pick in his hand. Witness fallowed, and roused Hans I,arson (no relation of Peter Larson), as he anticipated trouble. He and Hans Larsen went to Peter Larsen s tent, f-'irsen was gioaniug heavily, alio i bleeding from the car. He did not see accused near Peter Larson's tent. Later on he went back to Peter Larsen's tent and found him dead. Robertson remained in the camn. Witness went to tho wood hean and found tho pick but U'ter it had disappeared. The pick was subsequently handed to the police. Accused and witness had had drinks but the v were perfectly sober •Tohn Jackson, a Maori, said he was a labouier in the same camp as Peter Larsen. He went to Taihape on the •23rd, and roturne 1 tho same day with a ten-gallon keg. a two-gallon demijohn, and fourteen bottles of beer. He arrived at the camp at midnight, and woke the men no, and thoy started drinking. Later on all the men had a game of imp. Ho had no knowledge or The row. Robertson told witness that drink was the causo of the whole trouble. _ . Dr. Feltham said on Sunday, the 21th, he wont to Karioi with the police and examined deceased, who was a powerful, well-nourished man. He made a nnst-mortem examination of th© hodv. The cause of death was probably the instrument produced (a pick head), which would account for the shape or the wound. The injuries could not have been self-inflicted. Hans Larsen. contractor, deceased's! employer, said lie saw-the men drinking and playing cards on the 23rd. He got drunk himself, and woke up on hearing the row. Peter Larsen was calling accused a thief and a swindler, and said he was cheating his mates. The dispute was over cards. He saw accused lying on the floor, having been knocked down by Peter Larsen. "Witness stopped the row. and accused said ho would pack up and clear out. Peter Larsen i was drunk, but ho sobered up later on - • Cross-examined, witness said in the carlv morning he heard an altercation at the wood heap. He heard Larsen talking in a very Iqud voice. He thought he was having a farewell word, and understood that it was with Robertson. Louis Sarich, a Serbian, deposed that on tho morning of Peter Larsen's death Robertson came to his tent and said deceased had accused him of cheating at cards, but that he (Robertson) had only won a shilling or two. Accused's face was knocked about. Accused said deceased was a to hit him when he was down." Peter Larsen was drunk, and Hans Larsen was very drunk. Between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. witness heard Peter Larson use threatening language to Robertson. Had the same language been used to him he would have been very frightened. Constable McCowan gave evidence that accused, when he was arrested, said that during a game of cards Peter Larsen wanted to pull out after losing 13s. Something was said, when Laz'sen struck accused on the face, knocking him under the table. Accused said he expected to bo arrestedj adding that drink was tho cause of the whole trouble.. The cursed stuff should havo been kept out of the camp. Accused said ho thought the police would bo along for him. He expected it would be a Supreme Court case.

Constable Annison said that before he made any statement, accused was warned. Accused replied: "I am onlj telling the truth. It was a bad business.'' Accused said, when he was rolling up his swag, "I don't suppose I'll want this for some time." On going to the motor-car witness told 1 accused to get a lawyer. He replied, "It's a bad business. It's all on account of tho cursed booze. 1 don't think anyone can do much for me, but they may be able to speak for me later." Accused, when asked if he had anything to say, in an almost inaudible voice, replied "No." He was committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Wanganui.