On Trial For Murder Of Storekeeper

Chronicle (Levin), 10 September 1948, Page 7

On Trial For Murder Of Storekeeper

DUNEDIN, Sept. 9. The trial began in the ^Police Gourl today before Mr. J. D. Willis, S.M., oi .fohn Fraser, aged 48, a brewery wdrker, who is charged with the murder oi Alexander Sickels, a 57-year-old store tceeper, at Abbottsford, on August 4. The Crown prosecutor (Mr. F. B. Adams) is condueting the police case, and Fraser is represented by Mr. F. W. Guest. ■ The resuits of a post-mortem exainina lion were deseribed by Dr. E. F. D 'Atli, P-rofessor of Pathology -at the Otago Medieal Sehool,'who said that, in lus opinion, Sickels died from shoek as a result of extensive internal injurl^s eaused by a shotgun wound in the abdonienTo Mr. Adams, he said it appeared that the shot had been" iired from a dis cance of 1ft. or less. Malcolni William Morrison Scaie, a .nechanic, a son-in-law of Sickels, s&id ue met the "accused Fraser on July 3 when Fraser inquired if he knew where his (Fraser ;s) wife was. Witness re plied that he did not know, and wanteC nothingAo do with the business. He had known before this that Fraser o wife had lef t hini. The widow of deceased said that accused entered- the house and shot her husband before her eyes. She kerselt was threatened but managed to escape oy a window.