TRIPLE MURDER CHARGE Accused Appears Manacled To Constable

Chronicle (Levin), 13 January 1949, Page 5

TRIPLE MURDER CHARGE Accused Appears Manacled To Constable

Press Associatiori)

IPer

MARTON, Jan, 13. The public section of the Magisfcrate's 'Court was packed vdth Maoris and, pakehas this morning when John Rer'emoana Tume appeared before Mr. A. Coleman, S.M., on three charges of murder. Tume, who was manacled to a constable, and who sat in-the body of the court because there was insufficient room in Ihe dock' for two, appeared disinterested and spent most of the time gazing at members of the public. The charges were that on De.cember 29, at; Onepuhi, he wilfully murdered Olive Hartley, Lillian Winiata and Patrick Winiata. . . Senior Detective O. S. Power conducted the prosecution and Mr. F. G. Opie, of Palmerston North, appeared for accused. ■ The first witnegs, Dr. T. H. Pullar, pathologist, of Palmerston North detailed the, extensive head injuries in each case, involving gross desrruction of the brain tissue, and said the injuries were infficted "with homicidal violence." Alfred Winiata, tractor driver, of Foxton,, son-in-law of Mrs. Hartley and brother-in-law of Mrs. Lillian Winiata, said that the . latter and accused had been living together about a year as wife and husband. Accused's attitude towards Lillian Winiata was bad when witness saw them before Christmas, aithough he saw no physical violence. When witness left at 8 p.m. on the night of the tragedy, he saw accused ncar the house. Shortly afterwards, when witness was at a neighbours house, accused appeared and said: "I've done them in up there." Witness said he did not believe accused and accused drove off in a truck to call the police, asking him to look after accused's baby, which was still at the house where the tragedy occurred. Accused was very happy. At this stage Tume began asking witness if he had enjoyed -certain beer which Tume had offered, but the magistfate ruled the questlon out as irrelevant. .Replying to Mr. Opie, witness said that aithough it was Christmas there were only "odd bottfies" of beer about, but he did not know whether Tume had been drinking elsewhere. Re-examined, Winiata said that he had never seen Tume under the influence of liqyor. Altercations Described "Hullo, Dinah," said accused when Dinah Winiata, wife of the previous witness, stepped* into the witness box. • Witness Memribed altercations. on Christmas Eve and the next day involving her sister, Lillian Winiata, and the accused. Later he had endeavoured to force deceased to eat a meal she did not want, arid she ran screaming from the table. Accused at this stage appeared much amused by nothing in particular, and passed his time srnokmg and trying to stroke. the back of a nearby reporter's head. Witness said that accused left the house on Chijistmas Day when told to go, but returned on December 27 and caused more trouble. Witness said that _ the Hartleys had been trying to get the police earlier, but the police had ignored them. On December 27 a doctor was ealled so that Lillian Winiata, after examination, could lay an assault charge against accused, continued witness. The next day ac^ cused uttered many threats and the deceased, Olive Hartley, told him to leave the property. Conditions ehanged next day and witness said that with -everyone's n&rves at breaking point she decided to return to Foxton. Accused told her he was also leaving, but he was still there when she left. A short length of iron bar, which was produced in court, witness identified as having been in the house. "Kapai the kai now," commented accused, who had just removed and replaced his shoes. The hearing is proceeding.