THE COURTENAY PLACE TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 397, 5 January 1909, Page 6

THE COURTENAY PLACE TRAGEDY.

VERDICT AT THE INQUEST. ' I ■-■_'■' ' vV ■' ■;■;-" t /.-'.'DEATH BY VIOLENCE."" f . Tho adjourned inquest on the body of the victim of .the'recent : Courtenay Place outrage was .resumed at the 1 Morgue yesterday, before Mr. ..Geo. /Lambert, : J.P;, acting-coroner, and a jury; 'of which Mr. F. Laufenson was foremall;: '■'}."-."" : ■'■''•■' • ;;■■• ■'.. " ■ ■■ ; '■ "'■' ' .inspector Ellison: and "Chief -Detective M'Grath represented the police. , Reopgnlsed h|s Shipmate's Clothes. , 1 .Sydney';vMillott, 'seaman- on- the : steamer Waikarey and ■ formerly employed on the ship Dartford'-.for.-^he. run from. Sydney to WefItngton, %ated-'that: he' : kne'w a-member of the. Dartf named M'Cormack. He was; usually called' "boatswain", or "Mac," but, .-witness': did . not know his first name. ■Witness had seen_ the clothing.at the Morgue .—a coat,:vest, , shiijt, and • under-clothing, and: recognised them as-belonging to his.late.shipinate, 'M'Cormack, -Witness ■ saw. a sailor's bag- lull'of clothing "at the police station 'on Sunda'y night/' and recognised- two ties' he/.had- given; to M'Cormack, when to-' gether;\vitH him"on the. Dartfprd.; Witness also recognised'two caps,: a set of overalls', and 'a 'shaving,'brush, as. M'Cormack's: property. I: Witness had- seen .M'Cormack once in Lytteltau since, he'; left:the Dartford. sThis would ■Dβ'about.three months 'ago. : .Witness: recognised thb photograph (produced) a a that ':.,...,..:.. , ... -I-.■....-"...■

; : ;','{Further,ldentification. ''■■'■; v■■■,-.. ". ... Charles -Grant, ■seaman on- the steamer Manarba,:.:- formerly employed • on the:. ship Dartford .for'.the passage from , Sydney to Wellington,: stated .that he-- called ■. at- the Mprgiie'-pn; Saturday. , evening '.and saw the body; of of the tragedy, .-and , Tβ*' cognised;:.it-ias'^-tha't'''of M'Cormack, ia.late shipmate ipjF bis : ;ori;the-Dartfordi M'Cormack was a,seamari;(>n the vessel, and was known on board a,s i > :''ilac. ! " .'Since being, paid off the Dartford,' 9,',' witness - :iaw' .for; L-yttelton in,:.the;'steamer.,Maori, lit,, would be-about October/13 that rM'Corinack. left for the, south.-, .About-a week later .•. witness :saw M'Cormabkiagain;' ;.'Hp;:had; come'..up' from Lytteltoir. in'.the steamer Ripple, which vessel lio ; left;:here!';;'-Witness' recognised the ; 'cbat, vest; -antr: shirt. ■ (produced)'" as ; .belonging.'to MJCorm'i'clr,■ and had. absolutely, no-:dqubt> about'{the; , identity 1 of 'the body. .."-,.'■■". '.' ;; ;. Johri/'Edward"- Brodelius,,; seaman ,on the steamer.;Maori,/:ancl.,previously a seaman:on ;the :sdilihg": shirji.partford;' stated.:, that he. :saw..tho';body in/thV Mprgue on.' Sunday, and recognised .it/as. that -pi a' man'.; named '.M-Cormaqk; -one <>{ , his . lat-o.■ shipmates on the"'Dartford.' '■Witness was.positive as-to the identity: of -the.ijbodyj' but,, could not';'; say whether.!M.'Cprmack ; joined,•.-;•-.the-. 'vessel. ; at Sydney,' 'but:' thought 'he." did.':' ■ Witness ■'■ f e- : cognisedtthe"coat,'and vest (produced)' as ■ the of .jM'Cprmack'; The night M'.Cormaclt:,was;paid < ;btt ; .the'Dartford :he■left for. at ; .Lyttel- : i t6n,:.ineetih'g:' ! -him:'' there;'.several ".times; M'.Cprmapk;'-staged' in,} Lytteltori:• for/: abput! throe j;Week'si : ;,indf ; then - joined -the ■ .steamer Rippley'but'bnly. :s'tayed.in-:her. for',ai : day prrtwo'/'v'Withess 'met' ; deceased again a. few '. days'liTOr-./isMlCorinaok-was then Tbbking for a;- ship^^ndr-ilje^'subsequbntly, ■ joined■'... the schooneVj'A'nii.ie' l Hill..'.■, , 'Tne ; last tinie'witness saw/,-;de(iea'se3' .•jalive,. .was: ;'at ' Christmas; M'Gofmafik'"l^ft J Ljtteltbn bn"Christnias' Eve ; as a-phSSengef .byfthevMaqriX , ;Witriess.Awhp .was; wqrKihg !p'n ;thq\v&selj : .saw< him together with another shipm'ate off the Dartford named ;Braidfordi";'iJ.eceased.'left'the "Maori at-Wel-.lin^n,';,and;'.both.-;ho ; and. his mate stored their jbagsro'n' the wharf,'but witness■'heard : ndthing;further.of.!them.,;,Braidford had said 'that it was'.'•his , 'intention to'go to Auckland.

,:'■-■' ''Drank preqly and was 'Soft!'" ' . ;' I r .To:.lnspectort/Ellison;: Deceased took liquor freely': when-/be "had. any money about- him, and, wasa bit soft when ho had been drinking., ;He was' not a quarrelsome man, but :could > be" led ; .any,whe , re I .and v :;into: any. company. said :.he belonged to Liverpool. ! : v : r;\ :!'.■,;;»;: '■ .i •.■-'.•:^^ r ":..;.-: ; ~ - .■ .To; a- 1 juryman: M'Cormack>b'ad -just been paid, off j '.and: would have, perhaps' £8 in -his possession 'when-'he. left Lyttelton.on maajEvel;.'(-- :^^;'; ' ; v ; -- : ■::::■:: ■■]■ 'ii--*«; - ■;■■ '■■■■' Deceasod. ;: ; , '•.;■ Edwardi Morrison, seaman . bri the. Maori • jin'dv previously ■;a?seaman; oh the schooner ■■A^e:' ,, HUl| ; V-aßposed'. , ;th , at v, he'' , h'ad' , s6en "the body, of-thersubject: of theinquestjc'and rer c6gnised"it-.as,'that:,ofa..man 'named M'Cormack,( who., had (been,. , employed. as-a seaman on .'.the'! Aiinie Hill. : ; Witness '.and deceased. were.'both paid <>S on Christmas Eve. M'CorChristchurch after , ; he* .'had been ;p'aid ; ( off,:,but'returned .to "the. schooner with; a 'pair:. of ":'new. trousers,.; which.. he. :p'ut . on. .■■'•'-The . < (produced) . were exactly like' tHemi'flThe. coat, vest, and hat (pro-, also..belonged to M'Cormack,. and iwit'ness was certain as' tojthp identity, of; the body:,-MfCormack' , was on the Annie , Hill for •48-;.3bys : -?a'-"trip from Lyttelton mouth back.■: Deceased. drew;£7 10s., whe'n")he ■ wasi;' paid ■'■'.off/ from the schpqner. ■~ When?'he.vleft : LytteltonVby; the i Maori , - on ChristinasjcEve: deceased.-was -in .company I .wjth;a' r man'nam^;Braidford,;.whp ; had also on "the f pr ; the run to Grey■"la'sti.:;witncss' sa'wvof the,.pair. they .we're: going into an hotel in Lyttelton. Wm'.'.MulTiri,. seaman on the steamer.Aotea, .and:formerly:,;pn■' the\Dar.tfordj'..which : vessel he';leffc;'ph : : ..October ,■ 8,. deposed that-: he.-had 'recognised 'NtHeV'body as ,; that ■ of■■'- M'Cormack', late jof- the.'Dartford... Witness- also knew : a man' named; .Braidford ;on the' Dartford; '• and lasf.s,aw-'.him ; ; in;. ! Manners' Street,, at. about .7 .'Ta.ini Day.;; \Brajdford;''. spoke; to witness, and;said he.vjas going to Auck-' land,, 'aim. .train .if. he .could"get his'bag .■frdmHhe/.wharf luggage ■ store, But was;gping'' - 'round }'ia -see M'Cormack 'beforo' he , 'understood■''.'■that, ''Mac" aiid : Braidfofd ; w6re f living, spmeivhefe.'. in Courtehay^Place;,/Deceased ; had. said ;he be-: longed •t6,-the : : south; end' of., Liverpool, but he' ; Tiad 'beenvout' in the colonies for: some' time. v■ Witness■ -believed.-• he-iad first-'seen deceased , on'the-brig- Edward. ' :/:- : . ; :,:' '"/'■-..-"'. : i : ( 'Deteotive;Ca'sselis Gives Evidence. "'■..•'.;" ■.'.. ■ Detective" Cassells is'tated.that he-was'-pre-sent, at. 'last ;four. : witnesses,: identified'■.'the; bbdy : ;6f ! deceased r as that' ! oF M-Connack'... Witness: later .-got;'-.'a,' sailor's bag'-'with* the 1 name M'Cormack on' it jfrbin'the'luggage' ; shed at' the 'Queen's Wharf.f- .The l - bag- had been placed : in the shed'on 'this , morning of December 25,.and cbntamed'lthe^ties^eto;,'identified , by Millott'., bag' bearing the name Braidfofd.wasialso put in at the'same turie,_ but was removed on; December 26.' T On inquiring at•the''.Gove'rniiient. Shipping Office;'witness ascertained*thatV: a sailor, named S.'V.'H. was;,discharged from tho Dartford • when she'.'paid the- , , last ; of her crew , off-bn'October'j 16. iHis age-,was. , .given- as' 32-7 ears.:"'::-"»';'' '->."::.: : ::- .•■■'-''■'/■.'■ .'•' ■'■: '■' V :y ; A ;;.-, ;.';■;..;:.■, 'After... a , -, short consultation the jury, returned a'-' unanimous .verdict; in accordance with the terms of | the medical .evidence!ithat deceased; iH. v.MlCormack,■';cameVby; ye; death'by ,viplence J at the:hands of soms person; orvpersons.unknown.•.■■;. :: ■..-''..:. :.:,,;,,