SHOT UNDER ORDERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 746, 19 February 1910, Page 6

SHOT UNDER ORDERS.

MYSTERY CREEK AFFAIR. ACCUSED'S STOEY ABOUT MAORIS. (By Teleirraph.—Press' Association.) Hamilton, February 18. John Minton Paull, who..was arrested in connection with the shooting ..case at Mystery Crt«k, near Hamilton, on;' February 8, when Messrs.' Ward'and Jordan, bank' officials wore fired; at while conveying ; money from Hamilton '.to Ohaupo, appeared on remand this on a charge of attempted murder. The proceedings lasted all dayj' and'closed this evening. ' Thirty 'witnesses 'wero examined.l-' '

Leslie, Jordan; who was shot on' tho ocoasiiin, gave formal evidence. Other .witnesses deposed variously .'as: to seeing a man, alleged to be accused, ill the vicinity of the creek with a- gun,, which' had since been hive'been previously in his. possession. .-■ r

Paull,'-when 'arrested,-in a- statement denied- having' been at the; creek, and denied having, any knowledge, of the oc: curreuce; The evidence; showed- that ; he told .a .stableman.when he Jiired a. horse on' Tuesday morning ' that *ae was' going to;Terapa, and that the gun he was' thencarrying i was .to -.be. mended there. The evidence also showed that'he was seen in a,totally-, opposite direction, to Terapa. Towards the close of the'case a some* what sensationa.l statement'was put in, in which' accused-;alleged., that 'he was coerced by certain "Maoris, and. practically,; had to take'ja hand'.;in ,the affair ; un-, der pain of. death. -He states that, he niet.;the, Maoris, .one ;of .-\vhom' said, their object was -to ' waylay. tlio' bank officials, and .that, 'if'."he]; did not 'assist dh.Tues-, day, he would be : a J dead man.,' This,was so'me days previous, to February 8. I'aull alleges that he did not firo the shot' which - struck Jordan, but that -a Maori did, who 'afterwards 'went away. The. police evidence,. however,, shows that all endeavours, ;to. find tho Maoris ' implicated . were fruitless.' 1 _Tho evidence of several witnesses goes "to- show that no Maoris or others were'"-about- at the time Paull was seen.,, The evidence of the' doctor , shows that, between, eighty;' and ninety. shot ' struck Jordan, some of which-are still embedded, and he- is suffering from faoial paralysis: Mr. 'MDiarmidj- on-behalf'of accused, this .stage. . '.. Dotective . Marsack ..said, .it ;■ was neces-sary-either to■;enter' a -plea of .guilty, or. not guilty. .. ' i: '■>- •:■■■'• Mr. that he need enter no plea,' arid, . this being accepted, -accused' was .committed ,for -, trial at' the - Hamilton-Supreme ; Court sittings on February 23., .. ■ .