THE ADELAIDE ROAD MURDER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2273, 6 October 1914, Page 7

THE ADELAIDE ROAD MURDER

INQUEST ON WONG WAY CHING

KILLED BY AN UNKNOWN ASSAILANT

WHAT A BOY SAW

The nnvrder of the Chinese fruiterer, . Wong Way Ching, at 100 Adelaide Road, on the night of September 11, was the subject of an' inquiry by the Coroner (Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M.) at the, Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. Jnspeotor Hendrey represented the .police. * x Dr. 0. D. Henry, who.was,called to the scene of the murder about 2 o'clock on the morning of September 12, gave evidence as to the position in which, he found the body (fully clothed) in a room at the rear of the shop. Death had apparently taken, place some 6 or 6 hours previously. - He described the wounds on. the head of j the deceased, end- gave it ae his opinion that they ■were of such a nature as might have been caused by the weapon produced, in Court—an.;iron bar. about 18 inches in length;. Dr. w. Kington Pyffe,- who made a post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased, described in detail the extensive injuries to the head and face. Both upper jaws were fractured and there was an extensive fracture of the skull. There were altogether seven separate marks- on -the face and head, some not as serious as (others. The cause of death was haemorrhage of tht brain and shock, consequent upon an extensive fracture of the skull, which could only, have been the result of direct violence. The weapon, produced in Court, if wielded by a powerful hand cculd liave caused the injuries. Death' must have been almost instantaneous, Wong .Chong Gong, secretary of tho Chinese Association,'and a resident bl 110 Tory Street, stated that he had identified the body of the deceased as that of his father, who was 49 years of age. Witness had last seen • his father alive on the night of Thursday, September 10, at the' rooms of the Chinese Association. So far as 'witness knew his father had no - enemy who would have been likely'to do him any harm. It was a regular practice of his father to close the shop in Adelaide Road at about-10 o'clock at night. Witness knew that his father was possessed of some £60 or £70, and that he kept no bank book-. Witness had no knowledge as to where the money .was kept. - ■ . ■' Tall, Silent Man in the Shop. Edward Kruger, 14 years of age, refeiding with his parents in Adelaide Road, remembered that on Friday evening, September 11, ho was sent by his father to the deceased's shop. When he first went it was about 20 minutes to 8 o'clock. The , shop was then open and the deceased, who was behind the counter, supplied the/ witness witih tobacco. There was also in the shop a ' big, tall man .. standing against the counter, near_ the window. The man was not talking 'to the Chinese, but was just standing there. Witness went away with the tobacco, but had to.return and change it as it was not the' light sort. It only took witness a few minutes to get back to the shop and when he returned "the tall man was still there,CaiuDthe Chinese still behind the counter...' They were not talking. The tall man was leaning against tfho counter and wore a brown felt hat pulled well down on his head ohd'a long dark green overcoat.' Witness could not say whether he was dark or fair, but he was clean, shaven and had two prominent upper teeth: After receiving, the tobacco he had been sent for witness went home and did not return to the shop.- - . '.■'.■■•■..

"Matthew Hendeison, a.cadet, in the Harbour Board's employ, and a resident of Hanson Street, gave evidence as to passing 100 Adelaide Road at about 7.45 p.mi on the way to the Drill Hall in Buckle Street: The shop was closed and witness heard some sound, like'very'heavy breathing, but a glance through the window snowed nothing, unusual, and witness , passed on to the Drill Hall:

Neil Walker M'Bride, custodian of the Boat Harbour at Clyde Quay, who passed the shop at about 8.30 p.m. on September 11, in company with, two others, stated that the.attention of the party was attracted by the fact that the shop was closed earlier than usual. On looking through a space in the win'dow curtain, they observed the feet of a , man, apparently lying on the floor in the back room. They took no further notice and passed on.

'■• Constable "Wilson, of the Mount Cook Police Station, recounted the circumstances connected .with the discovery of the tragedy at about five minutes past one,o'clock on the morning of Saturday; September 12. Hie description of the affair tallied with, the report published that day. . The sum of 15s. 4Jd; had been found in the till after ■the. tragedy, but no other money was found on the premises. Tiie Coroner returned a verdict that 'the death of deceased was due. to fracture of tile skull caused by a. blow from an iron bar inflicted by some person unknown •