STRONVAR TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 305, 20 September 1919, Page 2

STRONVAR TRAGEDY

__ JAMES RESIDE CHARGED WITH * MURDERING CARR COMMITTEDFOR TRIAL AT WELLINGTON ; By Telegraph—Special . Correspondent.' Mastorton, September 19. Before Mr. S. L. Free, S.M., at 'the Magistrate's Court to-day, James Kesida appeared to answer the charge that, on pt about September (i,. he did murder Christopher Carr at Stronvar. Mr. K. - ' It. Burridge appeared for tho Crown, and Mr. 0. C. Pragnell for tho accused. Keside was still wearing bandages on, tho wounds in his throat. Mr. Burridge outlined. the details of tho tragedy, as already published in The Dominion of September S. Dr. P. li. Cook said that on the nionir ' ing of September 6 ho proceeded to tho homestead of : Alex. Hcside, in company' with Constables Pension, Phillips, anil G-uraen; On reaching tho homestead ho found- the body of .Christopher Carr lyingin a room behind the kitchen. It was \ not possible for tho wound to have been, ■ self-inflicted, f Later, continued witness,-'' no had'seen 'James Reside lying in a hut about four miles from tho homestead. Tho man was lying in a bunk, and was covered with blood. There were five incised wound 6, probably inflicted by the razor produced, in the left sido of tho ' neck. Reside was practically pulseless, thoush still alive. He would say that each gash represented a separate attempt at suicide. Constable Garden said that on September 5. while on night duty, ho had received an urgent telephone message from. Alex. Ecside. senior, who eaid that bis son'Jini had shot Carr. Witness ,was ono of tho parly which journeyed to Stronvar. Witness gave further evidence as to the finding of Carr's body* ..Constables Phillips and Pension, two civilians, and witness formed a search I party . which went in quest of accused. ; While witness was searching the faco of , n. hill he saw Constable Phillips batterins down the door of a hirt some distance below. . Ho immediately weiit to the hut, arriving after Constable Phillips had gained an '.entrance. He found the-acoused lying on the bod Covered with, ; blood. They gave accused a drink of water., and after drinking 6ome he said s ' "No'more; thanks." Dr. Cook'was summoned, and later the injured.man was carried over tho hills to Stronvar. On the way accused appeared quite sensible, and cave instructions .as. to tho route. Oh ono' occasiwi.he' said ."If, you go that way,>on Trill.'have to climb the fence." Since Seutember 8 witness-had ..been in charge of Kesido at the hospital. Definite tho fact'that accused 1 , was Warned that anything ho said would be used in evidence against; him, he mado tho following statement about 10.30 a.m. on tha day ho way admitted to 'tho hospital:— "I don't care if I had shot ten men. I know it-was his lifo or mine, but I got him first, and they can .say what. they, like."- - Alex. Reside, father, of tho accused, reoeated tho evidence he gave at tho inouest. Ho added that while his sou Alox. rodo to Wardcll's to inform tho nolico. witness lit a firo and mado soma tea ' James must have known that Alex, had gone for the police. Witness could hot detain James uutil the return of tho uolice. and the latter disappeared-in tho 'darkness, carrying the gun. Witness nn\-t saw accused when lie was brought in from'the hut. Continuing, witness said that thev had been at 'Stronvar a, week when the tragedy happened. Constable- Pension said that on September 7 ho' was at the hospital, and accused said to him': "If I had done wliatx I intended I would have been, well on tho other side-of tho Jordan. 1 That's what I ought to have done, and completed Hie job. You would never have got mo only I could not reach tho trigger of tho guu. The barrel was too long. I intended to use luv bootlace, but I was bustled when I heard'vou outside the whare. I grabber tile razor and slashed myself." iArthur. Letlibridge \ said' he was a con--stable.doius: relieving.duty in Masterton. 'Oil SePteuiber'"'lo lie was in charge of accused at' the hospital. Accused' asked him fof'"tho paper." ' Witness 6aid "What paper?" Accused said: "Tho ono with tho inquest in. I shot tho man." Witness then told accused that anything he 'might say would be used against him in evidence. After that accused said: "I Tvas'sitting'playing "cards an hour before I killed him. The old' man (meaniiur liia lather) said 'Get the doctor! but I ejiid.'No! Get the police.'" Mr. Pragnell reserved his defence. Ac- . cus'ed' pleaded nut guilty, '.and was re- , nuuided'to appear before the next sitting of tho'Supreme'Court at Wellington.