PONSONBY TRAGEDY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 208, 28 May 1920, Page 7

PONSONBY TRAGEDY

ACCUSED TELLS HIS STORY FLATLY DENIES ANY CONNECTION WITH MURDER By TelosrraDh—Press Association. Auckland, May 27. At the trial of Dennis Gunn, charged with murder and robbery at Ponsonby, Inspector Fowler stated that he was in charge of the Finger-print Bureau of the New South Wales police- for seventeen years, and for some time in. the same work at Scotland Yard. His own bureau had 70,000 sets of prints (ten fingers each); Scotland Yard had about 250,000 sets. In all his experience he had never seen two sets of prints alike, unless made by the sanm person. From fingerprints submitted to him in the present case ho picked half a print of one finger out of 1010 prints recorded on 101 different forni6 made by 101 different people. Tho forms wero not marked in any way. Ingpeotor Fowler said: "I am moio convinced that Gunn handled the revolver and oaah-bqx than if I had actual sight of him handling them." In opening the case for the defence, Mr. Prendergast said that accused desired to go into the box and tell his own story. Much of tho evidence for the prosecution was highly technical. The remark made by Gunn when accosted by the detectives, that lie was homo all Saturday afternoon, and his subsequent correction, counsel suggested, was oniy natural, and in keeping with his innocence. Dennis Gunn then entered the bos. On Saturday, March 13, he said, he left home with his brother Charles about 2 o'clock. They went to an hotel and then to the circus, but did not go in on account of the crowd. They watched a boat race in the harbour, and then went to another hotel. He returned home about 5 o'clock, and left again about 7.15 with his brother Thomas. Aooused became parted from his brother in the crowd, and went to a pioture show, leaving when the performance wrs over at about 10 o'clock. He met his brother after the show, and they walked home together. He did not go out again -that night. Mr. Prendergast: Had you had anything- to do with the murder of Braithwaite or the robbery at the Post Office? Aroused: No, I had not. In cross-examination, accused said as had never been in tho Ponsonby Post Office and did not handle the oash-boxes or revolver on the night of the murder. He had never had a revolver, and the fingerprint; on +116 revolver was not his; Counsel for the prosecution: Well, have you any objection to giving a print of the palm of your hand or any print wo may ohgose? Mr. Reed, for the accused, objeoted, and after disoussion said that if accused refused it would tell against him,-and if he-agreed he was putting himself in the hands of experts who were practioallv obliged to give an opinion one way. His Honour: All I can eay is I would be sorry to tiling that responsible police officers,' eithoi:*liere or in New South Wales, would bo obliged to give evidence in any one way. On the advice of his counsel accused declined to submit hje fingerprint. ■ Further witnesses were called, including one man who paid ho saw Gunn outside a picture theatre just before 8 o'clock. The evidence for the defence was not concluded when the Court rose.