GREY LYNN MURDER

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 306, 20 September 1921, Page 6

GREY LYNN MURDER

PROGRESS OF CORONER’S INQUIRY -—I THOMAS M'MAHON CALLED AS WITNESS By Telosrraph—Pxm» Association. Auckland, September 19The inquest in connection with the death of Francis Edward Jew, who was found murdered at Grey Lynn on July 17, was continued before Mr. .' M'Kean, I S.M. (Coroner) to-day. Mr. Meredith is representing the police, and Mr. Prendergast is watching proceedings on behalf of Thomas M'Mahon. The principal witness to-day was Thomas Edward M'Mahon, who stated that he was 22 years of age. On Saturday, July 16, he met deceased at Carlaw Park, where they had some drink He carried a bottle of champagne in a pocket. He' left the football ground alone, and had a drink at the Albert Hotel on the way home. He left there at 6 p.m., took a tram to Grey Lynn, and sat on a seat outside Shearers’ shop. Jew and l M'Gregor camo along, and they also sat on the scat. M'Gregor left, and witness and Jew went down a right-of-way. Ho could not remember asking Jew to go there to have a drink. Theq they rode on a Grey Lynn car. He could not say where they got off. They met some boys—Mat Brodie, Jack Cordon, and a boy named Don—who went back with witness and Jew. Ho thought they went right on to the terminus. He had a very hazy recollection of the incients deposed to by other witnesses, but •membered having a drink of chamgne. “Simply Guessing.” I'Mahon said ho could not remember oing Jew /later or hearing him say ? wanted to go and sleep in the stables _• go to the vacant section near the lurch. If Jew did say this, witness aad too much liquor ’to remember. He jaw Lupton about half an hour, after ho left Jew, but was simply guessing. His mind was a perfect blank. The next thing ho remembered was coming back from Point Chevalier in Lupton’s bus, but ho remembered nothing about what occurred on the trip till he met some mates at Shearers’ shop. He went home with Stan Dodgers, Fred Edmond's and M'Gregor. About 11 p.m. his mother heard him come in. He first heard about the murder on Sunday. He might then have said ho left Jow at the Terminus tho night before, but he did not rem'ember He had heard a man named Dunn say ho saw someone like him (M'Mahon) near the vacant section. He might have crossed! over to the section, but was in such a condition that he did not know what he did. Close Cross-Examination.

The cross-examination of M'Mahon had i not concluded when the inquiry was again Adjourned. The witness was very closely questioned as to his movements on the night of the murder. In reply to a question, M'Mahon said that he must have been very drunk on the Saturday evening, as he did not remember anything.

Counsel:, The police asked you. did they not, if you were drunk, and you said: "Deceased was not drunk, but he had taken some drink which could not bo noticed on him and I was in a similar condition ?” Witness: Yes.

If that was your state of sobriety, you could have remembered what happened that evening?—"Yes.” Then what you told the police was untrue ?—"Yes.”

, And you told the police the times without remembering them?—"Yds.” And did you notice that the times you gave filled in the whole evening?—"No." Was that just a coincidence? —"Yes.” The Coroner: Why you say* "Yes"? You say that your object in giving the times was to clear yourself, and' now you say that it was a coincidence. Witness: I could not remember. I was only guessing at it. The witness had been in the box for six hours when the proceedings terminated for the day.