ACCUSED'S STORY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 34, 10 February 1933, Page 12

ACCUSED'S STORY

WHIEOKINO TRAGEDY

MURDER TRIAL CONTINUED

CASE FOR CROWN CLOSED

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) PALMERSTON N.. 9th February. The case for the Crown in the Whirokino -murder trial was concluded this afternoon. Roy Allen Easton, aged 16, is on trial for the murder of his brother, Johu Spencer Seabury Easton, as the result of a shooting fatality during milking operations on a farm at Whirokino, near Foxton, on 22nd November. The case for the prosecution concluded with George Windeler telling of tho finding of the gun near the cowbails, Constable Bagrie stating that the accused made no reply when charged, and Constable Grainger recalling that tho accused, on the way to Wellington Gaol in the train, suddenly said, "Quirke is a old fool; he thinks I shot my brother, but I didn't mean to hurt him."

The remainder of the afternoon was taken up by the accused, who was put in the box by counsel. The accused stated that while "'still at school he was bitten by a dog, losing the sight of one eye. He had received a few thrashings from his father, and was saved from others by his grandmother. He was keen on snooting, but before going out he macle a practice of telling his father or mother. He had had rows with his dead brother, but none of them sqvious. His brother's job had been to clean up the shed, witness often doing this for him, and on one occasion ho offered him money to buy an engagement ring. After milking had been going on for a while ou the day of the tragedy, Jack said he was going to start separating. Witness urged him to milk another cow first, as ho wanted to go shootiug. Jack grabbed Mm by the shoulder and shook him. His father called out, "Leave him alone," and Jack got another cow in. When witness finished his cow ho went over to the house and washed Ms hands. He got the gnn and a cartridge. Going back to the bails he put a cartridge into tho gnn. After going through the midway fence he went toward the yards to a point where they generally climbed over the rails, with the object of telling his father ho was going shooting. He got fairly close to the fence and slipped on something. The gun went off, and he saw his brother lurch. He got frightened, fearing- that his brother was hurst, so ho ran away. Ho could not account for the gun going off, nor could he say on what he slipped. He went straight to the sea coast, staying out all night, as he was frightened at what his father would do. He knew Jack was hurt, but had no idea he had been^ killed. He spent the next day walking tip the river, with the idea of going to his grandmother's place in Foxton, knowing that she would protect him from his father. Further, he could get something to eat there. In reply to the Crown Prosecutor, the accused said that Jack did not get him by the throat. He denied having .told his father on leaving the bails that he was going shooting, as he thought that Jack would object. He could not recall cocking the gun, but thought a blow might discharge it; He could not remember much of what happened after the gun went off, as it was a great shock to sea his brother hit. When he got home the next day he told the family it was an accident.