The Chemis Case

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 32, 29 August 1889, Page 2

The Chemis Case

THE PERJURY CHARGES AGAINST THE POLICE. I PKR UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION, j Wellington. August 2g. John Dowd fnrther said he frequently went out shooting with Chemis gun. He was out on the Sunday before Hawkings was murdered. 1 After shooting be put the powder flask, shot, and caps back in the right-drawer of the bedroom, but he was not sure whether he put the wads back. He then saw in the drawer a wad punch, a tin of blasting powder, a dagger, some dynamite caps, some fuse, and a cocoa tin, and other articles which he did not take notice of. The bouse in which witness lived was searched by the police the same day as Chemis, on Sunday, June 2.

Chemis was re-called, and was about to explain what took place- at the Gaol one night between himself and . Mr Jellicoe, but an objection by Mr Bell was upheld.

Sir Harry Atkinson, was repealled, and deposed that the statement sent by Chemis to the Executive Council had not been published before it was laid on the table of the House of Representatives on Fridaj' last. He considered it very unlikely that Mrs Chemis, or anyone on her behalf, knew tbe contents before then.

August 28. I On the perjury charges being resumed ' this morning Mr Jellicoe undertook to produce the shot pouch and knife found near the scene of the murder on Saturday last if defendant's counsel called the fiuder. He thought that the ends of justice might be defeated by their production, and the Crown could have taken the responsibility. Frederick Greaves was the first witness examined. His examination in chief was mainly in the direction of proving that .he powder flask, shot, caps, and wads were in the drawer at the date of Hawking 1 s death, and also on the day of Che T mis' arrest. He also swore to seeing four quail at Chemis on June 2nd. In crossexamination he gave a description of Chemis shot pouch, which was an ordinary pocket one. Witness heard of the shot pouch found on Sunday. To his knowledge the latter was not in the possession of Chemis on 31st May. The reexamination was postponed until after the examination of Gibson.

G. Hodges, owner of the pouch found, and Gibson, were called, and deposed that the former lent the shot pouch, with peculiar iron top and embossed picture on the side, to Gibson, who lent it to seyeral people, including Chemis ; the latter about a year ago, he thinks. After lunch James Gibson said the shot pouch produced was much like the one he had borrowed from Hodges. Caster Hodges said the pouoh, to the best of bis belief, was his. It had an iron top. "Witness had never seen one with a top like it. There was no mark on the pouch by which he could identify it. Gibson was then cross-examined. . He remembered telling Greaves that he had left the shot pouch at Chemis. Had borrowed a pouch from Hodges about three years ago. "Witness had been out p'lg-hunting with Chemis. Never saw Chemis with a knife. A young man named Round bad borrowed the shot pouch, and came for it a second time, when witness told him it was Chemis. Had asked Greaves to bring down tho shot pouch from Chemis. Had left the pouch at Chemis after one shooting expedition. Could not remember taking it away. Had told a man named Holmes that be knew the place where he had left it, but did not tell where, as it would not do Mrs Chemis anygeod, that was in thia case. Ebenezer Round said he borrowed a a shot flask the shooting season before last from Gibson, but did not examine it closely, and therefore could not swear whether there was a picture on it. Mrs Chemis was re-called, and said she had never seen a shot flask in her bouse except the one taken away by the police. Had never seen the flask before- Beyond the stiletto there was not a knife in the house with both sides sharpened. This Day. The perjury case was resumed this morning. Elhs Lowe, who found a shot pouch and knife on Sunday last, was examined, and said, he found the articles in a creek leading in the direction of Hawkings' house. They were partly covered with leaves which he thought had fallen from some growth over head, and had not been placed there. The sheath he also found close to the knife. He identified the pouch, sheath, and knife produced as the articles found by hhn. Took the articles to Mr Jellicoe. Cross-examined : He did not think a plant had been put upon him. Was quite confident it was a genuine find. Had searched the hills before, but found nothing. Re-examined : He said he had been bothered with a dream from the first night Chemis was committed for trial. Had not found the articles where the dr6am indicated. Warder Doyle deposed that in company with Reardon and a man named Forcnian he searched the hill and creek on August 2. If the knife and pouch had been there then be thought he must have seen them. — Cross-examiued : Could not say he had searched the hill thoroughly. The creek was dry and easy to examine.