GREY DISTRICT COURT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 19 February 1901, Page 4

GREY DISTRICT COURT.

Monday, Ffu- 18

[Before His Honor, Judge Ward.] (Continued.) Cross-examined by Guinness—" Five shafts were put clown in May, in two wo did not try the dish, they wore chiefly pub in to ascertain the depth. In October I employed some of tho carpentors working on the dredge. None of the accused wero employed. I reported to my directors tho result of tho prospectors. In face of thi3 they still went on erecting the machinery. The pontoons wero began ia August. They were not finished iu October. It is more thanthreo months since tho machinery began to come. In November it leaked oin that the adj Ining claim. Foley's Ex. tended was a duffer. A party of men, afterwards asked me to be allowed to prospjet the claim. I said I would have to get the permission of the directors. Ido remember taking Mr Winslow down to the shaft No 1. There was nobody prcBont at the time. Winslow worked some dirt, and got a few colors. Tho Lawsons wero present. One was at the pump and the other at an engine. Lawson and I sunk a shaft. I washed a dish and got a good return. The only way Lawson could have " salted " it was when he was washing a dish down the shaft; ho made a groat splash. By Murdock—l could not swear if the Lawsons had knowledge the shafts were being sunk. The 10 grains of gold out of tho shaft are at Kumara. Mr Wil iams was not prospecting with mo. Re-examined by Hannan—The reason I put the shafts down was that, a Dunedin director was anxious to have a shaft put down. We found the wash running down s'ream, and this I thought indicated a lead of gold. Duncan Bringans, dredge master p.% present residing at Hokitika. —I got instructions to prospect Foley's Extended on Dec. 20:h. I put down f.mr shafts. Two wero put down close to No 1 shaft on the prospectus. Tho depth was nine feet with tho result of little or no goldworthless. All the wash dirt wa3 put through a box. They were both tho samo depth. I have Flemings report. I say now that it was foreign gold that ho got there. I put another shaft between No. 7 and 3 shafts. The result was nil. I got down 7£ feet. Tho wash was somewhat similar. I put down another shaft 10 or 12 chains further up the creek. There was uo wash in it at all. That was all tho prospecting that I did on the claim. I knew where No 1 and 3 shifts on the plan and f;und them. If tho ground had ever been any good I should havo got gold in tho shaft between them. Some of the fine specks aro similar to the real Foley's Creek gold. My opinion is that the claim is worthless. I have had a good deal of experience in dredging. Thomas Bryno— recallol—3aid I have not sold my vendors shares in tho Foley's Creek or Extended Co. Tho Foley's Extended is now being applied for a i a special dredging claim. P. Tansey—recalled— That ia ray signature on tho deed of option. That is also Lawson Bros and Bryne's signature. I saw all the documents produced signed. Cross-examined —I saw all tho documents signed. I did not peg out the special dredging claim. That was kft to the Lawson Brothers, I paid thorn fordoing it. (Bill produced). This concluded the emo for the prosecution.

Mr Guinness bcforo opening the case for the defence took a preliminary objection as to non-production of license to hold area.

Mr Hannan contended that the license existed as was shown by the fact that the company had built a dredge on the ground and had employed the Lawsons to peg samo out. His Honor ruled against the point raised.

Mr Guinness said ho would not ti k up tho time of tho Court with a long address. Ho would havo hi 3 opportunity later on. Ho would be ab!o to prov th.it William Lawson never bought gold from Mr Ward of the Union Bank, and would give a satisfactory explanation of how he came to sell go'cl. It was, he might say. to get his brother-in-law, Bourke, security a 3 ba'l. O'Hard -I was engaged to do some prospecting in November with Tansey. Two shafts were put down. We pat the dirt in a box and trivd two or three dishes. la the first shaft we got a few line colors. Tansey washed two or three dishes. In the first, ho got nothing; in the sesond, two or three specks. In the second 3haft we put tho dirt through tho box and got about three dwts of gold. We put in a small tunnel near No 1 shaft, Mr Tansey washed the dirt. I was sinking the shaft. He tried a few dishes but did not get any gold.

By a Juror —The iunnol is half a chain away from tho shaft. By M. Hannan— Ho just poked a little hole in at the sido of the creek. I believed the result to bo correct. Tansey told mo tho next day, that he had put tho gold in the wash, but did not give any reason.

Richard Williams, I was engaged in prospecting Foley's Creek. We put down five shafts. In each snaft wo got gold. It has been sent to Dunedin. I considered the ground payable, in fac' a "Hartley and Riley. " I did not do any more prospecting. Cross-examined —The Lawson Bros, were engaged in prospecting. On one occasion I told . Mcllroy that tho gold looked as though it had been through . some chemical process. I put the goll in a bottle and it stuck to the bottom as if there were some acid 3in it. I used soap ~ and hot water to get it out, but without avail. I never drew Mcllroy 's attention to tho different colour of tho gold. I was originally a vendor. I sold some Bhareß and have some left. I hwo been called upon by tho buyer to refund the money, and a suit h now threatened. I heard from Dunedin that there was a piece of gold with a hole in it. Cross-examined—l did not observe any difference in too gold. I will not swear that I drew Mcllroy's attention. L never got wash out oE tho shaft while the lawsons were absent. I got some from the top while they were thero with the result of a few coLrs. James B ig-f, miner residing at the Greenstone —I know the locality known as Foley's Creek. I havo prospected in tho creek. This was about two years ago. Result —a few colors. In a branch I got seven or oight dwts. I was merely prospecting to sec if thero was gold in the creek. Wo had a pick, dish and shovel. I know the Foley's pentoon and boundaries. I got tho gold outsido of the boundary. By Murdoch -I was one of tho syndicate formed to havo the ground prospected. Thero were tv/enty of us at £'6 per man to equip a party of two men to prospect same. Wo subsequently afterwards abandoned the ground. Part of it was in Foley's Extended. By Mr Hannan —I do not know if 1 took all the gold out of the oreek. By Mr Guinness—l think it was a mere patch that I struck. Robert Harris — I havo no claim on the Foley's Creek. I have ono at the mouth of the creek known as Harris's. My claim is o.mile long. Cross-examined —I have always thought tho Blncltwatcr district a duffVr. When I hoard that tho Lawsons had got such go d prospects, I was sorry I had not moro ground.

Charles Fleming —I know a piece of ground known a 3 "Harris's?' Mr Naylor was in oharge of a prospecting party consisting of Burgher, Bujgans and my two brothers. They sank five shafts. Only one was payable, about half a mile from Foley's claim. It was sunk 7 feet and did not gat to the bottom. I went sis grains to the cubic yarL Cross-examined —Pring washed a dish in the second shaft of Foley's Creek. Result—one grain of gold.

Re-examined : Bourke —brother-in-law to Lawson visited Harris's claim when we were sinking the shaft. I do not know what brought him there. I would not swear if ho was at the shaft or on the road near by. I could not say what depth they had sunk it when Bourke was there.

John Kunen, sworn.—l reside at Belfast, seven miles from Christchurch. I know Win. Lawson. He cama to my place in reference to buying two horses. He stopDed over night. During the evening he showed my wife a sample of geld in its raw state. He also visited Belfast in November at which time he gave my wife a small parcel of gold (bottle produced.) Robert Judge, bushman. —Am at the Blackwater at present. I used to be in ths employ of tho Lawson Bros. I was 5) in September last. To my best belief I was working with them on the 18th September. I only worked eight days for the tho Lawsons. Before that by contract. On the Tuesday the Lawson Bros, were ) working with me. We stated at eight o'clock in the morning. Wm. Lawson was absent on tho Wednesday. Am positive he was there on the Tuesday. He was in my presence from eight o'clock to five.

Cross-examined.—l began work on wages on the Friday; there were six of us and two Lawsons. The same crowd were there on Saturday. I was in camp, but tho Lawsons lived at ICumava, They came and went from work on horses. I will not swear if "W. Lawson was at work on the other days. G. Lawson may have been absent more than one day. I was brought to Kumara to lie a witness for the defence.

By Mr Hannan : I will not swear (hat at Kumara I made a remark that Lawsons told me to say lie was working with me on the Tuesday. T would not have known when I started had it not been for Lawsons' books. W. Lawson might have been away two days. Ecu Lawson.—l commenced working on the 17th. Previous to that I was working at Kumara Junction. On Monday, the 17th, there were Grant, Morgan, Judge, my two brothers and myself together, getting sleepers. Loth my brothers were working on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, William was not there, I don't know where he was. I saw Judge sign the bill on Saturday, the 22nd. Out of the eight days I saw him working live. I. live in Kumara. On Thursday I did not go to work because it was wet. On Tuesday my two brothers sat down to dinner together with me. I remember this, because my nose bled on that day. I remember it because it was the second day in which I worked for my brother. I copied the time I worked into my pocket-book. I finished the copying on Thursday last, the 14th. I have not brought the original book. I thought I would lie called on the case on Friday and Saturday, but did not think I would be called to-day because my brother George thought I would likely get home to-night. I do not think r talked the case over with Judge. I heard some of his evidence in Court. It was this morning that Constable M'Ken/.ie asked me to leave the Court-house.

By the Judge: T do not remember Constable M'Kenzic telling mo to go out this afternoon.

By Mr Guinness: Constable M'JCcnzie accosted me in the porch, but I can't say what passed. I spoke first. By his Honor : A'o constable spoke to me in the Courthouse this afternoon. I swear it.

By Mr Guinness: I entered up m work every night. The reason I did no produce the original hook was because i was old and torn.

By tho Bench : I cut out leaves in (lie book I now produce because some of the dates were wrong. Constable M'Kcnzio called : About 20 minutes after two o'clock I saw the last witness standing in Court. I knew lie was a brother of the accused. I asked if he was a witness and ho replied he was not. In consequence of what Mr Hannan told me I did nothing further. Constable Carrol: I know Lawson and saw him inside the Courthouse this afternoon. I heard Constable M'Kcnzie speak to him and heard Lawson say "No." Do not know what M'Kenzie said.

The Court adjourned till ten on Tues. clay. (Continued on pages 2 and 3)