THE ARIADNE CASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 320, 22 January 1902, Page 2

THE ARIADNE CASE.

(Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. In the Ariadne case, Mr Skerrett cross-examined Willis, who said the agreement was shown to him on June 7 in his office, Christchurch, by Mumford, in the afternoon. He asked Mumford to reconcile the agreement with the letter he wrote Kerry. He replied that the letter referred to fact. Kerry refused to give the second agreement at Oamaru, when he first thought it to be lost. On June Bth Mumford allowed witness to take the agreement to be photographed, and finally returned it on June 11. The document was clean on the face, but soiled and frayed on tiie back. The document was produced in Court, but had been gummed on to a sheet of blue paper in the lower Court, and the back could not be seen. Witness examined the agreement critically at the time, but had not noticed that words had been gone over twice. The agreement read : —“ Sydney, February 25-, 1901. J. T. C. Kerry with G. Mumford to pay as wages tiie sum of £l2 per month for services as master of the yacht Ariadne from the date of signing the articles at. Sydney, and a further sum of £-100 if the vessel be totally wrecked. (Signed) —T. C. Kerry, owner ; E. J. I-l. Freke, witness.” Using a magnifying glass witness failed to see signs of retracing before June 8. Witness repeatedly cross-examined Mumford as to his statements. He paid Mumford £IOO in gold on May 30, and £l5O on June 21, on July 29 another £l5O, and in August, September, and July £lO, £7 and £2O 7s for board and pocket money in Christchurch. Witness de-

tailed his knowledge of Mumford’s movements and his meeting with Wvnd, a member of the crew, who overheard incriminating conversation between Kerry and Mumford on May 30. Later on Wynd made a statement (produced) in German. Mumford was arrested on October 8. Witness recommended lawyers to him, and guaranteed the costs, and offered a share of providing the bail. He went to Sydney about the middle of November. ; He saw Miss Downing at tiie detective office, and arranged as to pecuniary terms with her. He saw Warner and Pollock, and asked the latter for a valuation of the Ariadne, hut could get none. Any letters or copies of letters handed by witness to the Crown must have been handed him by Mumford. After evidence as to valua-

tion and navigation of the Ariadne, a document produced bv Harper for Mumford wars acknowledged by witness that it held Mumford free from anv consequences cf statements made in connection with the loss of the Ariadne, ami <as dated May 30. 1901. He had been assisting Mumford since the latter's arrest, because his hand having been fcreed he fell bound bv the agreement to help the man. He was a J.P.

Frank Kochnetv, a German sailor one of the crew, gave evidence as before as to the removal of goods from the Ariadne before sailing from Svdnev, the equipment of a life-boat, and the wreck of the yacht,

William Henry Ives, proprietor of Dane's Point swimming baths, said tliai at the end of February, 1901, on a Sunday morning, the accused Kerry came to witness, asking permission to leave some goou.. . e was bringing from the yacht Ariadne in Neutral Bay, dh-.tant about a mile and a naif away Witness said he could lease the goods if he removed them the next morning. Kerry brought the goods in a fair-sized ship’s boat that evening, with four or live men. Witness saw the goods unshipped. They consisted of portmanteaux, boxes, bags, a barometer, •.vith some sails and awnings. The Dipt noticed the chronometer m one box, two binnacle lamps, and some rities, altogether about a ton of goods. Some of the packages were very weighty.

: Mary Beck repeated her lower Court 1 evidence as to showing the goods, and ; Herman Tlymi, another member of the ‘ yacht’s crew, gave evidence as to hearing the conversation on board itetween | Mumford and Kerrv as to the agreeI meat.

Thomas Henry Clarkson, a new witness, captain of the ship Sir Henry, on March 22 last was off Banks Peninsula, and saw a schooner in shore of him sailing under so very short canvas that he stood for her for two days to help if needed. Ho did not know her name. He sailed close because he thought she wanted sails. He asked if she was in trouble, but received no reply. Had he been in the same case lie would have asked for assistance. He had spare sails if they had been asked for. It was not safe to proceed along the coast in the state the schooner was.

A. H. Bossworth, bank clerk, saw the signatures on the alleged agreement with T. C. Kerry, and on the nautical enquiry depositions written by the same persons. Ho saw nothing to indicato that any portions of tho agreement had been written at different times by different persons who signed the at moment. He thought it was written by tho person who wrote and signed tho agreement. Tho Court adjourned till ten next morning.