THE ARIADNE CASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 322, 24 January 1902, Page 3

THE ARIADNE CASE.

(Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, last night

The trial of Kerry and Mumford, charged with wrecking the Ariadne, was resumed in the Supreme Court today. Detective Goulder, recalled, said that whilst in custody on January 4 and 6, Mumford told him about the registered letter which Dorwood bad received, shortly purporting to he bona fide correspondence between Mumford and Mrs Downing, Sydney, in which directions were given to Mrs Downing what to say and do on Mumford’s behalf. That letter was faked and the dates false. The object of the faked letter was to show that Downing and Mumford were working together so as to prove that Kerry had been concerned in wrecking the yacht. I-X. W. Bishop, Stipendiary Magistrate, produced an unopened registered letter addressed to Mumford, which was handed to him consequent on the issue of a search warrant. A difficulty arose as to wliat to do with tiie letter. Mr Stringer did not want to open it. Mr Harper claimed that it was a privileged document, and that the Crown had no right to seize it. The point was ultimately reserved and

the letter in the meantime ordered to be retained by Mr Bishop. Chas. H. W. Willis, master of the Ariadne on the voyage from Cherbourg to Sydney, said that when he left the •vessel in Sydney the Ariadne’s condition was not good. The sails were out of repair, and the rudder was not in good order. Most of the permanent fittings had been taken down and stowed in the after cabin.

Captain Willis, Lloyds’ surveyor, recalled, said that before lie arrested Mumford he suggested tiiat if by any chance lie was convicted in connection with the case, the underwriters would pay him so much a year. No amount was mentioned, and the witness never made a reply to the preposterous proposal. Mumford told him lie had written a letter to a lady friend in England before the yacht left Sydney, telling her of his intention to wreck the Ariadne. His reason for so doing was that, should anything happen to him, this friend would have a iioid over Kerry, and get the money promised Mumford for wrecking the vessel. Witness suggested that Mumford should write to the friend and ask her to return the original letter and envelope in a registered cover. John Mill, Port Chalmers, who purchased the wreck of the Ariadne, gave the value of the yacht afloat for commercial purposes, or for breaking up, at £2OOO. He had, lie said, saved 28 tons of lead, 20 tons of pig-iron, and 20 tons of lead and 80 tons of iron was still in the shingle. By Mr Hanlon : He thought the Ariadne would cost £30,000 originally. She would depreciate ten per cent, in value eacli year. This closed the case for the prosecution. Before the defence opened, Captain Willis was recalled, and under examination by Mr Hanlon, said that he never had command of a sailing vessel before lie took chargeof the Ariadne. Tiie yacht grounded on a reef at Thursday Island, but came off ail right. Kerry was not on board when she grounded. No damage was done. Mr Skerrett, opening for Kerry, referred to the extraordinary fact that the alleged agreement between Kerry and Mumford was so long in the possession of Willis and the Crown without being discovered to be a forgery. Mumford’s letter to Olsen two days after the verbal confession to Willis, in which Mumford expressed regret that Olsen was not with them, as the mate as far as he knew tiie coast, said they might have got along without being wrecked. In reference to the letter written to Kerry and given to Willis to copy, counsel drew attention to the fact tiiat there was no record of an envelope, and he said the letter was never intended for posting, and never readied Kerry, which would be proved by evidence. The Court resumed at 1.30. Mr Skerrett addressed the jury at considerable length, and then he called R. Crouch, Harbor Board pilot at Oamaru. Witness stated that with a south west wind the current of the Waitaki river set strongly into the coast where the Ariadne went ashore. With a moderate sea and half a gale of wind, the current would have been three to four miles an hour If the yacht was supposed to have sailed five miles an hour for three hours, owing to the current it could not have gone half that distance, and would have travelled north. The current would put her in shore much faster than she had gone out. If Mumford considered the yacht thirty miles off the coast, he could have safely gone on the port tack for three hours, according -to his calculations. The yacht was a thoroughly well built ship. The coast was a dangerous one, and there had been many wrecks there. The beach could be seen lour or five miles out at sea. The sails were spread out on-the grass when he saw them. They seemed in good condition. Some were neari} r ten and plenty of them eighteen, good and complete. The value o* the yacht afloat was £15,0U0 to £26,000. The yacht blocks were extraordinarilv good. Mumford either did not take the course described, or could not make the distance. If he had followed the course be should have picked up the Wanbrow light four or live miles off the coast. He would not himself go nearer than three or four miles to a. coast if be had to wear ship. Peter Palleson, master mariner, of

Timaru, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness as to the- effects of currents. He saw nothing in the facts of the wreck to point to a wilful wreckage. He saw the wreck. He bought some of tiie., sails himself. The jaciit was very well built, so much better than tiie ordinary vessel. 1-le was not able to estimate her value. Captain Hugh McLellan, adjuster of compasses cud colonial pilot and marine surveyor, said that the coast was dangerous, and the currents such as would take a yacht in shore quite as fast as go out. G. F. Spooner, master mariner and naval architect, valued tiie yacht at £SOOO or £7OOO. He had bought and insured her for £15,000. He did not think £15,000 too high an insurance. •The Ariadne was worth £20,000. Walter Linley Thompson, solicitor, Sydney, said tiiat in April he was acting for Kerry. Two men, Day and Olsen, called on him, and wanted to see Kerry. Olsen said he wanted to gel some money from him, hav.ng arranged with him to wreck the yacht Ariadne, and to receive £6 a month till she Was wrecked, and £2O after: Witness said the proceedings wore extiaordinary. Day said le had -rare the arrangement, and Olsen was entitled to his money. Kerry was then iii New Zeal an.!. John Glen, A. 8.. and Clement E. Gerton Wrairgs cave evidence that- Die goods removed from Hie yacht, m F-vi-ney were only Kerry’s personal e'T-ts —some rifles, whisky, and a barometer. The Court adiourned till 10 o clock : in the morning.