TE AWAITE MURDER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1377, 11 February 1905, Page 2

TE AWAITE MURDER.

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, yesterday. The Te Awaito murder case was continued to day. John Crawford, a shepherd, employed od Honeycreek station, stated that a telescope and khaki jacket found on accused were like similar articles stolen from his whare between January 30 and February 2. Other articles were stolen. He identified the telescope by certain marks on it.

John Grant, overseer on tho outstation, Te Awaite, deposed to seeing accused in the vicinity of Cole’s creek about the first weak in February. Further witnesses called to-day in tbe Te Awaite murder trial gave evidence as to accused being seen for some days in the neighbourhood of the spot where the murder occurred. John Crawford, who was not acquainted with the accused Eilis, identified the telescope produced as one taken from his whare on Te Awaite station. The khaki coat produced looked like one that also had been taken, but he could not positively swear to it. John Grant, overseer of Te Awaite station, said the last time he saw accused on tbe station was the first week in February, 1904, which would be about three weeks before the murder. On the day of the murder he saw McDonough, one of the men attached to Collinson’s camp, on the tableland between the Te Awaite river and Coles Creek. Between the first week in February and the day of the murder he had seen no strangers about other than the accused. •- A man could be in the neighborhood of Coles Creek for a considerable time and keep out of the road. The witness was questioned by Mr Wilford at length as to his eyesight and ability to recognise people at a distance. On the morning of Collinson’s death witness went out shooting with McDonough. That was at 8 o’clock. Ho saw a packhorse with a pack-saddle ou near the camp. He left McDonough that morning with the pigs they had shot. As far as witness could see, McDonough had then finished shooting and had packed up ready to go to camp. Ho saw McDonough in cemp that day about 3 p.m. The range of witness’s telescope was three-quarters of a mile, but witness would not swear to recognise people at a longer distance than abonc a quarter of a ' mile. Witness thought that if a man knew the way from the Kennels camp (where Collinson’s party was camped at tbe time of the murder) Ao- the scene of the murder he would be able to do the distance in half an hour. If McDonough left the Kennels camp at 5 a.m. he would be likely to get to the scene of the murder at 5.30 a.m. Re-examined by Mr Myers : He was certain it was McDonough he saw on the 25th February. There was no one else on"the station like him. He was certain it was accused he saw early in February. There was a plain, uninterrupted view in each case.

Albert Wolter, a bush worker, deposed th.it McDonough might have beeu at the shooting before breakfast on the day of the murder. He would not swear that McDonough had breakfast with the other men, as sometimes he had it by himself. Witness and McDonough went to search for Collinson and Ross. They found Boss, who was lost, and subsequently tboy found Collinson’s body. Witness was the first to find deceased’s body on the morning of the 27th February. Whea witness and MoDonough reported Collinsou’s death to Mr Bunny, the latter asked how it happened, and McDonough said, “I’ve got my suspicions.” Mr Wilford: You then said, “If you mean McKenzie, I haven’t seen him for months ” ? Witness : “ For some time.” Mr Wilford: “ For some time,” not “ for months.” Did McDonough then say that ha had seen McKenzie the morning before ? Witness : I did not hear him. Witness had seen accused in the gully at the camp with a rifle, and his impression was that it was a Snidor. That was in June, 1903. 4 Later.

Patriok McDonough deposed that he saw accused at Collinson’s camp one Saturday at midnight about a month before the rnurdor. There was a rifle alongside the chimney like the one produced. Ellis asked if Collinson was in camp. On being told that he was asleep he said that he would seo him iu the morning. On another day witness saw accused in the scrub near the camp, after a stag. Witness also saw accused on the morning Collinson was murdered. Ellis was near the camp, and was carrying a rifle. The reason he did not tell the jury at the Coroner’s inquest that he had seen Ellis on the morning of the murder was because he thought Ellis "was still there and might put a bullet through him. Evidence was also given by the men from whose camp things bad been stolen during the time the police were looking for Elite, These articles were found in prisoner’s possession. / Detective Broberg gave evidence of the arrest.

This closed the ease for the Crown. Counsel for accused said he did not intend to call evidence, but would address the jury at leDgth. The case was adjourned until to morrow.