The Petone Murders.

Hastings Standard, Issue 222, 16 January 1897, Page 3

The Petone Murders.

[By Telegraph.]

(Per Prests Association.)

Wellington, Jan. 15. At the Petone murder trial to-day the evidence was unimportant in the forenoon. On resuming Mary Ann Reece (who married Bosher in but after the murder the latter was found guilty of bigamy, and is now serving a sentence for the offence) gave evidence. In some instances she cantradicted statements made by the accused about the time of the murder. She detailed the incident of Bosher rising at about daylight ou the morning of the murder and going'to Jones's for a he was to take to Taita but returned in a few minutes, and said he could not make anyone hear. He said he had called a neighbor (Mrs Atkinson) who went inside and found both Mr and Mrs Jones dead Witness had seta a large knife in a back room at their house both before and after the murder but shortly afterwards it disappeared. She had not handled the knife but from memory described that the front of the blade was a little rounded but the kick was nearly straight. After Shore, who was first accused of the murder, had been committed for trial she asked Bosher what had become of the knife, and he replied that he had lost it. She had heard from outsiders that the police were looking for a knife and on the second occasion on which she a-sked Bosher what he had dune with the knife lie said he had taken it away, but did not mention where. Asked if he gave it away, the acensed replied " No,'" and said that he had taken care of that, because if the police found it it might bring them down on him. Bosher said the knife was in Wellington. The knife, which accused termed a '• bushman's friend," was lost by him at Taita, but subsequently recovered from a butcher who had found it. The knife was used for killing pigs and calves, and for general use. On the night that the Joneses were murdered Bosher was wearing bluchers, and on the following morn- j ing heavy watertights. Bosher was | home until 7 o'clock on the night of the murder, but returned after a short interval, went out again, a*id returned at about 9 o'clock, when he went to feed a horse. On returning she saw blood on one hand, which Bosher said had been occasioned by a scratch in getting through a fence into a paddock. Had not seen the blood prior to his going out to feed the horse ten minutes previously. Cross-examined witness said the accused had been very kind to her. She had two children by him, and he was a devoted father. She bore him J no ill-will for what he had done to her. | She had found that the statement that Bosher was seen burning clothes in his home was untrue. She had never received any communication from the proper Mrs Bosher, who resides at Akaroa, and said that if a communication was sent she never received it. She could account for Bosher s movements up to 7.1 •"> p.m. and from 0.15 p.m on the night of the murder. On the morning after the murder the accused ate as usual. This day. The principal witness against Bos. cher tnis morning was Wm. Jones, residing at Taita. Boscher went to his place on the morning after the murder, and when questioned by witness about whether there were any footprints, he got so agitated that he trembled violently, and Mrs Jones had to make him a cup of tea. He was too much upset «to drink mor« than half of it. Accused showed him a coat pocket which was torn, saying that it was done while getting into a cart that morning. Boscber's left hand from the wrir-t to the knuckles was scratched, and there was a piece torn clean out of the right hand on the second or third linger. In examination witness said he did not know what to think whin Shore was arrested, and limped half way to Petone on a stick to see Bosher and ask him if he had anything to do with it before he communicated with the S police. I The ease was adjourned at 12.56 owing to pressure of other business.