ALLEGED MURDER.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1919, Page 3

ALLEGED MURDER.

j ACCUSED COMMITTED. 1 [pElt- PRESS ASSOCIATION. COPYRIGHT.] AUCKLAND, December 23. The hearing of the charge against Harold Percy Stapleton (21) and Alexander Coppell (20) of having murdered Frank Brasier, licensee of the Clarendon hotel, who died of injuries received I }*i a. disturbance in the hotel, was concluded. Constable Johnsen stated that while standing in Rutland street on the night of December 15th lie heard excited

jtalk iin te Clarendon Hotel). Just afterwards he was joined by Constable Johnston, and hear a noise as of somebody falling to the floor. Witness and the other constable walked towards the Grey statue. Just then the two accused came out of the hotel door and approached witness. Accused Coppell said : “Come up here. I have knocked a man out.” Stapleton said that the deceased had tried to assault him Stapleton was very much excited. Witness and the others went upstairs and found deceased lying in the doorway of the room. His head was partly in the doorway. The deceased was bleeding from the mouth, nose, ears and back of the head. Stapleton kept asking witness if he thought, the deceased would come round. He said: “Constable, I hope you won’t make a ease of this, but a man should report him. He would get life for this offence.” The deceased wa s subsequently removed to the hospital. There was a .smell of liquor from the deceased. Mr Wilson, S.M., who also attended the hearing in his capacity as Coroner, then returned a verdict that the death of Frank Brasier had been caused by cerebal hemorrhage, following a fracture of his skull, the result of injuries inflicted by Harold: Percy Stapleton, and Alexander Coppell. He added that it was quite obvious that the whole of the facts had not been disclosed, but there was sufficient evidence for the purpose of the Coroner’s finding.

The accused were committed for trial to the Supreme Court on the charge of murder. Mr Singer applied for hail for both accused, and this was granted in one surety for each of £3OO, a proviso being made that the accused should both report each day to the police.