MURDER TRIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1921, Page 1

MURDER TRIAL

[BI TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ABBOOIAIION] FURTHER EVIDENCE. j HAMILTON, June 22 Edward Francis McCaffrey, carej, taker of the Ongaroto Bridge, said he saw Elliot on Easter Saturday evening y standing outside his whare. He saw ’ To K-ahu on Mopday morning crossing j the bridge about J’ o’clock in the direc- ( tion of Elliot’s whare. Witness missed 8 Elliot on Monday., morning and made 3 enquiries without - result. He saw Te Kahn on Tuesday morning and asked him where his mate was. Prisoner replied that h© left Elliot in bed on Monday morning. Ho said he returned very late on Sunday night and left 3 early on Monday , morning. He also , said he borrowed Elliot’s overcoat. To f Kalin mentioned that he only had one shot at a stag during the afternoon, He appeared quite normal, although he exhibited a little anxiety to get away. On Wednesday witness again asked prisoner if lie had seen Elliot; he re-’ - plied no, although he searched the [ river and intended searching it again. Shortly after the , police arrived. In , answer to Mr Gillies, witness said he was present, when.. Detective Sweeney searched To Kahn’s whare when he discovered two empty cartridge boxes. He was also present when the detective searched Elliot’s whare and took from the shelf an empty cartridge box which the detective had placed there previously. To tho Judge: Te Kahn told him on Sunday that they first went down the river, returned home, and then went up the river jo the rapids. Campbell Hamilton, half caste, fanner, said lie was one of a search party on Tuesday which found blood stains, footprints and a dead duck about half a mile below Cox’s place. They followed the footprints which led -to a stream. There was a good deal of blood about. The blood stains led to the river where there was further blood. A large stone on the river’s edge was smeared with blood. The following day ■he went out again, Te Kahn being among the party. Constable Wright asked Te Kahu if he knew what the blood stains were and he replied that lie did not know. The Constable asked Te Kahu to lead the party along the track taken on Sunday. Te Kahu then took the lead but did not stop when the spot where the blood stains first found were reached. Te Kahu was leading away from tho river, and in answer to the Constable twice said that it was the track taken on Sunday. About half an houf later Te Kahu said to witness that had it. not been for the blood stains the policeman would no| have known that an occurrence had taken plane in the locality. His Honour to interpreter : Is “occurrence” an exact translation? Well “happening” or “circumstance” would he equivalent. Witness continuing said that a few days later he had a conversation with To Kahu whom he asked whether any friends had given him any money to change. He replied lf No”. Witness told Te Kahu that as there were several police officers in the locality, if ho desired to say anything lie had better tell witness. To Kahu replied that he did not, like to tell witness anything because police were present who could speak Maori. TTe asked To Kahu whether he had received a £5 or £lO note from any friend. He Kahu answered that he did not, but lie himself obtained two £5 from Mokai and were his own money. Te Kahn told him he wont to ( Mokai on Monday morning, leaving ( Elliott in hod asleep. _ f Wm. Alexander Gibbon, millhand. ] said that with others he found Elliott’s ( bodv in the river. , David Henry Sutton said ho assisted . to take the body from the water. There was a hole through the shirt- and singlet where the shot penetrated, and n large jagged wound in tho neck. Tim hip pocket in tlm trousers was turned inside out. n

John Munro Clark, clerk, for the Tanpo Totarn Timber Company said lie paid Te Hnkn and Te Kahu their wages on Good E-idny. He also handed Elliott's nay to Miehnel Brady, the permanent way foreman, to give to Elliott. Witness kept a reeord of all the notes above the value of £l. and entered them opposite the names of the payees. He find paid Te Kalin one £5 note, number 348,796 and the remainder. £4 155., in smaller notes and silver. Elliott’s pay was £lO ss. There were two £5 notes the numbers of which were 486.614 and 325.986. and five shillings in silver. Tn February he had paid to Elliott one £lO note, number 029.027. To bis Honour: “T was particularly careful to accurately record the names of the nersons to whom T nnid the notes. Tt was not possible that the two £5 notes in question could have got into the hands of nnyhodv hut Elliott hv mistake.

Michael Brady. Foreman of the Permanent May. said he was handed an envelope by the guard of the train, addressed tn Elliott., together with a parcel at the 39-mile nog. He saw Elliott. and dropped the parcel and the envelope. Elliott picked them up. Wit ness knew of an arrangement between Elliott and the Mokai store, whereby Te Kahu got certain goods. William MeTndoe. surfaceman, said he heard Elliott fell Te Kahu and To Hike tn he at work on Monday. Witnpcs saw the letter and parcel dropped from the train. He noticed Elliott pick

{ltem up. Sarah Herepika said sho saw the prisoner at. Mokai on Good. Friday, when he stayed with her, and at another native’s house on Saturday. He gave £2. She r ould not say whether he also gave her a pair of stockings. On Saturday the prisoner left for Ongaroto. He returned early on Monday morning, leaving again for Ongaroto on Tuesday. Slfc followed film. While nt his whare Te Kiko called and asked for Elliott. Tho prisoner replied that, he did not know his whereabouts. The prisoner

accompanied her home in the afternoon, but he did not speak on any occasion of Elliott’s disappearance. Neither did sho mention to him the conversation she had with Te Kiko outside the prisoner’s whare regarding Elliott. Clive Norman, bush-hand, of Mokai said that on Easter Monday ho took part in a “two-up” school. Te Kahu there asked him to change a £lO note, which he took from a brown wallet which witness noticed contained other notes. The £lO note was on the Bank of New Zealand. Witness changed the note at Pnrtarum.

Selim Becea, storekeeper at Mokai. said that on Easter Monday the prisoner bought hoots, tendering a £5 note Witness next morning hanked all the money at Mokai post office. Frederick Caterer. Assistant Postmaster at Mokai, said he remitted to the Chief Post Office nt Hamilton on March 29, and 31. notes, amongst which there were two Bank of New Zealand £5 notes numbered 325.986, and 486.614. He did no know by whom they were handed in. The ease was adjourned until the morning. Great interest, is taken in the proceedings. Tho Court was packed.