Mangamahu Tragedy.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1921, Page 4

Mangamahu Tragedy.

A REMARKABLE CASE

ACCUSED’S PECULIAR ATTITUDE.

[hi TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION] WANGANUI, August 1. At the Magistrate's Court to-day, John Kinsella was charged that on July 22, at Mangamahu, lie did minder George Gordon. A Colonial inquiry proceeded simultaneously. Cecil Addebrook, farmer, said that on July 22, he saw accused about six a.m. coming down the paddock with a man named Gibson. Kinsella said: “Go! Ring up the Police! T have cut George’s l> head off. V itnoss replied: “Surely you have not done that?’’ Gibson said: “Yes. The head is off alright.” Witness went to the whare and saw the deceased lying just inside the doorway in a. pool of blood. A\ it-ness telephoned for the police, who arrived later. Witness said the deceased used to have a booze up occasionally, and "ns fond of it. Kinsella, when sober, was a quiet, decent chap. Kinsella was drunk when he informed witness of tho tragedy, and lie kept telling him that he had “chopped George’s head off.” He could walk hut not too straight. He appeared excited. and lie said that George lay down on the floor, and asked him to chop his head off. Gibson was very drunk, and was tumbling down half the time. Kinsdl became hysterical several times and started to erv.

James Campbell, a. roadman, emplov. ed by the Wanganui County Council, said he had known the accused for about four and a-half years. The latter worked about the Mangainnliu district. Witness also knew the deceased. On July 21. about 3.0 f) p.m. Kinsella came along flic* road on a hoi sc. A<ciised had a. bottle of whisky, and u itness and Gordon each lmd a nip. Gordon gave Kinsella 3s and later went away in the direction of a hotel which was about 300 yards away. On the occasion, both accused and deceased weie M«h,>rJ. NexH -morning witness' called ; ,t their whare, and found both tile accused and deceased in bed. Gibson did not (-oiiio to work. About 11 a.m. Kinsella came along the road, and said that, “Hu was dry, and was going down to have a drink." About, hall an hour previously, witness saw Gibson coming for the mail. They returned together. Beth were sober. Gibson had a bottle of draught beer. Witness had one drink. At six p.m., -Menyn Addenbrooke asked witness to come up to the whare. Kinsella said to witness: •• liaU,o, Jim. Corny, on up to the whare. I have chopped the head oil tlie old

Witness replied: “Go oil, you aie only fooling!” A defused said: “Its right.” A.ddenhrooke said: “All right. Go and ring the police up.” Previously the accused had said: "He told me to chop his head off, and 1 dime iL” When they got out on the road, the accused got a hit excited and kept repealing: “Wily (lid Ido it- . IU was crying. Kinsella was sober right through the piece. They gave him one drink? to keep him right until the police came. He did not try to get uwav. Gibson was pretty lull. “He could stand hut that was about- all.” said witness. Kinsella and deceased were friends. Thev used to work as

j. mates at one time. William Hibson, farmer, of Ngarnan tea. said that lie was the mail carrier between here and Mangaiuabu. On Friday, lie met Kinsella at Mangnmahu Hotel, and they had three drinks. , After dinner they had three drinks more. Witness bought two bottles .id beer and when they got to the whnre he found that Kinsella had two botI ties of whisky. The beer was eonsumj ed going along the road. They were both sober when they arrived at Addenbrooke’s place. Witness went to the whnre. Gordon was lying on a bunk and appeared to bo sober. Witness could not recollect how many drinks of whisky they had at the whare. They were singing, but after that he remembered nothing. llis Worship: “What is> the last . tiling you remember? What time was . that?” ‘T have no idea.” “Where were you P” “By the fire, silting on a form.” Inspector Fouhy: “Where were you when you woke?” “Standing in the doorway.” “What time was it?” ; ‘l don’t know.” Proceeding witness said that he saw the deceased on the floor. Kinsella said : “He asked me to do it, and T have done it.” Accused added: “Go and ring up the police.” Witness did not remember any more, until the police came. .Merry n Addenbrooke said lie was a

farm hand of .Wangamahu. He lived at the whare, occupying a back room. On Thursday. July 21 lie went to the l whare about 8 p.m. Accused and deceased were (hero. The former was in bed, and the latter was walking about, fp to 10 p.m. Gordon had i about four whiskies, and Kinsella about : six. Witness did not get any sleep owing to the singing that went on. | Alvout 2 o’clock next morning, deceased j got out of bed and started playing the j accord eon. Witness got up next mornj ing at six- o’clock. One whisky bottle i was empty, and the other had about hinlf a nip in it. Accused and-deceased were then in hcd. Witness went to tl 1 whare about 0 p.m., and saw the j deceased’s body. Kinsella and Gordon i were sitting on a form. Both were ; drank.

j William B. Bundary, licensee of Mangnmahii Hotel, said Kinsella was , at, the hotel on Friday about noon, i He was joined by Gibson and they , had throe beers and sodas before dinI nor and three more afterwards. Wit- | ness sold Gibson two bottles of wins’and Kinsella two bottles of brandy. H was McDonald whisky. Both quite sober. Gibson had three short, and long drinks, whereas Txinsellr bed nil short drinks. Senior Sergeant T. Bonrke said the police proceeded to Afangnmahu in re sponse to a message they <rot from Mr Addenbrooke. Kinsella informed them that Gordon lav on the finer and mfi - ed him (Kinsella) to chop his b—head off. Accused said that he got a

friglit when he saw the blood fly. Accused further stated that Gordon had asked him to cut his throat, and that ho (accused) had run "the back of a knife across it. Gordon felt his throat and said: “You have made a b

bad job of it.” On the way to Wanganui in the ear. accused said : “Boor old George. Ho was my pal, and I won't, be able to go to liis funeral.” Witness considered that Kinsella was drunk tip to the time lie was looked up. ; THE VERDTCT. j The coroner found that deceased was killed by the accused John Kinsella. Accused was committed for trial at Wanganui Supreme Court on August23rd.