THE AUCKLAND MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1924, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND MURDER

THE ACCUSED’S STATEMENT

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AUCKLAND, October 13. Shutes was present at the inquest wearing a bandage around his head. He is a sturdily built man, with a dark sun-tanned, clean shaven face. His head injury has nothing to do with the tragedy, this having been sustained later on his ship. In response to a question by the Coroner, Detective Hammond, who arrested Shiites on his vessel, produced the accused man’s knife. It was a long horn handled weapon, carrying a dagger sheathed blade, three inches long and sharpened to almost razor keenness.

In a statement Slnites described his doings on Friday night, and says he received £1 from the Captain of the West Islip ami went ashore with three shipmates about -1.31), visiting several hotels. Later he separated from his comrades and visited the City Hotel where he had a few drinks. There was some trouble and lie had to get out. In company with Kilpatrick lie visited an hotel of which lie did not know the name. There lie and Kilpatrick had a drink mul alter consuming the liquor, Shiites went out of the room to get some more. He met the man whom he nad paid for the previous drink. Ho ashed this man for more diink and an argument arose. The barman hit him on the forehead with which Shiites believed to lie a bottle. Tho blow very nearly knocked him out. He was staggered hut did not fa-11. Shiites statement proceeds: —“I had my pocket knife, which the police now have, open, when the barman attacked me. Tho two of us then fell to tho lloor. 'l'he barman said to me—‘[ am stabbed.’ ” Continuing, the accused said he ran down the stairs to get away. He know bis knife had gone into the barman's Tody and realised there would lie trouble. Running as hard a.s lie could

he got into a -side street and climbed on to the top of a building, cutting his hand on a tin fence as he gnL over. • liero ho remained for about half all Hour, till everything was quiet, lie thou returned to hi.s ship in n taxicab. Shiites emphatically states that lie alone had anything to do with the tragedy. "No one else was iii it." lie says, lie adds that he got a terrible shock when the barman said be was slabbed. Shutes, continuing bis statement, said:— “[ did not open my knife after the 'barman hit me on tho forehead, had it open when Kilpatrick and I wore in the sitting room to try and get a battle of beer open.’’ Shutes says he had the knife in nis h-ft l and, boin ' left handed, when the barman went to strike him the second time as he was straightening no from the first blow. He says: "I threw out my hand towards his body, with the knife open in my hand and the knife would catch him in the lower part of the hodv.’’