KALGOORLIE MURDERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1926, Page 2

KALGOORLIE MURDERS.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] THE FULL STORY. PERTH, July 3. At the Kalgoorlie inquest, Clarke was called for the Crown. He gave evidence that when he took over his hotel at Boulder City, Treffene was the barman there, ancl he remained in that capacity until the Gth of June. After witness bought the hotel, lie (witness) began trafficing ill illicit gold, Treffene being associated with him in buying and disposing it.

"Witness said 4ie financed Treffene, and allowed him to purchase gold ore on the hotel premises. The ore was kept.on the hotel premises, and, when sufficient of it accumulated, it was taken to the bush hy Treffene and Coulter in his (Clarke’s) car.

On the 27th of April, witness stated, Treffene and Coulter took a load of gold-hearing ore in the car to the hush, and they had a shot gun in the car.* Later on they returned. They called him aside, -'aml Coulter said ; “Pitman and Walsh came on us today, and Treffene shot Pitman before I knew what hail happened. I then shot Walsh.”

Clarke, proceeding, said: “Treffene did not deny Coulter’s statement. Neither did Coulter deny Treffene’s statement that Coulter shot Walsh. - ’ . Witness said be then asked Coulter what lie had done with the bodies. Ho replied: “They are still at the plant. We tried to burn them, but they would not go into the furnace.’’ Coulter then said that lie wanted Clark to go with him that niglit in order to provide ail alibi for Treffene who would lx; working at the hotel, and also to clean tilings up, and for Clarke to bring a knife and a saw. He (Clarke) agreed, and they went in the air into the bush to the treatment plant, and while witness remained in the car, Coulter went to the plant with the k.nife and the saw. Coulter" several times returned to the car for whisky, and on one occasion he said that he had the bodies .in the furnace. "I have burned their heads,” he said. On another occasion, when Coulter was at the plant, witness could hear sawing. When Coulter fimlly returned, he said that he had burned as much of the bodies as he could. Coulter then brought several parcels to the car, and drove to the abandoned shaft. He threw the parcels and the tools down the shaft, and then they drove home.