KALGOORLIE MURDERS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 August 1926, Page 4

KALGOORLIE MURDERS

POLICE SEARCH. EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. Reports from Australian papers show that at the opening of the inquest on the victims many disclosures were

made. Intense interest was again shown in the inquest which was continued at ICalgoorlie on July 25th, concerning the murder of Detectives Walsh and ,Pitman. Three men were accused of the crime, Evan Clarke. Philip J. Treffeno and William Coniter. Detective-Sergeant Manning, in his evidence, said that ho found some ashes where, a portion of the treatment plant had been. He swept them up and bagged them, but Sergeant O’Brien sifted them later. A small bag containing, apparently, gold-bearing ore was also found at tho spot. Near where a motor-car had pulled up oil. the husli lunch was a footprint. About five paces from the plant bo found pieces of burnt, ashes and hone, which apparently had been scattered while it was being carried. HOTEL XOTEPAPER. - About seventy paces-from the plant lie found a number of fire-bricks apparently studded with gold. Witness found a piece of paper under a bush near the treatment plant, on which was written, “Boulder City Cornwall Hotel, W.A.” Mr Haynes pointed out there was also a letter “d” on this, as if someone had started Co write a letter. Nearby was found ,n slice! of brown paper with the word “O’Connor” on it. A hag of slimes was found hidden under tho bushes. Several exhibits had been sent for assay, including residues of slag, slimes, meretn-.v and furnace fire-bricks found at the plant. Several also had been taken from tho bricks found in the shaft, showing apparently free gold. Tho treatment plant was new, typical of other illicit plants. It was very complete, and would treat almost anything. If the top were removed it would make a. good roasting furnace. It wjis well secreted in the hush. Fifty paces from the plant a. quantity of soil had been removed. Another fire had been built on it, but witness could not find this earth. It was a few paces from where the foot-tracks, believed to be those of the murdered detectives, ■ended to where the earth had been removed after the fire had been built. ■ The tracks finished up in the scrub, end nearby witness found a felt wad from a shot-gun cartridge. Looking over from where the tracks ceased, witness saw where branches of a. honeysuckle, tree had been broken, and were hanging. The hark and twigs were well pellet-marked, as if a charge from u shotgun had bean fired through tho tree. Along the samo line lead pellets had also entered a big salt- hush stem, and two other trees. There were several tracks about a honeysuckle bush, of different people, and from this hush to where the earth was removed were distinct tracks as if some persons lpd been staggering along. Tho marks suggested that this person had swung round. The person had apparently fallen at the end of tho tracks. From the treatment plant were new tracks', as if another person had started running to the spot. Coming hack from where tho earth had been removed were two used gun cartridges. The footprints from the ear to the plant appeared to have, been mostly made by one man. The tracks were not sufficiently impressed to get piaster casts of them. Witness went to .Miller’s shaft, where the bodies worn found, and saw motor tracks corresponding to the tracks at the treatment plant. That day they found tracks of a two-wheeled cart near tho shaft, which they followed and found how they were made by its owner collecting salt bush taps. The motor tracks resembled those from an Overland car owned by Clarke. HOTEL SEARCHED. [ On June oth lie went to Cornwall's i Hotel,Boulder. They saw the accused Trelfene there and said they wanted to seo Clarke. The latter was in bed. Detectivf-Scrgeant Perdue and another then took Troffene away. Clarke came 'out of his bedroom, and they entered on a search warrant. In the hotel safe was £2OO in notes and silver. In a locked storeroom they found a doubleLirrelled shotgun. To Mr Haynes, counsel for accused: Coulter and Trelfene asked why Clarke had been taken to the spot where the discoveries had been made, and witness replied for the reason that Clarke had indicated where the articles were. Before going out he had promised to show them the locality. Clarke had made statements to witness, one being after his arrest.