KYEBURN MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1928, Page 5

KYEBURN MURDER

TRIAL OF HARDIE

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

DUNEDIN, October 30

William John Harclie pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court to a charge of murdering Joe Leong Shun at Kyeburn diggings on July 17th. Judge MacGregor, addressing the Grand Jury, said it was If airly clear the Chinaman was murdered for his gold which disappeared. The only question was whether the evidence was sufficient to point to Hardie as being the murderer.

Sue Gee, who lived with Shun, said after dinner on July 17th, accused, a perfect stranger, called at the hut and said something about a murder which had recently taken place. The Chinamen treated Hardie hospitably. The man, according to Gee, asked if Shun had a gun and an old magazine lifle was produced, which he loaded. Accused asked if Shun was getting plenty of gold and went outside, ostensibly to look at the claim. Gee later went to chop wood and noticed Shun lying some distance away, groaning and saying lie was' dying.. Shun said the man who was here had shot him, and he asked Gee to go to the hotel for a doctor, but the latter was frightened. Shun told him not to be frightened as the man had broke up the gun and thrown it into the tussocks. Gee slept the night in the tussocks and reached the hotel next morning. Some days later Gee identified Hardie at Dunedin as the man who called at bliun’s. Sue Gee’s evidence was direct prima facie evidence of murder against Hardie. His evidence did not stand alone, but was corroborated by other evidence. Hardie said he was in Ins own hut at 3 o’clock on the afternoon of the 17th, but that statement was contradicted by Gee and another man, who said they saw Hardie near Shun s place on the morning of the murder. That was exceptionally important. Another contradiction was found m Hardie’s statement when in his wallet were found certain photos corresponding with some Gee said he had displayed in the hut. Hardie said lie had ret e'ved no gold from a Chinaman but had got gold out of his own claim. Hardie did not have a miner’s right, and experts said the gold taken into Naseby by Hardie must have come out of Slum’s claim, as the gold was different in colours and quantity from gold in other parts of the district.