ARRESTED IN ERROR

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1929, Page 2

ARRESTED IN ERROR

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR IN VICTORIA.

AUCKLAND, April 23.

“Wo want you,” said a voice firmly. Joseph Viscoe, aged thirty-five, of Auckland, felt hand on liis shoulder and turned to face two men who proved to he members of the Victorian Criminal. Investigation Department. Suspected of the murder of Leslie Williams, son of a Sydney Magistrate, Viseoo was detained by the police on a vagrancy charge while in<|iiiries ■wore made about the missing man. The affair was a mystery from beginning to end. for some time later "W iljiams turned up at his own home in

Sydney. This morning Mr Viscoe came hack to Auckland by the Maunganui and ■told a “Star” reported liis experiences.. He has claimed £6OO compensation for wrongful arrest and proposes to bring a libel action against a Sydney paper for an alleged slanderous statement, saying that he was in the “Rogues’ Gallery.” Mr Viscoe was arrested at Murtoa, 200 miles from Dounybrook, where he had been assaulted and .left bleeding on the road. “I was on my way from Sydney to Melbourne and at Seymour I missed my train,” said Mr Viscoe. “I bailed a motor-car which was passing and asked for a lift. I was driven to Donnybrook, which is only about twenty miles from Melbourne. The driver of the car, who turned out to be Leslie Williams, said that he could go ho further that night because he was too tired. Ho stopped his caton the roadside and fell asleep tit the wheel. T climbed into the hack scat and also went to sleep. It was n beautiful moonlight night and it was 'about midnight when Williams, stopped. I awoke about six o’clock m the morning lying on the roadside. Hh>«cl was streaming from my ears, nose and head. Nine pounds which I had had on me had boon stolen. Both the ear and Williams had vanished.’’ Mr Viscoe. who was described in the Australian papers as a “swagman, reported the -mystery to the Coburg police, but no trace of the missing man was found at that time. Two dnvs later the car was found three miles from Donnybrook. with bloodstains inside. Half a bottle of wine and clothes belonging to Williams were also found. Later 'two empty revolver 'cartridges were discovered m the car. Police officials thought that the body of Williams bad been thrown over the Seymour Bridge, for bloodstains were found on the parapet. It transpired however, that an Italian had m<?t with an accident and that the bloodstains were his. As a result, of his assault Mr had five stitehes "in his head, which -were plainly visible to-day. TTe spent three weeks in hospital, and then made his way to Melbourne. Tt uas at Murtoa. .that he was arrested, but after a fortnight he was remanded for a month and bail was allowed on his own bond of CoO. AH this time the police wore making searching inquiries regarding the whereabouts of Williams and the rivers had been dragged, but still no trace was found of him. Over six weeks later Williams turned up at his father’s home in Sydney. V’hen interviewed bv the police he said that he remembered giving Viscoe a lift, There had been a fight and after that, his memory was a blank. Me did not remember going to Meibom no. Five days later Mr Viscoe .was released ’and his solicitor claimed that he was entitled to compensation Tor alleged illegal detention. “It iiivimm! out,” said Mr Viscoe. “that Williams had been living in Melbourne nntM know for ri. fact that lie was scon m Melbourne streets and also getting on ayd off trains. AD the time I was suspected of his murder he was in Melbourne. Pvc knocked about a good deal, but it’s the hardest thing I’ve even been up against. If Williams bad been found dead I. would have boon faced with a murder charge. E.ve'n if he had never been found 1 would have been in pretty bad difficulties.” The whole •unfortunate experience cost the,. Aucklander about £L> > through loss of work and expenses. He was not able to get a. job in Melbourne where there arc thousands of unemployed because of the timber strike, so he had decided to come hack to New Zealand. For two years Mr Viscoe had been working in Australia. Through his detention by the police lie was unable to work through the summer months. The \ ictorian Gnvearnment paid his passage hack to Xew Zealand. He is expecting compensation for his worngful arrest, hut although he communicated with the Victorian Attorney-General there have been no developments so far.