PAPAMOA TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1929, Page 3

PAPAMOA TRAGEDY

JURY’S FINDING. ACCIDENTAL DEATH. [By Telegraph, Per Press Association.j OP’PJ'IKI, May 20. The McAleese inquest Av-ns concltided to-day. Constable A. Breed gave evidence of taking charge of the body, and as to the injuries described by l)r Budd, Avliom lie corroborated. The witness stated that he made a search by torchlight but only found a stud from a car curtain. He knew the deceased, avlio had a decided .brogue. McAleese had no enemies. He Avas a man of happy disposition. Witness searched deceased’s camp., but found no trace of anything to suggest that he Avould commit suicide, nor did he see any trace of robbery. Lappin’s line! Makarini’s evidence corresponded Avith their first statements. The Avounds on the face could have been caused by a car wheel. Witness noticed an imprint on the left check of a squashing nature. When the body was foil lid Avitness Avas not aAvare that deceased Avas shot. He did not find out that till the body avsis brought to the morgue. Detective White, stationed at Hamilton, stated that Avha.t impressed him was tlie absence of blood stains. The locality Avas one of a rocky nature, cut from a hank, which Avould lea-A"*' a trace. He was conversant Avith pearifles. They were dangerous weapon's. He gaA'o a demonstration. Witness said he Avas present at Gisborne, avlipu tlie fitness William Noad, (licensee of the Masonic Hotel. Gisborne) gaA*e his statement. Noad was in no Wav “bluffed.” Noad avos given the statement Avlien it was Finished, and lie read it over and signed it.

Witness said that -he examined Noad’s car in the garage at Gisborne. When it Avas seen by Avitness, tlie trav under the engine had been rcniOA-ed. All of the studs on the curtains Avere complete. None Avas missing. The Avitness. said that he avos of the opinion that tlie death of McAleese Avas an accident, but the body had certainly been moA*cd.

Detective-Sergeant McLeod, of Gisborne, aa'lio is in charge of the investigations, deposed that he arrived at the scene of the tragedy at Pupamon at 6 a.m. on -the 10-th May. He made a careful examination of the locality. There was only one spot whore there were blood stains. It Avas ivliere the bodv AA’iis first found.

Witness gave a resume of the car* and persons passing the locality during the day of the tragedy. Tlie onlv persons who wore in the vicinity o r tho tragedy betAveen 1 and 2 o’clock were Noad- and Richardson, Avith a red “Fiat” car.

Together with Detectives Knight. White, and Walsh, witness lind decided that it Avas not a ease of murder cp* of suicide, but that the cause ol death Avas accidental. Witness Avas satisfied that the body had been moved. By whom it avhs moved he Avn-° not* prepared to sav. The discrepance of tiie time of the red car did not agree _cvcn Avitli the service cars’ time.

The Coroner stated to the jury thn* the case had, from the outset ) been shrouded in mystery. They could pu‘ it out of their minds that the ease was one of suicide, or tho theory of murder, on account of tlie absence of a motive. That death may have been accidental Avas demonstrated by Kelly, the C.A.O. manager, and the doctors, The doctors’ evidence showed that such a cause avos w-ithin. the range of possibility. Tho body seemed to luiA'e been shifted. Bv whom it Avas not disclosed. Noad and Richardson in their evidence had stated that the deceased cranked their ear. “If their evidence is belioA-ed,” he said, “avlio, then, shifted the body?’’ He avoulO leave it in the jury’s hands.

The jury’s, finding was that Samuel McAleese came by his death on May 9th by a gunshot wound from his own rifle accidentally discharged. They were of opinion that the facial injuries were received after death occurred. There was no evidence to show how the facial injuries were received, or by whom the body was removed. A rider was added, as to the dangerous nature of the pea rifle, as a firearm. They also complimented the police on the enquiry.

The Coroner was in accord with the finding.