CHARGE DISMISSED

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1929, Page 4

CHARGE DISMISSED

[By Telegraph, Per Press Association.] O CHRISTCHURCH, July 26. " Further evidence was heard in the charges nganist C. S. Thomas. James Wilson Gordon, miner, at Dobson mine, said he, with McPhee, saw the clock tower accident in which .Miss Mitchell was killed. He told of an interview with Thomas in Thomas’s motor car after their arrival at Christchurch to give evidence in the case. He had told Thomas he was going to stick to the statement he made to the police, and Thomas asked him to mod- < iify his evidence. Witness admitted having had “ a few drinks in” arid lie was not paying much attention during the interview. • Under cross-examination by Mr Hanlon, witness denied several statements as to conversations and meetings of which McPhee had spoken ,in his evidence. Detective-Sergeant Young gave evidence of an interview with Thomas after the hearing of the' case against Clark. Thomas admitted having interviewed McPhee and Gordon, but denied having asked them to make things easier for Clark, nor did he promise to send Clark sen. to-see them. He had denied he had ever told McPhee it would be well worth his while to modify his evidence. Mr Hanlon, addressing the Court, ydeclared an injustice had been done / Thomas in the launching of the prosecution against him on the evidence of one more or less drunken man; and that man “a cunning liar.” He.pointed to details in which McPhee’s evidence. was contradicted by Detective Sergeant Young. He asked the Magistrate to dismiss the case out of hand. . lie Chief-Detective, addressing the Court, said the cross-examination had not attacked the main points of the evidence for the Crown; and this evidence remained unshaken. , The Magistrate said he was not prepared to send accused tfor trial. He was not satisfied with the evidence of McPhee and Gordon’s evidence was of no value at all. The information was dismissed. ALLEGED OFFER OF MONEY. . ' L A similar charge was made against, Frank Brian Clark, father of the young man who drove the car. Mr Hanlon pro tested against the ( case proceeding at all, in view of the Magistrate’s declaration that he did not believe McPhee. The case/ proceeded, however. James McPhee said that Clark called to see him and Gordon at the Windsor Hotel. Accused made an appeal to him for a modification of the evidence of both witnesses concerning the speed • of the car driven by accused’s, son. % As a result, witness and .Gordon agreed • to modify their evidence slightly. ~ 4c.cused offered each a five-pound riote, and produced money, but witness arid r Gordon refused it. Gordon gave similar evidence in all respects, except that 1 he said they did not modify their evidence, and did riot agree to do so. Detective Sergt. Young stated tliat he interviewed Clark, who admitted visiting McPhee and Gordon in the hotel, but denied trying to bribe them or influence them. The Magistrate said that this case was complicated by the evidence off the V offer of money. However, he did not think there was the remotest chance of any jury convicting. He thought the wisest thing to do would be to dismiss the information.