AUCKLAND MURDER CHARGE

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1929, Page 2

AUCKLAND MURDER CHARGE

FURTHER PARTICULARS,

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

AUCKLAND, August 29

George Frederick Cole said he was in the cottage on August 2nd with Levy -..rmondy'and a man named Gallot. There were two women visitors after tea. They were called Lavinia and Betty. Witness had brought home six small bottles of stout and a rigger. Caffrey came in by the back door and asked witness- to come out and witness refused. Caffrey said all right I’ll get you. Caffrey then went away. There was a knock at the door. Levy opened it and said to the man there, youre not coming in here. 1 Get out. The man said I’m coming in . The was accused. Caffrey tried to push in and Levy tried to push him out. Witness heard Levy cry out Dave I’m stabbed. Witness said he could not say whether it was Caffrey who had came hack. He did not know the other man at the door.

ivlr Dickson (counsel for the accused) —l’ll have that taken down please. Mr Meredith (for Crown) —How much liquor have you had this morning? Witness—Oh a couple of pints.

Mr Meredith said it was obvious Witness was not in a fit state to continue his evidencee. The best thing was that he be stood down to have tim'e to recover.

Mr Cutten, S.M., ordered accused to leave the witness box saying somebody could keep an bye on him. Witness;— -Cheerfully, “Right oh.”

Lavina Foster' a single woman aged 3D said, she and/a friend Betty Rushworth were in the cottage on the niglifc in question. Roth said they could not identify the man who came to the door. The case is proceeding.

COMMITTED FOR! TRIAL. •n AUCKLAND, August 29. After the luncheon adjournment, George Frederick Coles, who had earlier been placed in the prisoner’s room on the ground that he had been drinking, resumed his evidence. He said that when cleaning out the room where Levy had lain, on q. bed, he found the knife produced. He had never seen it .. . Lavinia Foster, said that she and another woman friend called at 119,-.Nelson S-treet. about six o’clock, and with Cole and Levy sat round the fire ,in the front room. A man, whom she identified as the accused, went to ;the door and asked Cole to go outside. Cole would not, and the man said:- “I will get you, Cole! ” Later Levy' answered a knock at the front door, and she heard words, followed by a cry. from Levy : “ Dave, he’s got a knife at me : ! ” Then Levy went hack to the room with blood flowing from him. -He said: “I’m Monel” Witness was frightened and went away with her friend as soon as possible. There was .no one, outside when ‘they left.

Beatrice Rushworth, a widow, who accompanied "t v 6‘ previous witness, said that she saw a hand striking‘at Levy, hut the man’s form was not visible. David Patrick Carmody said he was in a spare room of the house when Levy went to the door. He thought Levy s'id: “I will fix you!” Witness heard scuffling, but could not see will was with Levy at the door. James Gallot also said he did not see who was scuffling with Levy at the door.

Margaret Langdon, of 97, Nelson Street, said she and her husband, on hearing a noise in a right o*f way, went outside. Her husband, on striking a light, said: “It is you, Caffrey!” The man had a bag of potatoes over his shoulder, and said: “I do. not want vour potatoes. . I want Cole. lam going to kill that ■■ to-night. He sleeps in that hack room of yours.” Witness said: “ You will do no killing here,” and told Caffrey that Cole had left her house, and was living at 119, Nelson Street.

James Langdon, luisband of the previous witness, gave similar evidence, and su'd he was of opinion that Caffr°v wo« drunk at the time.

Delia O’Connor, said that Caffrev was married to ,her sister. She called at their place about 6.45. A scratch on Caffrev’s cheek was bleeding, and when ashed how it had been caused, be said: “The wild Irishman.” meaning Pp+'-iek Byrne, another in the room. Detective Knight said lie accosted the accused at his house in Wellington Stre°t shortly after the police received word of the stabbing. Accused’s boots were spattered with blood. Detective Sneddon read a statement made by the accused, saying that lie went to 119, Nelson Street, to see Cole. The door was opened by a man lie d’d not now, who told him to go away. There was. a scuffle and suddenly a man cried out about blood flowing from him. Accused said that he had nothing in his hands at the time, and he d>d not know how the man was injured. He was accompanied by a friend, Patrick Bryne, hut did not see him with any weapon. The accused added that he assisted the deceased into the room. He had a few drinks during the afternoon and evening, hut he remembered clearly what happened. Patrick Byrne said he was drinking with Caffrey nearly all day, but lie returned to Caffroy’s house after six o’clock, and fell asleep on a couch. He did not go to Nelson Street with Caffrey. Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.