HAWERA MURDER CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 3 July 1931, Page 5

HAWERA MURDER CASE

HEARING OPENS. FURTHER EVIDENT!'

(By Telegraph —Per Press Association)

RAWER A, duly 3. Defective Quirke was cross-exam-ined at length by Mr O'Dea. Witness said that Mrs Tinsley was interviewed at M'asterton concerning Tinsley’s' finances and his movements between January 17th and February 7 th. Her statements corroborated Tinsley’s statement. Air O’Dea : Was not there a rumour of a strange Hindu being in Hawera on January .‘3lst?

Detective Quirke: We made exhaustive inquiries, throughout the Dominion, and,, in checking the movements of the Hindus, we could not verify that rumour.

Mr O’Dea: Do you know that Cliheba was seen in a violent argument wit ha tsraeHg innduqo ?JWqac ment with a strange Hindu?

1 don’Q know about it being a violent argument, and the Hindu ho was with was well known. Do you suggest that robbery was the motive for the crime? Yes, There are the imprints of a bloody hand on the inside of the pockets of the Hindu’s trousers, and the keys of the shop had been removed from them. The kill op till was t also pulled out with it towel, and was curried into the living room. Mr O’Dea: How do you know it was money he was after. It would seem to he decidedly reasonable, AJr O’Dea stated that a woman witness would have something to say about a letter in Chheba’s possession, which someone might have very much desired to possess.

Questioned regarding the presence of Maoris' in the shop, witness said that one Maori . was in the shop at about 11.15 o’clock. Another Maori was in it shortly after. ’The Detective admitted that he had questioned some boys in the school, but he denied that one boy had said, “That black is in the right place.” Enquiries also had been made at the freezing works. In reply to Air O’Dea, witness admitted that Tinsley had been at the freezing works that night. He had been given two livers, but he did not think that- that had anything to do with the blood on the accused’s overcoat.

Counsel then referred to the boarders at the Royal Hotel, and witness said that Tinsley was resident there for some time after the murder ns well as witness. He wa.s not concerned with the suggestion, made by counsel, that ho (witness) had been giving “cheek by jowl with a murderer.’’ Witness denied that he had said to Tinsley, “You can go, Tinsley! We have nothing against yon.” Witness admitted that Tinsley's employer spoke well of him as a worker.

Replying to. Mr Weston, witness said that 83 stout bottles were found in the Hindu’s shop. It had been necessary to take finger prints from the bottles to eliminate the persons who had been justified In handling them. It had been possible to trace the bottles from the brewery to the Hindu’s shop, and who had handled them.

ANOTHER DETECTIVE’S EVIDENCE.

The next witness was Detective Meiklejohn, who said he arrived at Hawera on February 2nd to mvesti gate the murder. He described the position of Chheba’s body, with five wounds in the head, which was covered with, a coir mat. The shop till was on a chair in the living room, with a towel underneath it. Apparently the towel had been used to carry the till.

After describing tho personal articles found on the body, witness said that on the outside of the left trouser pocket was blood, with a little inside. There was also blood about the hip pocket. A hand-basin, half full of water, was on a box under the tap in the back yard. In it were a hammer, A, tomahawk, and a ring with three keys on it. A cleaver was also found on the floor of the living room which had splashes of blood on it. Witness corroborated the evidence given by Detective Quirks concerning the interview with Tinsley at the hotel on March IJ, and the visit to Tinsley’s room, where they discovered smears, which witness considered had been m,a.de by blood on a raincoat and a cuff, also trousers which had been re cently cleaned. Witness with Detective Qudrke had been staying at the same place as Tinsley. Cross-examined by Mr O’Dea, the witness Meiklejohn said that he had not taken advantage of opportunities to speak to the accused. All of the conversations had been commenced hv the accused. Witness had not said to ■anyone, “I cannot imagine a white man inflicting these injuries.” Mr O’Dea: Didn’t you hear barracking at the table at the Royal iH-otel as to what had been done to Chheba ? 1

Witness: No. They were quiet on the subject when Quirk© and I were about. TEST OF THE BLOOD STAINS. Courtenay Kenny, surveyor, produced plans of Chebba’s shop, also trousers said to belong to Tinsley. The trousers appeared to have been scrubbed, or rubbed. All tests f°r blood on the trousers had proved negative, but on the shirt and hack of the overcoat there were strains which

when tested, proved to be human blood stains. He was certain that these were not caused by ox blood or sheep blood.

Under cross-examination lie maintained that the stains were not more than a year old, but he could not definitely reduce the period further. Ihe stains on the Hindu's clothing and on that ot the accused responded similarly to the test. This led him to believe the stains were of approximately the same age. HAWERA, .July 5. Ihe evidence of the tilth witness in the murder cliargij preferred against

'■Walter John T.nsley, in respect to the death of the Hindu, Nana Chibba, occupied the evening session at the Court ye..Cv.rdaV, wh.u lengiiiv evidence relating to wounds sustained by Chibba was given by Dr -R. (!. B. '.Sinclair, who first saw the body shortly after 11 p.m. of February Ist, the night- it was found. In 'his opinion, life had been extinct about 12 to 18 hours, possibly up to 24 hours.

It appeared obvious to him, continued the witness, that an attack had been made from both sides of deceased. There was no doubt that the attack was of a most vicious nature. Any one blow would have placed the Hindu in a hospital for a long time. The total of 11 wounds was sustained and Ids own impression was that 'the attack was either carried uut by a liuinicidaj uiunhvc or a person in a very passionate and vengeful mood. There was some resemblance between the distribution of blood on the coat and walls.

In reply to Mr Weston, witness said it appeared from the wounds, that Chibba hud been struck from at least 3 direct ions,

Replying t<> 'Mr O’Dea, witness said 6 wounds had been definitely made with instruments, as well as a hammer and five with an instrument such ns a tomahawk, ft was probable that more than one person was concerned in the crime. Both a hammer and a tomahawk were found in a basin of water. Tt was not reasonable to suggest that a man would wield a separate weapon in either hand simultaneously, though such was within the bounds of possibility.

On the other hand, it was improbable that a man would use one weapon and drop 'it to pick up another. When the hearing resumed this morning of the murder charge against Tinsley, further evidence was given by Dr W. M. Thompson, who detailed eleven distinct wounds in the skull. The Doctor produced a skull on which he marked the- injuries in chalk and said he could not wholly agree that the blows were given at different angles. Several wounds exuded little blood and k is assumed one or more blows were inflicted after death. Witness thought that a hammer was the only instrument used to inflict the injuries before and alter death. 'When ahe body was discovered his opinion was that death occurred 24 hours previously. His reasons advanced were that the body was remarkably cold when ihe condition was most favourable for the retention of heat, the warm weather heater turned on in .a room and doors closed and no ventilation.

Questioned by Mr Biss, he said he arrived at the Hindu's shop at m’dnight on February 3, where he saw the body lving face upwards covered with a coir nat. Of the three wounds at the back of the head all were indicted from n direct as distinct from glancing blows. There was every indication of a vicious and savage attack. '1 he first Impression was murder, the act was of a homicidal maniac. This was dispelled by the, precautions of assailant to cover up the tracks, the instruments thrown into the basin of water indicated that assailant was sane.

The next witness Genevieve MnMda Rickett married, said the boundary of her property was ad,,ac,nt to Chi hint’s backyard. On die evening of Sunday l 1 obnniry Ist alter returning from the beach she went to Chibba’s shop about six o'clock, for tomatoes. She called rut several times without response and then went under the canvas covering the entire backyard and found the hack loot- ajar. Site called again without response. She heard tlie gas jet burning fiercely and saw lights on, so pushed tiie door open and saw something on the floor. She realised something dreadful had happened. She locked closer and saw a clenched hand and a covered human form. 1 took ray hand off the door, turned and ran a.wav .vlien the door slammed. Previously T had heard no movement behind the loor.

Continuing, witness said while at the loor she saw a tomahawk and hammer in a bowl of clear water. The property occupied by Cliibba belonged to witness, from her late mother s estate. Cross examined by Mr O’Dea, witness said she ran home and told the family who were incredulous. Ten minutes later she phoned her solicitor Ghihha was usually called David, When she went to the shop she called “Dnvd” several times. Witness did n n t think tlm door was slammed b.v the •rind. What she saw on the floor she first thought might he a pig, connected with seme Hindu rite.

Edgar Will : e Wilton, slaughterman, of Masterton, employed at the Waingawa Works said that he saw Tinsley in Masterton in .January, when he was alone looking for work. Tinsley wore a grey suit and a grey overcoat. The Crown Prosecutor: —You said in a statement to the police he was not

wearing an overcoat. Witness:—-Well he did have an overorat. We gave him a couple of frys which he wrapped and put in the pocket of his coat, Ater reading the statement witness said that he was not sure whether Tinsley was weaving an overcoat at the first or second visit. He could not remember. Witness was unable to recognise either of the two cents produced in Court.

Continuing witness said that Tiusley stayed at the works two hours on his second visit.

In reply to Air O’Dea, witness said that Tinsley was a decent chap and a good worker. People in MnsteiTon thought that the murder charge against him was ridiculous and could not imagine him committing murder and then living in a hotel six weeks with detectives. Cecil Rhodes AleCormaek. a butcher of Mastorton said that he went to school with Tinsley, who had been absent from Aliasterton for six or seven years. Tinsley visited the Waiugawa works in Januarv when witness was killing mutton. Tinsley wore a grey suit and woolly overcoat. Oonlin"iug witness said on Tinsley’s fi'-st vis t he gave him two hvei's. which he put in his pocket unwrapped. Reviving to Air Hiss witness said his statement to the police at Mastodon was made two months after Tjnsle.v’s visit to the works. He saw Tinsley two minutes before the arrest on a charge of murder. Tinsley said: —“l'm innocent I’ll bp glad when it’s over.”