MURDER CHARGE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 February 1933, Page 5

MURDER CHARGE

CLARK FOR TRIAL

CONCLUSION OF EVIDENCE.

(Pt Press Association — Copyright.)

AUCKLAND, February 23

■At the dark morder trial, Dr. J. J. Valentine gave evidence. “About twenty to twelve on the night of January 17th., I received a call to Mrs Dennett’s house,” said Dr. Valentine. “’When I arrived, Mrs Bennett was lying in a pool of blood, just breathing, hive minutes afterwards she died. When I arrived, Clark was in the living room with Constable Maloney. He was holding his arm, and he said that his left side was very .sore. I examined him, and found a contused area on the left side of his chest. His left side was full of shot. I dressed the wound, and waited until De;ectives arrived.”

Una May Hall, aged 20 years, the daughter of Mrs Bennett, said before her mother’s death, she was living with her at East Tamaki Road. Hamilton also lived at the house, and he shared the same room with her mother. That had gone on for years. 'She was very small v hen Hamilton first came to the house, and she hardly remembered it. Clark often used to visit the homestead. Hamilton and her mother were both members of the Rukuranga Hunt Club. Clark visited the . house nearly every night for about eighteen months,

“On the night of the tragedy,” said witness, ‘I was at home with Robin Halil, '<now my hul (band. CJairk arrived about 7.30, and he and my mother were talking on the verandah. There was nothing unusual about them. I put the horse away down the paddock, and then I went inside wtih Hall. I think I heard Clark leave shortly afterwards. I went to bed about nine o’clock, and went to sleep. I was awakened about two hours later by the sound of somebody creeping through the house past my door. I saw something which I thought was a torch being flashing on. and off. The net thing I heard was my mother saying that there was a torch in tho room.

A few* second® after I heard a man’s voice saying something to the effect that lie had "got her,” or "found her.” I also heard my mother say: "What the hell are you doing in here at this hours of the night, Frank?” Then my mother said something to the effect of "get out of it.” Then there was a shot. At first I. stayed in my room. There was a bit of a scuffle, the banging, of the door, another gun shot, and the breaking of glass. I then heard Clark and Hamilton speaking. Clark said: “It’s alj right Alf! I’ve only got two shots.” Hamilton asked Clark what he had done such a thing for. "I think T heard Hamilton say that he had killed her,” witness said. She then came out of her room. Hamilton rushed round to go for the doctor, and Clark went back to the bedroom. He just stood at the side of the bed looking at her mother, She and Hamilton then went for the .police. Detective-Sergeant McHugh, eaid that the accused, after being formally warned, made a signed statement. In this statement, which was read to the Court, Clark said that he had begun to walk out with the deceased about Eighteen months ago. He told her that he had heard that people said she had lived with his cousin, Alf Hamilton, The statement continued: "I told her that if I found out that she was living with Hamilton, I would shoot her. 'On January 16th., I made arrangements with her for the wedding, and on the. evening of January 17th., I visited her house( between 7.30 and 9 o’clock. Then I went home to bed .md read a book until about 10.30. Then I went back to the house, and I leaked through the window of the room where Mrs Bennett said she slept. The bed was empty. Then I went into the room where Hamilton slept. I shone a torch, and found them in bed together.” Olark’ls statement continued that he went to the hack of the house, got a gun and two cartridges, and went into the bedroom again. He woke Mrs Bennett by pinching her knees, whereupon she rose and said: “What are you doing here, Frank?” The statement concluded: "I then shot her, and went to the next room and fired a shot at myself, but the watch in my pocket deflected the charge.” The Magistrate, as Coroner, returned a verdict that Mrs Bennett’s death was due to a gunshot wound inflicted by Clark.

The accused reserved his defence, md was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.