THE PUKEKAWA TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2191, 19 October 1920, Page 3

THE PUKEKAWA TRAGEDY.

THORNE ITON'-ma TRIAL.

DECEASED’S SON'S EVIDENCE

Auckland, OH. 15

The Ritkekawa. trial of Samuel John Thorne, for the alleged murder of Sydney Seymour Eyre, .at Pukekawa on August 21th, was continued to-day, when Mr Singer slat-, od that while Mr Hunt had quite properly slated in opening what evidence he proposed to call, and had given theories dedttcihle trout evidence, he thought in fairness to the accused, it should he made plain that the credibility of the-evidence had yet to lie tested, and- consequently, Ihe deductions stilled by counsel had w he accepted with reservations until they were proved sound or unsound. He desired to call attention to this point in order that there should he no pre-judg-ment of the ease until the evidence had been lasted in hit or proceedings and the defence disclosed. Philip Sydney Eyre said lie was Hi years of ago. Ho had often boon out shooting with Thorne, who was a good shot, and always fired lefthanded. He had frequently seen accused go into his molher’s bedroom when she was ill in 1918. Accused slept in the same room as witami witness at limes heard accused go out of the room alter they had got into bed ill night and go along Ihe passage, after which ho hoard him talking with his .mother. On such occasions accused usually, stayed about half an hour before coming hack (» bed. This would happen about twice a week. At other limes accused used tp say at about S o’clock, “Come on, hoys, gel to lied,” and after they went they would hear the blind of ihe dining-room being pulled down when his mother and accused were IHt there. When witness’ father was not present accused called his mother “Milly." Om-c witness peeped mi them, and he saw improper cmiducl. £fe heard accused talking In his mother one day about Ids father. Accused said lie would "murder him," or “kill him,” hut lie was nut -urc exactly what Ihe phrase was. After accused had left the farm lie called hack one Sunday and complained to witness' mother (hut witness' father was talking' ahmif him. The statement sin* denied, and accused retorted, “Every dog lias his day." ’While his father was away things were very happy in the household, Thorne and .Mrs Eyre were on ihe best of terms, as were also the children and Thorne. , William Henry Hazard, gnnmaker, of Auckland, gave evidence in regard to two guns lie had examined. One had not been fired for at least, a month, while the other gun (produced) had been tired recently, Ihe left barrel- more recently than ihe right. In Ids opinion the gun which

was fired at deceased was tired by a kfr-handed person who stood on a eross-piccc from the slop.- to the wall, holding on with his right hand to the window-sill.

Further evidence was given in regard to ihe hoof-mark.-; of the horse seen on the road.

Herman Henry Sharpe staled (hat some days before the murder he saw accused taking lour of Mr Granville's horses jo he shod; h | saw him again on the Sunday hofovo Mr Evrc was shot. He said then that he had been to Eyre’s for a dog. On the night of August fifth wifne.-s heard Ids dogs barking. As this was unusual, he got out of bed and went oniside. The dogs coul innod to bark a Her witness returned to bed. Next morning he noticed Hint a. horse had recently gone ahmg'Hie road 1 1 1 Tippins’ corner, and had returned, each way. keeping on (he rigid side of the road. They were Ihe tracks of a half-draught horse shod with plain shoes. He hoard subsequently flint Mr Eyre had beeir sliol during' ihe light, and this made him inspect ihe horse I racks more elo.-ely. He traced them to Tippins’ corner, and then hack again |o his (witness’) gale, thence onward in Ihe direel ion of Glemmirray. These were I lie only fresh tracks on the road. Eater a native named Brown Tonga and witness together examined the tracks, paying particular attention to Hie marks made by Ihe shoos. He noticed that - the shoes were handmade. There were hammer marks on the slmes. They were made from inch iron. The near front shoe was wider across the centre limn the off. Some, days later 1m saw Mr (Jranvilie’s horse Mickey working in front of Eyre’s, and noticed ■that the tracks lie made corresponded with those witness had -een on the morning of Hie tragedy, hut when a test was made on September lllli the shoes pvodueed were not worn by A!ickey. He had seen hundreds of horses, and he had not' seen one with aetion like this one. Witness looked after the troop horses while, he was on active service, ami in all his experience he had not seen shoes to correspond with the slices produced. He described Mickey as a first-class artillery horse, and one that would carry n man over a considerable distance without being distressed. Benjamin Tippins gave corroborative evidence, and several other witnesses gave evidence respecting I lie horse t racks similar to that given by witnesses who preceded them. James Granville, farmer, whose property is 18 or 19 miles from Eyre’s farm, deposed that accused entered Ids employ about July 11th. He occupied a wbare on the farm with another farmhand, Joseph Bell. Subsequently he fixed np another cam]) for Thorne about two miles from the house. Bell-left witness’ employ on August 23rd (Monday). A boy bad been engaged to help

Thorne, hut so far as Thorne knoAV Monday and Tuesday ’would lie the. only nights lie avoiu! be sleeping aloite a! the now camp. Witness saw Titonm there on Monday and Tuesday. •

Witness, continuing, said that among the horses Thorne had in tamp was ’Mickey, and the falter Avas the only horse wearing plain shoes that had not heels'on them. Witness was present Avlien Thorne knocked off ploughing about 5 p.m. on Tuesday. -When witness got hack to Thorne’s camp at t) a.m. next day Thorne Avas Avorking a double-furroAV plough Avilh Mickey in Ihe team. Accused had just start > ed, and explained being late by saying the horses were not Avorking well. It Avas not till that "night (hat witness Heard of the murder. Thjj police visited witness’ place on Wednesday evening, and spoke to Thorne. Next morning they look Thorne io inspect the horses. Thorne asked witness what horse Ihe police Avere after. When told "Dick" lie used a coarse expression to indicale that .the police Avere. oii ihe wrong track,, hut -when Thorne saw Hie police taking Mickey’s shoes he said “Oh!” Accused’s saddle was tried on Mickey and fitted.

In eross-exainitial ion, witness admitted to counsel that he had seen the accused riding two other draught horses Just prior io the day of the murder, Avhicli Avould necessitate accused lengthening the girth strap of ids saddle.

T. D. McLiver,- solicitor, and coIrnstec in Eyre’s Avill, said that the estate was worth alionl £17,200. Mrs Eyre had an interest of onesixth of the income, estimated at £157 per war. She was to get another £157 per year for the children’s keep and education. John Giles Eyre, twelve years of age, corroborated his older brother

Rhillip its to going for help on the night of the murder. During his school holidays last year he noticed unusual Headship between accused and his mother, and lie saw him Hissing her on different occasions, even after his father returned. Witness coiToluu'aled (he previous evidence about actions, indicating lhal accused spil'd and eavesdropped on Mr and Mrs Eyre after the household had retired a I night.

Dora Millicenl .Eyre slated lhal after the shooting -on the night of August 241 h, she heard a horse gal-

loping over the bridge below the house.

In answer to Mr Singer AriinC;

-mid she heard her mother say, “Yon had in-11 or yo mu hy llio front door, I hoard someone running round to the kick and- it wii! he. safer to go mu ;u the front.” ■■XEAKEiI THE ROPE'S EXR” Andrew Alalhow Sliuear detailed a conversation which look place between Air 'V. Taylor, the licensee', and the aemi-ed al thr Alakau Hotel on August 30;H. This was to the elVeot Unit aeen.-ed, nddre--dng Taylor, said; ‘AVliai do yon think will happen, Bill?" Air Taylor replied: “I don’t know, Sam, Iml i think Hu. police are hound to got someone over it." Accused l’non said: “By , if they pel me i'll drag someone nearer Use rope’s end than they think they are.” After niilher evidence the case was adjourned until the IVdlowin;: day.