TAIHAPE TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2688, 29 January 1924, Page 3

TAIHAPE TRAGEDY.

MOGHAN’S ADMISSION OP MURDER.

Taihape, January 27. Giving evidence on the Taihape tragedy on Saturday, Cyril Nicholls, whose ear was engaged by the police, corroborated the evidence of Moghan’s suri'ender and his admission of having killed Gemmell. He also stated that Gemmell’s face was covered with wounds. Moghan appeared perfectly sober and showed no signs of having been fighting.

Sergeant Matthews, stationed at Taihape, deposed that on the morning of January 3rd., he received a message that a man had been killed at Moghan’s farm. He proceeded to the scene by motor car and about a mile from the farm picked up Robert Riley. On arrival he saw accused coming from the direction of the house towards witness. He said: “I give myself in charge. I killed him. Riley had nothing to do with it. He called me a —— Irishbred mongrel and I struck him with my fist.” He held out his bands for the handcuffs and was handcuffed by Constable Geraghty. Witness saw the body of a man lying on the grass a few yards from the verandah near a lilac tree. He did not know at the time whose body it was, so he asked Moghan who it was. Moghan replied: “Gemmell.” The body was clad only in trousers and socks. Covering the upper part of the body and head was some sacking. On removing it witness found the body of Gemmell. The face was very much disfigured and the accused remarked: “The dogs must have been at it during the night.” There was a large circular patch of skin off the chin, and the nose appeared to have been smashed. Thei'e was a cut over each eyebrow and the upper lip was cut through in two places, -showing the teeth. The body was cold and rigid, and was lying with the head towards the house and partly on its back with the legs drawn'up. There was vei’y little blood on any portion of the body but immediately beyond the body, near the lilac tree the grass seemed to have been crashed down and there was a large patch of it bloodstained. There was a small track of blood leading to the verandah, and on the verandah there was a large blood stream which had the appearance of the body having lain there. Whilst waiting for the doctor, witness examined the house and on the floor at the bottom of the kitchen door there was a fairly large patch of blood. On the dining room floor between the open fireplace and Gemmell’s— room were some bloodstains which appeared to have had water thrown on them and to have been swept towards the open fireplace. In Gemmell's room the bed was disordered and the bedding saturated with partly dried blood. There were splashes on two walls and on the side and head of the bed. Some of the blood splashes were within twelve inches of the ceiling which was five feet above the top of the bed. There were also more bloodstains at the base of the bedroom door. In Moghan’s room they found a heavy pair of working boots, which were bloodstained on the toes, soles and heels. There was a pair of bloodstained trousers with brae'’"'- attached and a bloodstained shirt. m A tuft of human hair was also found. No weapon with bloodstains, which was likely to have inflicted the found. Mogaan was removed to the police sta‘ion and while there said he would = he to make a statement, which he Id, as follows: “1, Anthony Mogn, of Raukura, farmer, wish to lake the following statement: A man named R. G. Riley, who was mployed by me, informed me yesterday that the deceased, Gemmell, and a Maori named John. Jackson, commonly known as Maori. Jack, had planned to kill me. Gemmell was in my house at the time, and Riley and I came from the cowshed, and on entering the kitchen Gemmell tailed me ‘a —— Irish-bred mongrel .” He made this statement several times and then rushed at me. I guarded and struck him with my fist. He struck at me first, and I hit him in self defence. He hit me twice on the chest. This happened early in the afternoon. I had paid Gemmell off on the first January, 1924, but he refused to leave the place. Later n the evening Riley and I found Gemmell lying on the ground in front of my house. He was insensible and we tried to bring liim rund but he did not come to. I sent Riley to ring up for the police and doctor. He went to Mr Banks’ piace to ring Tip but he was away. He then left and I told him to go into Taihape and inform the police and doctor. 1 fiave read the attached statement which is true and made at my own request. - ' When arrested tiie clothing Moghan was wearing was bloodstained. When witness met Riley he appeared wildly excited and was apparently suffering from liquor and shock. Gemmell was a married man and came from Auckland and had one child. Deceased’s face did not look as if any part had been chewed off by a dog. Constable Geraghty corroborated the evidence of the previous witness in all details. When bringing Moghan and Riley to the iock-up, Moghan said: “I killed him and Riley Jiad nothing to do with it. I struck hi in with my fists in selfdefence. Didn’t I Bob?” No one answered, but- a little later he repeated the statement and Riley replied: “I cannot say whether you struck him or not. If you did, you will have to put up with the consequences.” Constable Ring said he escorted the accused to Wanganui on January 4 and on the way to the station Moghan said: “1 suppose'i’ll get

five or six years for this?” Later accused read a newspaper account of the murder and said: “It’s a had business and I’m sorry for it.” The last time witness saw Gemmell alive was on New Year’s Eve, when he was in company with Mrs Moghan and Mrs Bak. It was from 13.30 to 11.45 p.m. Gemmell was leading a horse and was sober at the time.

Dr. H. M. Hay deposed that he made an examination of the body. The body was on its back with both knees flexed and also the right elbow. The body was absolutely cold and the limbs rigid. Over the right eyebrow was a wound involving the scalp about two and a-half inches in length and running towards the temple. (Other bead wounds were described in detail by witness). The upper jaw on the right side was fractured. There was also a fracture of the lower jaw and the skin of the front of the chest was dry and of a brownish colour. The lungs and heart were normal but the ventricle was empty of blood. The stomach contained no alcohol. In his opinion death was due to shock from hemorrhage caused by the fracture of the skull. In his opinion death had ensued more than eight hours before lie saw the body blit it could have been any time previous up to 36 hours. He could not say that the dog had been at the body, hut some of the other injuries would have been sufficient to cause death.

Gordon Napier Mae Diarmid, medical practitioner, gave similar evidence. It was possible that shock from the wounds in the head would enuse death, before the wounds behind the ears would cause Gemmell to bleed to death.

John Alexander Hurley, registered practitioner, said that lie was Government bacteriologist, in charge of the laboratory of the Wellington District Hospital. He examined the articles .submitted and found the blood to be human blood on all the articles except the boots which lie would require longer In examine. Tie examined the blanket for human blood and found the test showed that i! was present. Tie would complete his report in a fortnight. To the lio“s( of his knowledge the tuff of hair was human hair. This concluded the case for ihe prosecution.

Moghan was asked to stand up and make a. statement if lie wished to hut he had nothing to say.

Moghan will be sent to flic* Wanganui gaol and it remains for the Justice Department to decide as to whether he will remain there or he rent to Wellington. Tlie Magistrate committed the accused to the next sitting of the Wanganui Supreme Court for trial.

Mr .T. P. Aldridge, the coroner, who sat on the Bench, with Mr Wat - son. S.M.. said that the case was a .Ample one, and he would make no remarks. He returned the verdict: “That the deceased John Gordon Gemmell, died at Ruakura, Taihape, on January 3, 1924, from injuries received at the hands of Anthony Moghan.”