SUE PEE PICKED OUT NUMBER SEVEN!

NZ Truth, Issue 1191, 27 September 1928, Page 5

SUE PEE PICKED OUT NUMBER SEVEN!

Hardies Denial When Charged With Goldfields Crime — "I Would Not Murder A Chinaman " LINKS IN CHAIN OF qRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Dunedin Representative.} "I WILL SWEAR that I am mno way connected with the shooting of the Chinaman at Kyeburn. I did not know any Chinamen there and have never aeen them. lam not m the least afraid of any Chinaman from Kyeburn identifying me' as the man seen by him at or near his hut.— " William John Hardie, the accused, m a statement to the police two days after the murder of the lonely prospector, Sho Leung Shum, at his claim on the Kyeburn diggings on July 17. / "The man is here, . . . lam afraid . . . he is number seven." These words, according to Miss Eileen Low, Chinese student and interpreter, were spoken by Sue Pee, the murdered man's companion, at an identification parade at the Dunedin' police station on July 20. - ;

UT WOULD not murder a Chinaman," 1 was the laughing reply, made, it is alleged, by William John Hardie to Detective Robert Lean, when questioned at the Dunedin detective office concerning the murder of the Chinese gold-digger; Sho Leung Shum. .•■■- Hardie, composed throughout, often smiling and at times apparently m- y different to what was going on, has now heard the last of the lower court evidence which comprises the Crown's case against him on the capital charge. He will stand his trial before a judge and Jury of the Supreme Court. Fifteen further witnesses were called m the Dunedin police court last Friday to complete the Crown evidence, opened two weeks previously at Naseby. With the exception of the alleged statements of the dying Chinese, as given m the story of Sue Pee, the case for the Crown rests on circumstantial evidence. With a total of 35 witnesses and a varied assortment of over 50 exhibits, the prosecution presents „ something of a record. Plaster-casts of footprints were the outstanding features of the numerous exhibits added to the chain of evidence by Friday's re-opening of proceedings before Magistrate Dixon. In the dock, Hardie took a seat facing the public section of the court,

' M. 1 1 mii i i ■ I. .> Seized His Swag

which included several women and a small group of Chinese. '- ; ■ • Speaking of his movements on July 18 In an effort to get m touch with the accused, Detective Robert N Lean said he hoarded the Central Otago Dun-edln-bound train at Wingatut. He was unable to trace Hardie aa a passenger on the train, hut commandeered a sack swag at the Dunedin railway, station, which was checked through from Ranfurly and labelled "W. Hardie," , The following day, witness and Detectlve Roycroft, who knew Hardie, encountered accused , m Cumberland Street, Dunedin. When spoken to, Hardie asked what it was the police officers wished to see him about. Lean told him it was not a matter which could be discussed m, the street, so accused accompanied them to the detective office. "When we reached the detective office, I told him I had taken possession of his luggage; he looked at the swag and ' said it was his. "In my presence, Detective Roycroft told accua&d that a Chinaman had been shot and murdered at Kyeburn on July 17. I told him suspicion was attached to him, . , . "He laughed and replied: 'I would not murder a Chinaman.' He said he did not know any Chinese at Kyeburn. "I pointed out' to him the seriousness of the murder and warned him that he need not say anything unless he wished. I also told him that anything he did say would be taken down m . writing and might be used m evidence against him." To this, Hardie replied: "I am not

Signed Statement

afraid of what I say. I had nothing to do with the murder of the Chinaman. I 'don't know any Chinamen m Kyeburn." He then consented to make a statement regarding his movements on the day of the murder and witness took it down on a typewriter. The statement was read over to ]£ardie and then given to him to read, after which he said it was true and signed his name to it. Producing a wallet containing four £1 notes, a luggage check, a memorandum card concerning the sale of gold on July 18 and a receipt for some gold, the detective stated that these articles were m Hardies possession when searched at the detective office. Six photographs' (four .of the E>unedin Exhibition and two of soldiers), which had previously been handed m as exhibits, were also contained m the wallet when accused was arrested.: Hardie .expressed willingness; to remain ait the detective office until in r quiries could be carried out concernIng his statement. About 5 p.m. witness warned him that Shp Shum's friend was coming to Dunedin for the purpose of attending an identification parade. . Hardie replied: "The sooner he comes the better.*' : It was then arranged that accused should sleep at the police station m cotnfortable quarters. About 8.30 the following morning the identification parade was carried out. At 11,30 a.m. on July 20, witness formally arrested Hardie on a charge of murder. After having been given the usual warning, accused answered that MttiiimmniiMiiM

he had nothing to say to the charge. Later, at the watch-house, when Hardie was searched, witness heard Sub-inspector Fahey, inform accused that he intended showing photographs found m his possession to Sue Pee for identification purposes. . Hardie had replied: "The Chinaman will identify the photographs of the Exhibition. I know that Chinaman now — I showed him the photographs m the Kyeburn Hotel about three weeks' ago." Lawyer Hanlon (defending): "I , thought at first that it would. not be necessary to read accused's statement, but m view of 3ome- ' thing the detective has just 'said/ I think it would only be fair to the accused for it to be read," , Detective Lean then read the statement: "July 19, I am a laborer; the last work I did' was gold-mining two miles out of NaseJby. . , I have not got a miner's right. . . . "My mother, Mrs. Thomas, late of McAndrew Road, had been very, ill and died last week. I have been m Dunedin attending to her. I went back to 'itiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiniiiiiiiiuiiimimiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiii

Naseby on the 13th inst., after the funeral. "I have been ill during the time I have been back at Naseby and have not done any work. I have been sleeping m Allan Cain's house on his run. I remained thereu ntil 3 p.m. on Tuesday. "I camp on my own and.no one was at the camp when I left. I was dressed m a dirty blue coat, black and grey pants, with motor-cycle overalls over them, heavy Blucher boots, no collar or tie, a jazz -colored cardigan and a scarf. "I walked into Naseby by the main road and went straight to the Naseby police station to report. . .1 am at present on probation. . . "I did not meet any Chinamen on the way and I do not remember anyone m particular whom I saw on the road. , ;■■•.' "I told Constable Fox that I was feeling ill and he advised me to go to Dunedin until I got, better. I then went to Allan Gain's house, where I had tea. "I had about 2%0?5. of gold on me which I showed, to Cain. The gold iiiniiiiiiiiiiimiiiuiiiiiiiiiiimiii|iiiinimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiniiii!iiiiJiliii!iiiiiiiii

came out of my claim. , I had previously given it to Walter George to amalgamate and he returned it to me the previous Monday. I went back to my camp that night and took the gold with me. "I will swear that on Tuesday, the 17th, i did not see any Chihamon and was not speaking to any Chinamen. I had only been at the Kyeburn diggings on one occasion a long time ago, when I was working for the Hon. Robert Scott, of Kyeburn. I do not know any of the Chinamen at Kyeburn and I was not near Kyeburn on Tuesday. "My camp is seven or eight , miles from Kyeburn and about two' miles from Naeeby, I have not been m the Kyeburn Hotel for months. . . I have- never shown any post-card photographs or any photos of the Dunedin Exhibition to any Chinamen at Kyeburn or anywhere else. "I got back to my hut about 10 p.m. on Tuesday. I went there myself on Allan Cain's hack. I slept m the hut by myself. I left my hut next morning (Wednesday) about 9 a.m. . . . "I brought my swag into Naseby. I still have a lot of gear belonging to me at the camp. I intend going back there as soon as I get better. "When I was at Ranfurly last Wednesday, I gave Allan' Cain 2e»z. 2dwts. 18grns. of gold. The gold consisted of the piece of gold m

Sixteen Paraded

bulk* which I received from Walter George on the Monday, and some , loose that ! had blown myself. "Allan Cain took that gold to the Bank of New South Wales and received £8 for It. I owed him £4 and the £4 I have In .my possession is the balance. I had about 36/- m other money before I received this. "I left Ranfurly by the mid-day train for Dunedln. I got out at Caveranam, but had my goods booked through. At Caversham I was talking to a Bill Hunter and I just let the train go. I stayed last night with Mrs. Bycles, Lees Street. I have stayed there before, "I heard yesterday, coming down m the train, that a Chlnumun had been shot m the Kyeburn diggings. That was the first I knew of it. Some stock-inspector was talking about it. "I will swear that I am m no way connected with the shooting of the Chinaman at Kyeburn, . .1 am not m the least- afraid of any Chinaman from Kyeburn identifying me as the man" seen by him qn Tuesday afternoon at or near his hut, and receiving any gold from any Chinanmn at Kyeburn. I am willing to stand up to any identification." . As offle'er-in-charga of the identification para,de, Subrlnspector John Fahey described an assembly of 16 tall, clean-shaven men, exclusive of Hardie. They were all young men— the eldest would riot be over ,35— and seven of the ■ parade were dressed m suits similar tolHaixiie's. The accused was jj-lven the opportunity of .objecting to any of the men present and allowed to take up whatever position m the rank he wished.

Sue Pee Afraid? ■

The sub-inspector then introduced Sue Pee, accompanied by Miss Low as interpreter. There was no possibility of the pair observing what was taking place before their entry into the yard. The sub4nspeotor, m lengthy evidence, detailed what followed. Referring to her duties as interpreter during the identification parade, Miss Eileen Low, a Chinese student, said she told Sue Pee to look along the line of men and see if he could pick out the man who was at the, hut on the day of Shum's death. ; Sue Pee said: "No, I am afraid." After some persuasion, he added; "The man is here," but would not go up to him ; He turned to witness, sayings' "You go." Subsequently, Sue described the man. Lawyer Hanlqn: "This is really not evidence against the accused, because this was. all said m a language he did not understand." Miss Low (continuing) : "I went up and pointed to the man. Sue Pee had told me he was Number 7." Counsel: Tha,t was j n Chinese, too? — Yes. Crown Prosecutor: "That is, however, a direct indication of the man on the spot." Miss Low: "I pointed to the man and sue Pee said that Avas the man." Counsel: That was m English?— No, Chinese. . • Counsel;' "That is not evidence, your worship, if spoken m Chinese." Bench: "I have noted your objection, Mr. Jlanlon." After further lengthy evidence. Hardie was committed for trial at the Supreme Court.