MEDICAL EVIDENCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 388, 24 November 1932, Page 5

MEDICAL EVIDENCE

KILLED WITH AN AXE Blenheim, Wednesday. Dr- Lynch continued his evidence, detailing the result of the post moytem. Witness produced a series of drawings sliowing the extent of the injuries in every part of the skull. He also brought forth from a little trunk, the dead man's skull,. taking it to the jury box, demonstrating 'the locality of the injuries, showing that the skull had been split in many directions by a blow, and also demonstrating' the locality of the severance of the neck bone. The gruesome relic was mounted on a stand. Witness said that he believed the wounds had been caused by an axe, because they were short clean cuts and right through the strueture. The weapon must have been both sharp and heavy. He could not think of any other weapon but an axe. The injuries to the head were struck with violence and with slcill by a left handed man. A.ttack Reconstructed Cross-examined, witness admitted that if deceased turned his head suddenly, just as the blow was struck, the blow might have been a right handed one. Witness's theory was that deceased had been struck on the head and toppled into the fire place in a crumpled position. The murderer then would have to straighten him out for the purpose of robbing him, and witness believed that victim was pulled on to his back, then he breathed stertorously and the murderer struck him with an axe. A bank teller at Picton, James Fuller, detailed deceased's aecounts at the bank, showing the amount of interest and the denomination of notes paid him- Witness also produced cheques drawn in favour of E. Tarrant, C. Tarrant and Tarrant. Accused's son was also named E. Tarrant. Detective Sinclair's evidence was mainly on the lines of that given in the lower court. He was present in the courthouse when accused reported to Constable Condon that he borrowed £30 from deceased in six £5 notes. Elatett Pratt, who resides next door to Tarrant, said he was in bed ill on November 4. He saw from the bedroom window at 7.15 dirty blaclc smoke coming from the window of Tarrant's washhouse. It was not the usual wash day. Witness went to Wellington on November 7, and on return, told- the detectives of the smoke coming from Tarrant's windowThe court adjourned at 5.10 p.m.