ROBBED, THEN SHOT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 452, 6 September 1928, Page 1

ROBBED, THEN SHOT

Gold-Diggings Murder

CHINESE MINER’S STORY Jury’s Verdict at Inquest

(Special to THE SUN) AFTER numerous remands, William John Hardy, aged 25, “ who was arrested at Dunedin on July 20, was charged at the Naseby Police Court to-day with the murder of Joe Shum at the Kyeburn gold diggings on July 17,

NASEBY. Wednesday. - Hhe tiny courthouse was. packed, and a big crowd remained outside during the hearing of the evidence. The Crown soli ci i or, Mr. F. B. Adams, prosecuted, and Mr. A, C. Hanlon appeared for the defence. Sue Pee, who gave his evidence through an interpreter, said he had been employed by Shum as a miner. On July 17 accused visited their shack about mid-day. Stating that there was a policeman waiting nearby, he made inquiries about a young man, said to have been murdered and robbed of £2OO close to the spot. Accused was given dinner, during the meal keeping a gun belonging to Shum, which he had been inspecting through opera glasses, close beside him. He and the murdered man then went out to inspect deceased’s claim. Sue Pee was returning from chopping wood some time later when he found Shum lying on the hillside, bleeding from gunshot wounds. “Who shot you?” asked witim"'-. and Shum replied: “The man you

■gave dinner to. He threatened to shoot me if I did not give him £200.” jshurn had given him all his gold, and had then been shot. The wounded man was taken to the hut, and witness left for the Kyeburn Hotel, arriving there early next morning. All the gold obtained in the four washups since he had been with deceased had been about two ounces. Cross-examined by Mr. Hanlon, Sue Pee said it was not true that he had lived alone for 40 years because no other Chinese would stay with him. He had not been driven away from Waipori for threatening to shoot a man, and he knew nothing of guns. At the adjourned inquest, held before Mr. George Reid, J.P., and a jury of four, a verdict that deceased met his death as the result of gunshot wounds inflicted by a person or persons unknown was returned. ASKED WHERE SHUM LIVED

When the court resumed in the evening, James Henry Forward, hotel licensee, of Kyeburn, stated that Shum was the only Chinese working in the district.

Michael Kitchen, a labourer, stated that he had camped with the accused from May 5 until May 22. Accused stated that he was in partnership with Jimmy Cains, goldmining. On July 14 witness saw Hardie, who asked him where Shum lived, and witness directed hifn. He next saw accused on July 17, on the road from Naseby to Mount Buster, proceeding toward the latter. Witness left Naseby, and, halfway down, saw a pedestrian whom he did not pass. This pedestrian would be about two and a-quarter miles from Shum’s hut. Walter George, a claim-holder, stated that he had treated sand for gold for Hardie. On July 16 he gave Hardie 6dwt of gold from the sand treated. Accused then said he had been at Mount Buster since Sunday prospecting. Hardie asked him “where the Chow lived.” The court then adjourned until this morning. HEARING CONTINUES TO-DAY Kathleen Louisa Fox, wife of a constable, said that the accused called on July 17, asking for a constable. He seemed to have a cold, and was hoarse. She referred him to the courthouse. Constable Fox related the finding of Shum’s body. His hut was not ransacked. A drawer containing papers and letters was open, but a sum of money in a receptacle was untouched. Witness had known accused,’ who was on probation for four months. On July 17 he was expecting Hardie to report, and on leaving the courthouse saw Hardie, who handed his paper to witness, saying: “I want you to transfer me to Dunedin; I am not feeling too well, so I’ll go down and stop at my aunt’s place.” Witness replied that it would be better to stop iu the country, but Hardie said he was not making headway, and in Dunedin his aunt would find him a job. x .. Hardia aeatfiad m con.

v tinued the constable, but persisted that he would travel. He was pale and trembling all over. Witness felt his hand and head, which were very hot. His pulse was very rapid. Accused said he was going to ride to his hut that night, to collect his belongings, as he was catching the Dunedin train in the morning. He said he had been “crook” since returning from a visit to Dunedin, and bad not been out of his hut since, the previous Sunday. Witness advised him to lie up for a few days, and witness could give him work. When witness was leaving next morning with the -doctor for Kyeburn diggings, he said Hardie was riding into Naseby. Accused said he had changed his mind about a transfer to Dunedin, but would stay there until well, then returning to finish his fencing job for Allan Cains. Alton Cain, a sheepfarmer, stated that Hardie bad occupied a hut on his property from May 13 to July 18. At the end of June accused asked him if he could sell some gold for him, as it was not convenient to go into Naseby. Witness' agreed. Accused said he got the gold “out there,” not specifying the place. At 6.20 p.m. on July 17 accused met witness at his shed door. He said he had a touch of ’flu, and was going to Dunedin next day, and asked for a lift into Ranfurly next morning. Witness gave him dinner, after which accused took three photographs from his pocket, one of them being of the exhibition. Accused then showed him some loose gold and a lump wrapped iu paper and in a tobacco tin. Witness remarked it was a nice piece. To a question, how long it took to get the gold, Hardie said it took five weeks’ hard slogging. Witness lent Hardie a pony and 5s for brandy, and an oilskin coat. Hardie left at 7.45 p.m. next morn ing. He returned with a swag, and witness motored him to Ranfurly. At the Bank of New South Wales wit.ness said: “Now, Bill, give me the gold, and I will dispose of it for you.” Hardie handed it to him. A clerk in the bank paid £8 for the gold. Thomas Robert Kennelly, licensee Of the Ancient Briton Hotel at Naseby, stated that, on his arrival there at 8.45 p.m. on July 17, Hardie had rum and cloves. Except for his coughing there was nothing unusual about him. The court then rose for the luncheon adjournment. .. . APcpoeeditig.j