Caffery Stands Trial on Charge of Murder

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 755, 30 August 1929, Page 11

Caffery Stands Trial on Charge of Murder

i'OUATH iIDITTOft

nelson street tragedy story of FATAL SCUFFLE Accused of the murder of Thomas Levy, at 119 Nelson Street, on the evening of August 2, George Caffery, a labourer, aged 34, is to stand trial at the next Criminal Session of the Supreme Court. rpHE preliminary hearing occupied •* Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., the whole Jay in the Police Court yesterday. Mr. V. R. Meredith prosecuted and Mr. I F. Dickson appeared for accused. The concluding evidence was heard late in the afternoon. A conversation with a strange man, whom her husband recognised as Caffery, outside her home the night of ths tragedy was described by Mrs. Margaret Langton, of 97 Nelson Street. Caffery, she said declared “I want Cote; I'm going to kill that tonight-" Accused, she declared, was under the impression that Cole was still living at her home, but he had left there 10 days previously. She admitted under cross-examination that she was not definite concerning the date of the conversation. This testimony was corroborated by her husband. James Langton, who said he considered that; Caffery was drunk. A sister-in-law of accused, Mrs. D. Connor, detailed her visit to Caffery’s home between 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on August 2. Caffery, who was in the sitting-room, had a scratch on his cheek, which was bleeding. Asked how he came by the injury, Caffery replied: “The wild Irishman,” meaning Patrick Byrne, a seaman, who was also in the room. As she and Mrs. Caffery were leaving the house, detectives met them at the gate. The finding of a blood-stained knife lying ngainst the skirting board in :he sitting-room of 119 Nelson Street was described by fleo. Frederick Cole, a hawker. He picked up the weapon whilst cleaning the floor of bloodstains, he said. He washed the weapon and handed it to the police. BLOOD ON HIS BOOTS Detective Knight stated that when he interviewed accused at his home, Caffery’s boots were spattered with blood. When taken to the police station, said Detective Snedden, and after seeing some of the witnesses, Caffery remarked: “I will tell you all about it; I know what you want me for.” Caffery, in a written statement, said that he and Byrne went to 119 N'elson Street, to see Cole. A stranger opened the door and refused him admittance. A scuffle followed and suddenly the man called out there was Mood flowing from him. Accused added that he had nothing in his hands and was ignorant of how the man was injured. He did not see Byrne vrith any weapon. Alhough he had had a few drinks in he afternoon and evening, Caffery said, he had a clear recollection of what occurred, according to the statement.

Patrick Byrne, a seaman, said he and Caffery had been drinking together during the greater part of the ■lay and returned together to Cafr’ery's home about 6 o’clock with eight riggers.” Witness had a few drinks and fell asleep until the police arived. He denied going out with Caffery early in the evening. At this stage Mr. Dickson asked whether the police intended to put u as an exhibit a pair of blood-spat-ered boots. The boots were not worn by Caffery, and it was alleged by the defence they belonged to someone else.

Mr. Meredith stated that the Crown did not propose to tender the boots as an exhibit. The boots had been handed to the police by Caffery’s wife the morning after the tragedy. Mr. Cutten said that as the boots were not Crown evidence they would he available to the defence in the Supreme Court. A plea of not guilty was entered by Caffery, who was committed to ihe Supreme Court for trial.