KARIOI FATALITY

Taihape Daily Times, 14 March 1918, Page 4

KARIOI FATALITY

TRAGIC SEQUEL TO A CAMP QUARREL. ROBERTSON COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (By our Special Reporter). The story of the tragedy at Karioi was advanced another stage at Ohakune yesterday, when the adjourned inquest on the death of Peter Larsen at Karioi on Sunday, February 24th, \ras resumed before Mr. J. J. Pilkiugton, coroner. The evidence of William Farrow, cook at the camp, Dr. Feltham, John Jackson, Louis Sarich, and Constable Anderson was taken, after hearing which the coroner found that the deceased, Peter Larsen, died from inquries to his head inflicted by some blunt instrument, by some person at present unknown. ROBERTSON CHARGED WITH THE MURDER. Immediately after the conclusion of the inquest, John Robertson was charged with the murder of Peter Larsen. The case had been adjourned from Wellington on March 5 to be heard at Ohakune. The accused is a man of about 45 to 50 years of age, with whiskers turning to grey, about 6ft, well set up for his age, and bearing the marks of an cld injury to his left eye. Robertson is well-known in Taihape and district, having for considerable time been engaged on road work hereabouts, portion of the time being in the employ of the Public Works Department. Throughout the trial he was quite composed, and frequently prompted his counsel.

Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., was on the bench. *

Mr. Tustin, of Wanganui, appeared for accused. Mr. Marshall, Crown Prosecutor, conducted the case for the Crown, All witnesses were ordered out of court.

The first witness called was William Farrow, who deposed that lu was a cook in the employ of Lafsei and Austen, contractors,, Karipi., On February 23, he went to’ bed about 8 p.m. His mates returned to camp about midnight, and they came to his tent. Peter Larsen invited hiAi to have some beer, He did not respond immediately. Robertson was present, drank some beer at the request of the Maori (John Jackson). Robertson, Peter Larsen, Hans Larsen, the Maori, and witness went to the galley. All had some drink' arid cards were played; all played except Jackson. Play went on for some time, and Larsen knocked off as he said there was cheating going on, and watched the play. Deceased then said, referring to Robertson: This man is cheating and robbing my camp mates. He is a b— spieler. He has cards under the table; he has reneged. Give these men back their money.’" Robertson said: ‘‘l am not winning any money,” and handed some money back.- Peter Larsen then struck deceased in the face and knocked him on to the floor. Larsen then said: “Stand up and I’ll give you some more.” This would be nearly 4 a.m. Witness then went to bed, followed by Robertson. About 6 a.m., witness was disturbed by accused putting on his boots. Accused looked in the glass, nodded and went out. His face was discoloured. Accused then went out and picked up a pickhead under the fly of Hans Larsen’s tent. He then walked past the galley and up to Peter Larsen’s tent, carrying the pick-head with him. Halfway to deceased’s tent is a rock, and accused stopped there a moment, and then resumed his journey towards deceased’s tent still carrying the pick. Accused did not see witness, though he could have had he looked round. Witness then went out and roused Hans Larsen because be anticipated trouble between Peter Larsen and Robertson. It was five minutes before he could get anyone to accompany him. Hans Larsen then went with witness, and on reaching accused’s tent we found him bleeding from the ear. Deceased was groaning; he put his hand on his forehead, which was warm. He then returned to Hans Larsen’s tent. Did not see anything of accused during this time, but saw him when he returned, in the vicinity of the tents. Witness then went back to deceased’s tent, and found deceased dead or dying. Robertson remained in camp that day, but later went away. Witness then went to the woodheap alongside the galley and there found a pick head similar to the one porduced. An hour or two later witness visited the wood heap to see if the pick was still there that he might show it to the other men, hut it had gone. Later on he handed the pick to the police. Accused returned to camp about 7 that evening. Witness had several drinks, but was perfect-

ly sober. Robertson was not drunk. Hans Larsen, Poole, and Jackson were drunk. Cross-examined by Mr. Tustin: Occupied same tent as Robertson,|for three or four weeks. Accused invited me to have a drink; Robertson consented after two refusals to have a drink. John Jackson, a Maori, labourer in the employ of Larsen and Austin, gave evidence that he was working in the same camp. On Saturday. February 23, he and several others left camp. Witness went to Taihape, and: returned to camp the same night about 12 o’clock, in company with Hans Larsen, Peter Larsen and Poole. Brought back some beer —one 10-gal-lon keg, 2-gallon demijohn, and 14 bottles. Originally there were 36 bottles, but the others were drunk on the way from the station. On arrival in camp all were in bed. Went to Robertson and Farrow’s tent and invited them to have a drink, but Robertson declined. Farrow and the occupants of the other tents were awakened and had drinks. Later on all went to the galley, and played nap. Witness knew nothing of the cheating incident. Later on in the morning witness went to deceased’s tent to wake him up to have a he would not answer, and he could not tell what the trouble was. He went back afterwards and found him dead, quite cold, and he went and told the others. Saw accused at the inquest cn the Monday morning when accused told him the drink was the

cause of the whole trouble, and that he had won no monev.

Cross-examined; Witness went alone to Taihape. Hans Larsen, Peter Larsen and Poole met him at the Karici railway station. He asked Robertson twice to have a drink, but he declined. On Sunday morning at S o’clock the 10-gallon keg of beer had not been opened. Robertson had a black eye on the Monday.

Dr. Fcltham deposed that he went to the camp at Karioi with the police on Sunday, February 24, and examined the body of Peter Larsen. The following day -he made a postmortem examination. On his first examination rigor mortis had well developed. The body was that of a well-nourished, powerful man. The right hand showed an, abrasion of skin on the first knuckle joint, and there was blood over the dorsum of the hand. Blood had issued from the right auditory meatus. The lobe of the right ear was split. There were two linear contusions about three-quarters of an inch long, and almost parallel, ing downwards and backwards and across the head. These lines were evidently made by the edges of some hard instrument before death. There was much swelling of the tissues above the ear. On removing the skull cap a large amount of blood clot was found covering the surface of the brain and extending down to the spinal canal. The right temporal hone showed a fracture.

Cross-examined: In his opinion the injuries were caused by some hard instrument. These injuries caused death. Considered these injuries were probably caused by instrument of the kind exhibited (pick head produced). This account for the two almost parallel lines referred to. Considered the last few inches of the pointed end of pick, with concave side downward could inflict the in-

puries. No considerable force need have been used. The injuries could not have been self-inflicted, nor as the result of falling on it. Cross-examined by Mr. Tustin:

Wounds on deceased’s right hand might have been caused by his striking them on some hard object; might have been -caused by his taking part in a brawl. He examined Robertson at the camp on February 25, had, besides other injuries, a bruise on the right temple, a slight abrasion on left side of forehead, right cheek, whole of upper lip, a cut on inner side cheek and lower lip, apparently caused by a blow. The injuries of deceased’s hands were probably the result of the collision with Robertson.

Thomas Hicks testified to the presence of a few pick-heads in Hans Larsen’s camp on the day in question.

Hans Larsen, contractor, of the firm of Larsen and Austen, said de ceased was not related,to him. Both deceased and accused were 15 his employ at Karioi. On Saturdaynight, February 23, some of the hands brought drink into the camp about 12 o’clock. Peter Larsen woke Robertson up, and they and other men started to play cards. Witness was under the influence of drink and went to sleep. He was awakened by hearing a. row between Larsen and Robertson Heard Larsen calling Robertson a thief, and charging him with swindling his camp mates. When he jumped up Robertson was on the floor* Understood that' accused had been knocked down. He stopped the scuffle, and LArsen got straight up and said he would pack up and ctear out. Deceased was drunk before Bis fight, but sobered up. Farrow was sober. When he went to his tent Robertson

•was in the galley. At about 6.30 in the morning Farrow came to his tent, and together they went to deceased’s tent; saw nobody about the tent. Looked in the tent and saw deceased .apparently asleep and groaning. Returned to his own tent with Farrow. Half am hour later witness, Farrow, and Sarich went to deceased’s tent and found he was dead. He then sent for the police and doctor. To Mr. Tustin; Heard signs of an altercation at the wood heap after he left the galley; heard Larsen' talking very loud. Witness thought he was having a farewell word with someone. Understood it was with Robertson. ' Harry Poole said he was working in the camp at the time of Peter Larsen’s death. Saw deceased’s body arter his death, and saw Robertson at about 7.30 on Sunday morning, an® told him Peter was down and out. Robertson said, “No b— fear; what are you giving us?’’ Witness said, “It’s too right; we’ll go and have a look.” Both went to Larsen’s tent together. Accused said he and deceased had a “go” some hours previously. Louis Sarich deposed he was working in camp with Larsen and Robertson on dates in question. On the moisting of 24th February, Peter Larsen was pretty drunk and Hans Larsen very drunk. Peter Lafsen told Robertson after the row he had better get out as they did not want cardsnarpers in camp. Larsen came over to witness’s tent for matches, and as he passed accused’s tent he said to Robertson. “You had better clear out or I’ll kick you out, or I’ll go for you.” Accused told witness Peter Larsen had borrowed £1 from him, and he did not suppose he would'get it back.

Cross-examined: It was between 4 and 5 o’clock when Larsen asked him for matches. It was after that he heard Larsen threatening accused. Had the same language been'used to him by a larger man he would have been very frightened. Constable McGowan, of Raetihi, gave evidence of his visit to the camp with Constable Anderson after the alleged murder. When arresting accused, the latter said he expected it. Ascused said, “The liquor brought into camp was the cause of the wholetrouble. The cursed stuff.” On rolling up his swag before leaving, Robertson said it was a serious thing for him; expected it would be a Supreme Court case.

Constable Anderson, Ohakune, said he visited the camp in company with Dr. Feltham on February 24. Found Peter Larsen’s body in a tent. When accused, witness warned him about any statement he made. Accused then said, “I don’t suppose I’ll ■want this,” (referring to the swag'he was rolling up). On going to the motor car, accused said, “It’s a bad business; it’s all on account of the cursed booze.” Witness advised accused to get a solicitor, when Robertson replied, “I don’t think any of them can do much for me; but they may be able to speak for me.” Later on accused said, “It’s a sad affair; people get into trouble over other people’s business.” On February 26 witness visited the camp, and the pick (produced) was handed to him by Farrow.

This concluded the evidence for the Crown, and Mr. Tustin, for the defence, intimated he did not intend to call evidence.

Accused was then asked if he had anything to say, and in an inaudible voice replied in the negative. The Magistrate said accused would be committed for trial at the next silting of the Supreme Court at Wanganui, on May 27th.