THE TIMARU TRAGEDY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3632, 19 November 1920, Page 5

THE TIMARU TRAGEDY.

MURDER CHARGE HEARD. MATTHEWS BEFORE THE COURT. TIMABU, Nov. 18. ' Reginald Matthews, charged with the murder of Clarence Edward Wagstaff, at Timaru, on October 2j7, ! appeared in the Magistrate’s Court this morning,* before Mr. Mosely, S.M., Mr. A. T. j Donnelly, Acting Crown Prosecutor > (Christchurch) conducted the case for | the prosecution, and Mr. C. S. Thomas (Christchurch was counsel for the -accused.

There are between thirty and forty witnesses to be examined, and the .proceedings are expected to last two days. Accused entered the dock without displaying any emotion, and wearing several days’ growth of whiskers. He appeared to take keen interest in the proceedings. Mr. Donnelly outlined the case at length, indicating the nature of the evidence he-, proposed to call, and it was not till noon that the first witness was examined.

Stanley B. Clifford, licensed surveyor, produced a plan of the scene of the murder, and Mr. J. E. Pigott produced photographs of the scene, but counsel for accused objected, since the photograph was a reconstruction of the crime, showing a man crouching beside a wall. He agreed to have another photograph taken. Two young ladies gave evidence of having been accosted by a man near the scene of the murder on October 23 and 27 respectively. They identified the man as accused.