THE PUKEKAWA TRAGEDY.

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

THE PUKEKAWA TRAGEDY.

TRIAL OP THORN. DETECTIVES GIVE EVIDENCE. i v- ' AUCKLAND, Nov. 19. Detective Andrew.McHugh, of Auckland, stated that prior to joining the police force he was a qualified blacksmith for eight years. After the murder he searched an area inside a radius of twenty miles from Tuakau. Altogether he examined 1300 horses, of which 118 were shod. In no ease did he find any of the animals wearing shoes "of the same [measurement, as those produced in court. He thefT'gave detailed measurements of the shoes produced. Thomas Wolfendale, a member of the mounted police, stated that on August 25 he saw the tracks of a horse near Eyre’s house. The form'of the shoes were qufte distinct. 'Witness afterwards rode “ Mickey ’’ to Eyre’s house. He did the journey in 2 hours 40 minutes. "Mickey” was a horse that bored to the fight. He .had a good action. When witness got to Eyre’s the animal showed no signs of distress, and was dry under the saddle. Detective J. H. Sweeney was the next witness called. He and Detective Sergeant Cummings had examined the horse tracks behind Eyre’s property, and the shoes produced in court fitted these tracks.

Sergeant J, T. Cowan, police officer in charge of the Pukekohe district, Tjtas in charge of the police party that visited Eyre ’s-house early on the morning after the murder. The sergeant testi* tied to the finding of the horse-shoe, prints. He and Detective Sergeant Cumminp measured the prints very carefully, and followed them to the junction, where a branch ran off the main road to Glen Murray. Witness with Detective Sergeant Cummings arrived later at Granville’s place, and saw accused, who was asleep in a whare. Cummings told him Eyre had boon shot the night before by some person with a shotgun. Thorn said “Yes?” Cummings said: “The top of his head was blown right off with the shot.” Thorn said “Yes.” Cummings then said they had come to see if Thorn could assist in the inquiries. Answering questions, Thorn told the detective that he was at Eyre’s “last Sunday week.” Thorn said Sid Eyre and he did not got on too well, but he got on all right with the rest. Witness did not see a gun in the whare, but saw a gun case under the bed. Accused gave Cummings the key of the case, and the detective took the gam and 55 cartridges. The two police officers examined the gun, and Cummings said, “This has been recently cleaned.” Thorn said: “I cleaned it yesterday or to-day.” The cartridges were all “Peter’s high-gun” No. G and No. 7. The party then went to Granville’s house. It was wild weather. Witness remained at the house, and accused later came up with some horses. Thorn had said *“They have taken the shoes off Micky. Do you go anything on horseshoe marks, sergeant?” Wits ness said, “Yes, certainly, combined with other circumstances: ” Next day witness went baclc*~with Cummings, and the shoes that had been taken off the horse “Micky” were fitted into the tracks. The off and near shoes fitted the off and near mark, but the off would not fiT (he near mark. Detective-Sergeant 'James Cummings was then called, and he said he went, to Pukekawa to investigate the tragedy, leaving Auckland at 2 in the

morning after the murder. He arrived at Eyre’s house about 7 a.m. He described the scene at” the house. Deceased was lying thereT He was lying below the open window. On the other side of the room was a double -bed. One person had slept in it. The bedding in which Eyre was lying was produced and o the location of bloodstains indicated. Witness saw Mrs. Eyre, and went with Sergeant Cowan to the main road. He found the horseshoe tracks and detailed his investigation of them. There were four sets of shoeprints oh the road. One of them showed the peculiarities of a horse that had been tied to a post near Eyre’s. There was no likeness at all between this set and, the three other sets, which were all traced. Witness produced a sketch' of the shoes, showing his measurements, and explaining the peculiarities of the set he followed to Granville’s. s