TRIAL OF CHEMIS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 383, 10 July 1889, Page 5

TRIAL OF CHEMIS.

Wellington, Juno 8. The trial of Louis Cbcmis for tho murder of Thomas Hawkins near Kaiwarra on the 31st May begun before tho Clnel J ustice to-day. Messrs Bell and Richmond appealed fur the Crown, and Messrs Bunny and Devine for tho prisonoi. The chamber was crowded. A largo map of the country surrounding the scene of the crime was displayed on an easel for the benefit of the jury, and on the table weie photographs of tho placo and of the pieces of paper taken from the wound in the body ; also a photo, and lithographs of the " Evening Post," showing the line of the fissure, for the purpose ot enabling a comparison. Mr Bell opened for the Ciown, and, so far, has been taking much the same line as in the Magistrate's Court. He said that though no blood was found on the prisoner's clothes, there had been plenty of time to remove all traces before tho police appeared. He detailed the discovery of the paper in the wound, fitting; the issue of the "Evening Post" of Maich 23, in Chemis's house, and told the jury this, paper was the cardinal point on which the issue hung. Mr Bell continued, his address till 1.30, pointing out that the character of the murder showed that it was done by a foreigner, and nob by an Englishman. The wounds must have been inflicted by a tapering dagger, and such a dagger was found in the prisoner's house, though no trace of blood could be found on it or the sheath. He also drew attention to the face that the torn paper was iound in Chemis's houso and handed to tho expert Tucker before the police knew there was a gunshot wound in the body or head by the fragments which the doctor discovered in the wound. The jury have now .' gone out to viow the scene of the murder.