A QUEER STORY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 192, 4 August 1908, Page 4

A QUEER STORY.

WHO TOLD THE TKCTii? WJffiTHMT PEKJCUX CASK. ACCUSED IX THE WITNESS BOX. At the preliminary hearing of the charges of perjury against William Connelly in connection with the recent trial at Kelson, in which llalliuen and Anderson were fuund guilty of the manslaughter of E. J. Burke, Connelly repeated his former statements with 'some additions, aiul asserted that he had not told a lie yet in this case. Before lie came into Court he told a good many lies

about Burke's death, tie told them in a hotel that he intended to take Burke to lodgings. That was a lie. it was also a lie when he told Miss Bowling he had left Burke opposite the theatre. When he (old Murray lie had fallen over with Burke at the corner that was a lie. When he told the sergeant he had lelt him opposite llanllv's shop that was another lie. WJien he said lie had taken Burke up the street as far as Hardly s shop and given him over to two men, but only got, his eve on one fellow, and that he could not recognise the other fellow as he had his back to him—that was a lie. When he told Jns|>ector Black and Detective .Mellveney that lie was the milv man who had anything to do with Burke's death, that was a-lie. OTIIKB I'EUJ.'LK'S FALSEHOODS.

Mr Bowling, Clerk of the Court, was not telling the truth when he said witness swore in the Magistrate's Court that llalineu's words to witness were:".Mind you donH let out who killed the man, or who kicked the man--something like that.'' lie did not remember saving at Nelson those same words. Mrs Phillips and Mrs Pearee were also inaccurate when they said only two men crossed the street to the she'd. .Mrs Tom Pearee and Lily Pearee were similarly not telling the truth when they said witness was in their kitchen at about 8.20 that night. If .Murray swore that these men did not come into Qnallcr'sho was lying. Jlaakonsoii, llalineii and Anderson were lying when they said llalineii and Anderson were not in Qiiallor's. Tottenham and Eraser were lying when they stated witness said to them, after the body was taken to the morgue, that the wounds were caused by a knife. NOT' QUITE SURE.

Mis only e\planation of his positive denial of knowledge ol' Burke was that he diil not know ihc man's name. He did not know whether ho gave a false name Ikingi wlien arretted for wiiidn"'lireaking. lie iniirhl have made a mistake when he marked the spot on the plan where the prisoner* met him. lie had given as a reason for various lie; thai he was afraid llalinen was going to uike His life. Me did not complain to the goaler. hut he told the inspector. At that lime the men were under lock and key. Me was at the po]ie<> station and never mentioned a word ahoul these threats milil lie had done liis eight da vs. Me did not speak about llurke's death in goal. It was llalinen who spoke, lie would not swear lie was live minuics away at the shed. It might have lieeii live minutes, ten minutes, or a ipiarter of an hour, lie had said he could not write—only his name. He did not write a. letter produced and did not lini'll a letter to hi- mother. Questioned by his worship as to the letter produced, and the signature on the lei lor being shown to him, he again .said it was not his. ||e compared the signature with the signaling to his deposition. Then he said he wrote his name but not the letter. Accused was (if will be remembered) committed for trial at. the Supreme Court at llokitika. bail being refused.