THE WAIHI TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 157, 20 November 1912, Page 5

THE WAIHI TRAGEDY

THE DEATH OF EVANS. HOW THE AFFAIR HAPPENED. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. By Telegraph—Press Association. Waihi, Tuesday. The inquest on the death of EvaM was resumed to-day, before Mr. W. Wallnutt, coroner, and a jury of six. Among those present as spectators was Mr, J. Robertson, M.P.

Mr. Selwyn Mays, for the polic«, briefly explained the occurrence. H« said that Constable Wade struck tke blow in self-defence, and Wade would' testify that he saw Evans fire the shot which struck Johnson, and therefore he pursued him. Although Wade had killed Evans, it was under justifiable circumstances. v lt would be shown that there was not breaking or entering' into the Union Hall. A PICKET'S STATEMENT. Arthur Doyle, the first witness, said he had been a strike picket, and was on picket duty with Evans at the Miners' Hall. They had commenced duty on Saturday evening, and had remained till Tuesday. When the crowd entered the hall on Tuesday, Evans was standing just inside the door of the entrance. The inquest is proceeding. Wiiihi. Last Night. Doyle, continuing, said that he (witness) whs in tin' reading room when the frst -hot w:s fired, but Evans was not. Witn,'s folluv.-ed the crowd into a paddock at the luck, and eventually took refuge in Dr. Craig's house. Witness only heard one shot, and never drew his revolver. j Henry Lawrence, another striker, said that when he got inside the hall Doyle was pointing a revolver at the door. When witness cleared out at the back, Doyle and Evans were guarding the door. \

Witness said that he went to lock the door of the reading room, when one of the men said to leave it open. He went into the reading room, where the women were. They were frightened. While unlocking the door to let the women out he heard the first shot fired. He knew that Evans was not in the reading room when the first shot was fired. W]ien the women rushed out he followed into the paddock at the back. Eventually lie took refuge in Dr. Craig's house. He only heard one shot. He. never drew his revolver. To the coroner: He did'not hear the pickets sing out.

ADVICE TO EVANS. Wm, Leach deposed that he had known deceased for three years, for the last three months intimately. He often had a conversation with him re the strike. He had advised him not to take so prominent a part. He talked with the deceased on the morning before the shooting. Deceased said that the "scabs" had attempted to break into the hall that morning. He said that members of the union had no right to go into the building when they went "scabbing." If they did there would be a point waiting for them that they did not expect. Henry Lawrence, at present on strike, said that on the 12th inst. he arrived at the hall about seven o'clock. He saw the deceased with other men. Afterwards they were joined'by two strikers, arid the woman folk were all standing outside the hall. On a suggestion to go inside, someone said: "No need, theyil be quite safe." He remained with the man Richards outside. The others went into the hall. Some trouble arose between Richards and an elderly man. A crowd gathered, and was commencing to pull Richards oh to the road. Witness got away from the crowd, and went into the hall. He tried to close the door from the inside, but failed, owing to somebody pulling from the outside. The next tiling he oaw was Doyle pointing a revolver at the door. Doyle was standing a yard or two from the door. Witness rushed out of the back door. He heard two or three shots. Doyle and Evans were guarding the door when he cleared and ran up the hill, [ He took refuge in Dr. Craig's house. To the coroner: He did not hear anybody call, out. Arthur Richards, miner, saitl that he arrived at the hall about half-past seven. He had a talk with the deceased. Witness remained outside the | hall. A worker, passing, said: "Say 'scab' now." Witness replied: "Come out on the road. I'll talk 'scab'." He had a' bit of a scrimmage and then ran off. ' He never heard anvone call "scab." He would not deny that "scab" or similar words were used to the procession of workers passing. He did not call out "senb." He did not know the object of the strikers and the women in assembling at the hall. .AN ARBITRATIONTSTS' VERSION.

Harry Bostock deposed that he was a miner employed nt the Waihi mine. On the morning of the 12th he joined a procession of workers. He came in a brake, and then proceeded on foot to. the mine. His portion .if the procession marched upon the Miners' Union side of the street. As he came up to the Union Hall, Richards called "You 'smil)'!" He was quite certain, as ho asked him to sav it again. Richards replied: "Come out on to the road." 'Richards was pulled out on to the road, and a fight commenced. Richards broke away, and ran down Seddon street. Witness then went to the Union Hall and saw Doyle in the doorway with a revolver in his hand. One hal'f of the door was opened about a foot. A shot was then fired, and the door immediately closed. At this juncture, Harvey, a worker, ran at the door and banged it open. Constable Wade and Harvey went in, witness 'following. Before they got to the reading room ho heard another shot fired. He did not know who fired it., He then passed through the back of the building, and afterwards saw Constable Wade being carried away. He was a financial member of the Waihi Miners' Union, but he had not drawn strike pay. THE CONSTABLE AND EVANS.

Walter Evans Harvey deposed that he was a fireman employed by the Waihi Company. He was one of the workers in the' procession which passed the. Miners' Hall. When he got to the. hall he saw some strikers there. He heard someone call "scab" and "mongrel." He heard the expressions quite distinctly. Some stood outside the door, while others, when the procession, as a result of the offensive terms called out, stopped, went inside, and the party closed the door A revolver shot was fired. Witness rushed at the door, which was slWitly opened, and another shot was fired. This shot hit Johnson. He then crot inside and passed through the buildin" up the incline at the back, when he overtook four women. Evans was running in advance of the women. Constable Wa'de was a little ahead of witness. Meanwhile Wade hustled through the women, and witness followed. Two shots were then fired, one at witness, and the second at Constable Wade. Witness saw the constable put his- hand to his stomach. Next moment Constable Wade closed on Evans and struck him with his liatoti. Evans fell on his face, and then turned over on his baek,_ holdin" a revolver in his hand and pointing it'upwards. Witness seized the weapon, at the same time catching Evans by the throat. The police then came up. Meanwhile, with other workers, he assisted Evans to his feet. The crowd were very I

n aT, gry, but the police kept tliem away. , fc Witness saw no act of violence done to' f Evans. If Constable Wade had not used j his baton lie quite believed that sonic- ! bodv else would have been shot. Con- J stable Wade had every reason to believe I v : that when he used his baton his life was in danger. Had witness been in Con-1 c stable Wade's place he would have taken i : the same action. If it had not been for i the language used by the strikers m M front of the Union Hall there would have v been no trouble. c To the coroner: He was of the opinion that Evans had fired the first shot. He 1 had no doubt in his mind whatever that v Evans fired and shot Constable Wade. THE REVOLVER FIRING-. * Albert Ritchie, a worker in the pro- ( cession, said that he saw Evans through ( the open door actually discharge liis re- 1 volver. The bullet passed between Har- 1 vey and himself. Immediately after ] Evans fired. Doyle fired two shots. 1 Thomas Henry Johnson, who limped 1 into the witness-box, said that he was ( with the procession of workers who i passed the Union Hall. When he got i opposite the hall, he heard one of the ] strikers, say, '"Go oil, your scabs." This 1 occasioned some words between the i strikers and the workers. Some strikers ' went into'the hall and closed it. He{. heard a report, but could not tell whe- i ' tlier it was a revolver shot or not. Harvey, a worker, tried to get through , the door. It was opened from within, and witness saw four or five men inside, three of whom had revolvers pointing outwards at different angles. Directly he saw the revolvers lie stopped, and ' called out, ''Look out!" at the same time jumping on one side. While in the act of jumping he was , STRUCK IN THE I.KG with a bullet. He was tiiulev the hrf-' pression that three shots were fired almost simultaneously, but he could not say positively that more than one shot was fired. The workers had not. the slightest ntention of interfering with anybody at the Hall. They were going to work. There had been no organised move to rush the hall. James Alfred Delancy said that he was a contractor working for the Waihi Company. He was a member of the procession proceeding to work. He was at its head. He had passed the liall about twenty paces when lie heard some altercation going on opposite the hall. He at once went back, and saw some scuffling. The Union Hall door was shut for a few seconds, but afterwards the left hand leaf of the door was opened by about a foot, and at the same time a shot was fired from within. At the same time he saw Evans standing inside with a revolver in his hand. Directly the shot was fired the door was slammed. He then saw Constable Wade endeavoring to open the door, and a second shot was fired. The constable then got into the passage-way of the building, followed by witness. At this stage a third shot was fired. Witness then, along with constable, went through the building, making their exit into the back yard. , He saw Constable Wade following Evans, and he (witness) followed a little distance behind. THE CONSTABLE SHOT FIRST. He saw Evans, when Constable Wade was rapidly overtaking him, half turn round and fire. Wade was then about five paces behind Evans. Wade then overtook him and struck him with his baton. He saw Evans fall to the ground, but did not see him again, as his attention was taken up with Constable Wade. The latter half stumbled and said, "I'm done; I'm shot." W 7 itroess caught hold of the constable; Jas. Scott gave corroborative evidence as to the incidents opposite the Miners' Hall at the rear of the building. He saw Doyle and Evans getting through the fence. They were followed by Constable Wade, and Delaney was some little distance behind the constable. When he (witness) got on the fence he heard a shot and saw Evans pointing a revolver. When he got over the fence he saw Constable Wade stagger. Meanwhile Evans was lying on the ground, and Harvey was wresting a revolver from him. Sidney J. Foster'gave similar evidence to the previous witness regarding the scene at the front and the back of the Union Hall. When Evans fired witness was only half a dozen yards behind the constable. Directly the shot was fired the- constable bent forward', and while covering the few yards between himself and" Evans he drew his baton. He also saw Evans receive A BLOW 7 ON THE HEAD AND FALL. Witness had every reason.' to believe that if the constable had not used his batorn Evans would have shot at him again-,, or at somebody els?:. Agnes Manning said that tlie back of her house commanded a view of the paddbek at the back of the half. She saw men running up the pitd'd'oek and a constable closely following tlie man in ■ the Ibad', when the latter put Ms hand behind' Mm, the action being followed by a report. She saw a flash and smoke <. from! a revolver, -She their saw the con: stable bend forward, catell- up to the man who had fired, and-,' drawing his ' baton l from his clothing behind, strike 1 him on the back of the head once or ! twice.. 1 AN IMPORTANT POINT. | To a juror:. It was arfter the man 1 had fired that the conjjaiblc drew his 1 hution.. : Dr. Hyde, medical siigerinteulent at Wailii Hospital, stated-that when ad- f mifcted to the hospital; on the I2th J inst., the deceased Evan* -was in a very ; serious sondition. He was suffering from l concussion and laceration of the brain, ft 'fflie right upper eyelid: was discolored, a and there were slight abrasions behind ] die ear,. A post mortemiexamination dis- j ! closed a discoloration: of both eyelids, a « ■jdisplacement of the cartilage of tbe nose, t iand post portem cEseokvration of the Jbaek and shoulders, audi upon removal, 1 jot the skull cap effusion of blood was 1 'found on the memltuHuic, with laceration j '-! of the brain on the back and right sides. 1 •; The other organs were found to be in a a healthy state, and, in the opinion of I ; tbe witness, the laceration of the brain, t ' combined with concussion, accounted for j death. The condition of deceased could : have been accounted for by a blow from a baton. A very severe blow would havecaused a fracture of the skull, but i» A this case there- was 110 fracture. When, d deceased was admitted to the hospital'd the only visible wounds were those tie-11 scribed—tho discoloration of the eye and' e

two abrasions, and they were slight. The post mortem discoloration to b he I back and shoulders w:is such as luuall} follows after death. DECEASED NOT KICKED. Deceased's condition was not consistent witli the statement that he had been kicked and knocked about by a frenzied crowd. Witness knew Constable Wade, who was admitted to the hospital :•■ iffering fi'om a wound on the right side of the abdomen. The constable's condition was serious, and he was not yet entirely out of danger. He also knew the man Johnston, who had been shot in the right leg. The bullet produced in court was that extracted from the wound. Dr. Craig corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. W. 11. Hazard, a gunsmith of 27 years' experience of firearms and ammunition of all kinds, gave technical evidence. lie had examined the revolver produced. Tt was of Belgium make, of low power. Four of the chambers had been recently fired. The bullet which had been exi tracted from Johnston's leg and pro- ' duced, witness said, had markings on it I that corresponded with the rifling of the (revolver. Another bullet found in the passage of the Union buildings was similar to the bullets already described, and its flattened appearance was consistent with it having struck the lock of a door. IA second revolver produced was described by witness as being of American ' make. If one of the bullets produced, , which had been taken from the un- [ charged weapon in possession of Doyle. I struck anybody at short range, .it would make a 'hole* large enough to put a hand in. The bullet in question had been criss-crossed by a sharp instrument, a practice prohibited in civilised war, THE INQUEST ADJOURNED. j The court was about to adjourn till to-morrow, when Mr. H. E. Holland, a prominent socialist, applied, on behalf of a relative, for an adjournment to permit of the Federation to obtain a legal representative and witnesses. It was ultimately decided to take the police evidence to-morrow, and after that to adjourn till December 4, when it was hoped that Constable Wade would be sufficiently recovered to give evidence. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE STRIKE. Auckland, Last Night. The Waihi Strike Committee emphatically repudiates the rumors in circulation to-day that attempts were- to be made to cause riots in connection with Mr. Massey's visit to Auckland. All-the Waihi men have been specially warned to keep aloof from these meetings, and a similar warning lias been issued to Federation members and sympathisers. A SCENE IN AUCKLAND. Auckland', Last Night. A disgraceful scene caused by the Fcderationists took place after Mr. Massey's meeting. A crowd, apparently of Fedcr- ' ationists and strikers, being disappointed of being robbed of the opportunity of giving a hostile reception to the Prime Minister, gave vent to their spleen by a frenzied chorus of "boohing," and for a while tilings looked decidedly ugly. Commissioner Cull en, however, took in the situation at a glance, and marshalling the police 100 strong succeeded in clearing- 1 fie streets in a comparatively short time; COURT CASES FIXED. Waihi, Tuesday. A number of informations have been laid ih connection with the recent troubles between Arbitrationists and. Federatibnists, to come on for hearing next Tuesday. There is no change in the condition of Constable Wade. The chief' trouble is his excessive weakness. A story was in circulation yesterday afternoon that a man on horseback, while journeying from Katikati to Waihi. was bailed up by an armed man. The former alleged that when bailed up he galloped across country, hotly pursued by the armed man, until the latter was brought to a standstill in a swamp. The pursued man alleges that revolver shots were fired at a distance of'about a quarter of a mile. The police made an investigation, but discovered nothing to substantiate the story, and place-little credence iri-i't.