ALLEGED MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 210, 12 February 1915, Page 4

ALLEGED MURDER.

ROTTMAN TRIAL. THE RUAIIINE TRAGEDY. liy li'U-ynij'li.—i'er Press Association Wanganiii, February 11. A great deal of interest was manifested in t!i u Supreme Court this morning when Arthur Rottman was charged witik the murder at Ruahine,' on December 2S, oi Joseph McCain], Lucy .Mary Mo-Caim, and John Joseph MeOann. Accused pleaded not guilty. He was defended by Mr C. E. Maekay. Accused is apparently between 21 and 25. He is .intelligent looking and (ierman by birth, and not a naturalised British subject.

In opening the ease, the Crown Prosecutor (Mr Marshall) said it was a subject for congratulation that with the increasing population o;f tile ilSstrict iV.v crime* of tliii nature occurred here. He had been Crown Prosecutor for ma ny years, and tliis was the. first time he iiaci hail to address the jury on a crime of this sort. If the evidence showed the accused man was innocent it would be gratifying to all, but on the other rand an atrocious murder had been committed, by which three persons loot their lives, and if t)he murder was sheeted home to accused, lie asked the jury to do its duty and return a verdict of guilty. McCann was about 30, his wife 34, and the child four -months. The lirst witness (Roberts, a surveyor), explained the plan of the locality.. after which Herbert Sweet, farmer, of liualnne, was called and said that McCann promised to help witness witlU his sheep on tilie Monday, but did not comc. William Neil, a labourer, of Ruahine, said that on Boxing Day lie met accused riding one of McCann's liorses, and they went to llangiwliia together and had a good many drinks during tlie day. Accused was drunk during the afternoon, but was sober at night. On the way home they liad a conversation about McCann and liis family, and acciued said McCann was a good fellow, but be did not like this wife, wiio drank doo much whisky. Accused did not want to go home to McCann's that night, .'earing a row with McCann, and /rode with witness to the latter's father's place, but finally left there abont midnight. On Sunday morning witness saw McCann at the factory delivering his milk himself. The witness replied that lie could not give him a job, as the bush was nearly finished. Rottman B said he would not go home till he had seen. Dovey H. Butcher and spent the evening in the

bath. In the afternoon the barman told accused he would not sell liiin any

more liquor. Accused referred to Mc'Cann as a good fellow and did not seem to have any grudge against him. Thomas Jaems, storeman, of Mang-a-weka, for Monroe, who had a wholesale license, said that during December

lie supplied MlCanns with eleven bottles of beer and one of whisky, delivering the hamper on Christmas evening. Hesaw accused on the 28bh about 9.30 in tlie morning riding into M'Donald's stab-' lea on a chestnut horse belonging to M'Cann.

Albeit Patchctt, cheesemaker, of Rualiine, said M'Cann had supplied milk since the factory opened in September, and so far as witness knew, M'Cann was 'a sober man. On Sunday, December 27, accused came to tlie factory and eaid he had a good time at Hangiwaliia and looked as if he had had a night out, but 3poku quite rationally. Accused said lie was going home to have a sleep. On tho 28th Kottman brought the milk about 0.30. He was the first supplier that morning, and it was the first t'mo lie had ever been first.' Witness remarked to accused that it was early, and lie replied, "Joe is going away

ileeeing down at Sweet's." The milk that morning was not up to the average weight, being only 551b, or 1001 Us less than usual. Accused said, "Joe spilt some of the milk in putting it from one can to another." On Tuesday morning no milk came from Jl'Cann's, and witness and others went up to M'Cann's in the afternoon and tried the door of the house and knocked, hut got no reply. Then tltey went to the cow&hcd,

the door of which was shut. The body of M'Cann was found on the floor face down with a deep cut on the head. Gustave Kreger, farmer, of Ruahine, had known for seven or eight years. On Tuesday 29th, he found the windows of McCanu's house open, but the blinds were down. " He saw the child lying on the bed. The back door was looked. At tile side window, whidh was open, lie saw a box in wfoich were a pair of boots. Ou entering the bedroom he found the body of Mrs. M'Cann under the bedclothes, and the child with its head on the pillow. Gustave Kreger deposed that'he anil Vox milked M'Cann's cows, who were distressed, not having been milked on Tuesday, or-perhaps on Monday. Tliere were no signs of a large amount of milk having been spilt as alleged b,y Rottmann. William Neil, recalled by ©risoner's counsel, said that after he andllottmann mounted horses to go home tihey received more drink. Rottmann fell off his horse twice. To the Crown Prosecutor: Neil said that Rottmann placed the piano during tlio evening. James Badland, mail -contractor, said he saw Neil and Rottmann at Rangiwliaia about 3 p.m. on Boxing Day. Tfce.v were merry, though not drunk. Accused said, "As it's Boxing Day, it is up to M'Cunn to milk the cows to-night, as I have done it before. I don't care if I get tilie sacik, as I can go and work for Neil." On Monday witness met Rottmann at Mangaweka. In reply to a question put by witness, Rottmann said lie did not get home until three o'clock on Sunday morning, and ■as

Jt'C'ann had the cheek to lock the hade door lie (Rottmann) had the cheek to Igo through the front door. Ho gave no answer to witness' inquiry about how lie got on with M'Cann . Constable Essen, of Mangaweka, deposed that on Monday, December 28th, lie saw Rottuian at iMangaweka, and told him that under the new regulations Hoarding aliens he would not be allowed to travel more than twenty miles from his placo of residence without getting a police permit. Rottmann replied, "I have no intention of leaving the district. I am too well off where I am." Next day witness visited M'Cann'is house and found Rottman's room in a disordered state, and at the head of the bed, next the window, was a bloodstained sheet, ftiul an axe covered with lbood and hair was outside tho window. Ife made a search for signs of the milk supposed ta have been spilt, but failed to

discover any. In *tihe s,paro room ho found a case about ilialf full of quart beer bottles. There was no sign of any whisky. Cross-examined: Witness said he met Rottmann frequently, and he was a •■toady, quiet fellow, and sober. He was prepare.! to give him a permit to travel anywhere he wanted to.

William Kelly, a, labourer employed :it the lighthouse oil Tvarori Rock, near Wellington. gave evidence as to accused coming to the' lighthouse on December 2!) th. Accused said he wanted a boat to get over to Pelorus Round, and said lie would go along the beach and get it boat he saw there. Witness told him to go by tho Nelson boat. Accused replied that the wharves were lined with detectives and police, who were arresting Corinans. Accused added, "I would drown myself before I -would let the police take me." Rottman asked to be "put up" for the night, and witness agreed, on the - understanding that he should leave in the morning. They had tea, and afterwards played cards'

and an accordeon. Accused was talkine in Ins sloop during the night, but w jj? ness could not understand him. Before they turned in accused asked if the door was locked. Next moraine was New Year's Day, and two newspaper „ al ? e a .J )out 11 a - In - Accused read one«itL csa otllcr ' Accused said, ill sr°".conle5 r °". conle across the murder case yet?" Witness replied "No" cused started to read the report,'but omitted any reference to the suspected ■ Person having worked on the Hinomoa When witness read it and saw the mention of the Hinemoa, he considered was too to get out.' ho would go to town to get some letters. Accused said it was strange that witness wanted to go to town after read- « v lirder caßc " Witness replied that the boys would be out on : the Sunday, and explained that the other men were in town. Accused refused to so to into town with witness. Accusal said "Don't let the police know I ahi here." Witness replied, "You are sailor, and lam a sailor. There is nn cur that." Rottman then went ove» the hill i n the direction of Makara. Dr Turnbull, of Mangaweka, gave evidence as to the nature of the wound# inflicted on Mrs McCann and her infant.He was cross-examined at some length' on the questions of Irain storms im. pulsive insanity, the state of a man's Blind after heavy drinking, etc. Counsel: Are you acquainted with ft ease which occurred in Taranaki, in an rii, a t i'l Ca - man v!sited a woman and shot her twice? He had been drinking heavily. Drs Truby ICiL and Beattie gave evidence. The doctor wna acquitted on the ground of insanity. r n - es8 A AII 1 know about that case m m newspapers. To the Crown Prosecutor: Witness did