THE WAIRONGOMAI TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1917, Page 8

THE WAIRONGOMAI TRAGEDY.

TRIAL OF ACCUSED. Itj> Telegraph.—Press Association. Gisbornc, Last Night. At the Supreme Court, Frank Inkster, alias .Edward Insker, alias Edward Clayton, aged 17i years, was charged with, murdering Olive Anderson and ffl'arvey Bradley, at Wairongomai, on July 22. Accused, who preserved the calm demeanour which characterised his appearance in the lower court, pleaded not guilty. Mr. L. T. Burnard appeared for the defence, and Mr. F. W. Nolan prosecuted for the Crown.

The prosecutor, in opening, said, the evidence submitted 'by the Crown was circumstantial, and would relate to the chain of circumstances respecting the death of the two men, Anderson and Bradley. Four men, lie proceeded, were employed at Wairongomai, -14 miles from Tuparoa camp and 12 miles from the homestead. Anderson and Bradley were mates, and had worked together for a couple of years. Keogh was foreman, and Inkster was the youngest, and had only been on the station ten or twelve days before he went on the job. The men were engaged in cutting tracks for sheep to come through in the spring. Keogh was in the habit of going to the homestead every week-end. On July- IS ■three of the men went out shooting. Keogh was back first and replaced his ammunition and rifle in the tent in the usual position, the rifle being slung to the ridge pole and the ammunition placed in the bunk. When the party re-> turned, Anderson, who had remained at camp, produced a watch which he had lost some time before, and which he found in prisoner's bunk. Prisoner said he got it from a native named Joe Patae, and Anderson asked if it was true that prisoner had stolen a "quid" from Potae After this incident Anderson and prisoner were not on speaking terms. Keogh left for the homestead according to custom on Saturday, and next day prisoner also arrived at the homestead, stating that Anderson intended to leave and had sent him for a pack-horse. The evidence would show that there '\vas no need for accused to liave been sent i down to the homestead for a pack-horse, at there were pack-horses in the Mangaporo paddock near the camp, and further, Anderson had no to carry on the pack-horse. The inference the Crown wished them to take was that these men were shot on Sunday the 22nd. i Kcogli returned to camp on Monday, folj lowed at some distance by prisoner with | a pack-horse. Keogh 1 found the bodies at the camp, and, hurrying hack to reiport the matter, he met accused at the j Mangapoor paddock and informed him that the two men in the camp were dead. Accused asked him. where they nfexc shot, apparently knowing tihey were shot, though Keogh had not stopped to examine the bodies, and that w n as his first question. His next was: Would they send for a doctor? Later, before there was any suggestion of murder, accused said to Apouri (a native packman) that if he (accused) was to fall into any trouble he could make himself comfortable with the contents of his portmanteau. The remark was significant, in viAv of other remarks lie had made. The accused Was the first person to make any assertion as to there being four wounds in Anderson's body, and t'his was when the post mortem avas in progress, before anyone was aware 01" the number of wounds. Counsel proceeded to detail prisoner's flight from the homestead and subsequent capture. | Dr. Davis gave formal medical evidence to show that Anderson was shot in four places, three of the wounds being such as 'would cause death, and Bradley in' two places, both being fatal wounds.

Michael Keogh, of the camp party, was giving evidence on the lines of counsel's statement when the court adjourned until to-morrow.