WAIRONGOMAI TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1917, Page 2

WAIRONGOMAI TRAGEDY.

FURTHER EVIDENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Gisborne, Sept. 18. William Williams ILudbrook, partowner of the Wairongomai station, and manager, deposed that accused came into his employ on May 28 last under the name of E. D. Clayton. Bradley and Andersen had worked for him oil' and on for three years. There were neighbors at the homestead, tout none at the Ibaek, being all standing bush. There were no neighbors at all' near the camp. The only way for any one to go to the camp (riding) would be up past the homestead to the track. It would be very difficult to get from any other quarter unless from Hurikia, there being no track, they would have to come through standing ibush. On Monday afternoon, July 23, Keogh reported what he had found at the camp, and witness consequently reported the matter to the police. Witness accompanied a party out to the camp next day, riding with accused part of the way. He asked accused what had caused the row between Andersen and ißradley. Accused said he did not know, but he saw.Andersen 'bring his fist dojwn on the ta'ble exclaiming: "I told you so before." Andersen then struck Bradley a 'blow and that started the fight. Bradley, he said, got the best of it, and thumped Andersen out of the galley into the'sleeping part of the tent. He said Andersen stood there waving his fists about and swearing at Bradley. He further Baid that a'bout breakfast time Andersen told him (accused) ho was going to get out of the job and asked accused .to get a packhorse. A boy called Q?ua Pokai and his tnato joined the party at the tin whare when on the way out. He knew they were there. A shepherd had given them permission to sleep there that night. His Honor: What were they doing there ?—Shooting pigeons, if truth were told.

Had they a rifle?—No, a shotgun. His Honor: Had you any other Winchester rifle on your station?-—Mo, this was the only rifle on the station. Apirana Aupouri, sometimes called Bob Kartini, a packman employed on fjhe Wairongomai station, deposed that on the Monday evening accused came to his room and wanted to take some clothes out of a box he had left there, also some important documents and books that he had in the box. While doing so, accused, if he heard footsteps, would attempt to close the box up sharply and put it under the bed. Accused said that if he (accused) should get into any trouble over this matter he (witness) should i&ve the contents of the box. He did not ask accused what he meant by getting into trouble. Next day, after coming back with the bodies, accused came to him and said: "If Johnston had not more than one shot in the deceased they mould not have sent for the doctor or the detective and inspector." He also said that the only man he was afraid of was the sergeant, but he would "give him a go."

VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY. Gisborne, Sept. Ift. Mr. Justice Hoskings this morning delivered a lengthy summing up. His Honor said the jury had to be satisfied whether murder had been committed, and if so whether accused was the guilty person. It was for the Crown to establish the case, not for the prisoner to establish his innocence. The conclusion originally arrived at that it was a case of murder and suicide had resulted from there not having been the thorough investigation one would expect in a case of murder. In a murder case they usually had to rely on circumstantial evidence. Prisoner, so far as was known, was the last person seen with the two deceased, and according to his statement he came down to get a pack-horse for Anderson. There was no property of the deceased found on accused, and it was on his subsequent conduct they were asked to judge the case. His Honor closely reviewed the evidence as to accused's demeanour, and also dealt with the question of motive. After half-an-hour's retirement the jury returned a verdict of "Not Guilty."