TIMARU TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1920, Page 5

TIMARU TRAGEDY

THE TRIAL OF MATTHEWS. EXCITING ARREST DESCRIBED. COMMITTED TO SUPREME COURT.

Timaru, Last Night. The trial of Reginald Matthews on a charge of the murder of Clarence Edward Wagstaff at Seaview Terrace, Timaru, on October 27. was resumed in tiie Magistrate's Court to-day, when further evidence of identification was given. ! No female witness identified any other than accused, though Knapp could not identify accused because he could not say what the man who fired looked like from the front. Letters addressed E. Irving, E. E. Irving, and R. Laxcdtoe, care s.n. Waipori, were produced by Detective Quartcrmain, also one parcel post cjunterfoil, addressed to Mrs, C. Hall, care White House, Taihape, and seven postal note counterfoils signed E. R. Irving The date stamp was Auckland, June 21, 1 p.m. Detective Quartermain said he found the letters in a box belonging to accused at Phillipson's house in Christchurch, and also received a bundle of letters from Rose Phillipson and a torn photograph of accused. Constable Templeton, who assisted in the arrest of accused at Lyttelton, said Recused did not turn and fire when running from the police. He fired when witness was holding him down, the bullet penetrating the right knee above the cap. Constable Baines and Packer and Detective Eade were present when the shot was fired. SHOOTING AT THE ARREST. Constable Hislop said he was present at the arrest, and he examined the accused's pistol. It_ contained four cart' ridges fn the magazine, and there was one in the chamber. Accused did not fire any shots after witness caught hold of the pistol, and witness did not see accused fire any shots during the ovening, but he heard two or three shots fired i\st night. Detective! Shcehan said : .he went to cabin $ on the steamer Maori with De-, tective Leseuf, and he found a.dress basket with a label "E, R. . Irving" standing on the floor, arid a suitcase on the berth. ,Witness looked toward the door and saw accused standing in the doorway.; Witness stepped towards accused,-who drew an automatic pistol and said: "I'll shoot you, you —— ;" Witness drew a revolver and chased accused along the upper deck: Accused threatened to .shoot several timfs. and then he clambered down the side to the lower deck and ran down the gangway. Detective Bickerdike" fired twice at accused. Detective Eade said he saw accused collide with a truck and fall. There was a crowd around at the time of the arrest, and someone called out "Choke him." The pistol was of' twenty-five calibre, and the cartridge in the chamber missed fire. On being searched Cl 4 IBs was found on accused, and thirty-four cartridges in a small bo|"; also a scrap of paper bearing the impression: "Young Brown, retired ban-tam-featherweight champion of California, 1917-18; born Invercargill, New Zealand," When charged with the murder he replied: "Is that the charge." KNEW OF THE MURDER. Evidence was given concerning the accused's belongings and his visits to Phillipson's, Sydenham. He told them on his return on October 28 that he had been to Timaru. The murder was mentioned to him and he said he did not take any interest in that sort of thing. He had heard or read something about it, adding: "They would have to prove it on a man before 1 they could eon,vict him." The accused had visited Phillipson's several times, and Mrs. Phillipson altered some of his clothing, so that she easily identified them. These were found in the accused's suit case, as also was a enny of the Timaru Herald of October 28 containing an account of the murder, and a box of rubber type from which the stamp previously mentioned had been made up. To the Phillipson's, mother and daughter, accused had always seemed normal and cheerful, and romped with the children after his return from Timaru. One of the girls said he was known as Reginald Irving, A Timaru postal official recognised a parcel post counterfoil in the name of Reg Irving lent to Mrs. Davey, Dnnedin. Witness lived nest door to Wagstaff and was aroused by, the shots. He went over and saw Constable Palmer pick up a parcel receipt form with a Wellington postmark on it. Mrs. Davey, Dunedin, said she had known accused for six or seven years as "Tabby Matthews." She know that his initial was R. On October 25 she received from him from Timaru a box of chocolates for the children. About two years ago he asked her to write to him as "R. Irving, L. A. Lodge, National Bank," and "F. H. Lindop, Bank of N.Z." CHANGE'OF VENUE. K. T G. Holdgate, gunsmith, testified that the bullet extracted from the deceased wasi exactly similar to another fired from the accused's pistol into some soap so that it could be recovered. The rifling had peculiarities and was easily identified. He did not know the make of the pistol; the words on it "Made in Spain," were not the maker's mark. The evidence, was concluded at 6 p.m. Asked if he had anything to say, accused replied: "Not at present, thank you. My counsel will do my work for me." Mr. Thomas asked that the trial he held in some other centre than Timaru. The tragedy had moved the people of Timaru tremendously, and it. was doubtful if the accused would receive a fair trial here. He suggested Christchurch. Mr, Donnelly had no objection. His Worship concurred, accord- , ingly committed the accused for trial at Christchurch on February 8, 1921,