TRIAL FOR MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1921, Page 5

TRIAL FOR MURDER.

OUTCOME OF SETTLER’S DEATH. CHARGE AGAINST MAORI. TRAGEDY ON SHOOTING TRIP. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Hamilton, Last Night. At the Supreme Court to-day Hakaraia Tekahu was charged with the murder of Patrick Richard Elliott, at Ongaroto on March 2'G. The accused was apparently not affected. Dr. Herbert Bertram, who, with Dr. Price, conducted the post-mortem, said that except for a slight abrasion on the side of the head, which might have been caused after death by bumping against a rock, there was no other injury except a gunshot wound in the back of the neck —a double wound, such as would be caused by two barrels of a fowling piece. The large number of shot in the wounds were such as to cause instantaneous death. He did not think the wounds could have been self-inflicted. The shots must have been fired at a close range The cause of death was the gunshot/wound in the back of the neck, which smashed the vertibrae and spinal cord, causing instantaneous death. The man was dead, in witness’ opinion, before the body was put in the water; there was no water in the lungs or stomach. To Mr. Hampson (accused’s counsel): When he said tne wound was not selfinflicted he meant not deliberately selfinflicted. It was possible for deceased, when reaching for the gun behind, to have accidentally discharged the weapon and shot himself. Counsel: Would it have been possible for Elliott to have walked into the river after the wound was inflicted. Witness: Absolutely not. Replying to his Honor, witness said the first shot would kill Elliott. There would be a good deal of bleeding from the wouiid, and if the deceased was carried to the river it was almost certain that the person carrying him would have his clothes bloodstained. Dr. Maurice Price gave corroborative evidence of the post-mortem. Eva Jones, wife of J. Jones, farmer of Ongaroto, said that about mid-day on Easter Sunday Tekahu and Elliott called at her house. Both had guns. Elliott asked to borrow a dog as he was going down the river shooting and might see ducks. She noticed IXliott was wearing a light navy blue coat and she believed Tekahu was wearing khaki riding pants. She told Elliott to take the dog. Elliott asked her if she knew, anything about pleurisy, as he had a pain under the right shoulder. She him to paint it with iodine and said she would give him some if he called on his return. They then went towards the creek, taking the dog. She did not see either men that day, but the dog was at the door early next morning. It was not necessary to pass the house on their return as there was another way round. She heard the dogs bark twice outside the dwelling but did not trouble to go out to ascertain the cause. Tn reply to Mr. Hampson, witness was not prepared to say for certain what Tekahu was wearing. Her dogs usually barked when disturbed. ‘ Thomas Edward Bentley, a contractor at Ongaroto, said he saw Elliott at one o’clock on the afternoon of Easter Sunday crossing a creek in company with a Maori. Martha Cook, wife of Rawson Cook, employed by Cox at Ongaroto. said she was out walking about four o’clock on Easter Sunday afternoon when she heard two shots fired in quick succession, practically simultaneously, in the direction of the river. She saw no one about. . Mr. Hampson asked witness if she did not have visitors that afternoon and was getting tea for them at four o’clock. Witness excitedly protested that she was telling the truth. She said she knew nothing about any visitors and would not answer any more questions about people not concerned in this case. His Honor told witness to answer the questions. Witness, to Mr. Hampson, said: I told you exactly what happened; I haven’t made any mistakes. The case was adjourned till tomorrow.