MURDER MYSTERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1921, Page 5

MURDER MYSTERY.

GREY LYNN TRAGEDY DEAD MAN’S MOVEMENTS. MORE EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. By Telegraph.—Press AsaodationAuckland, Last Night. The inquest concerning the death of Francis Edward Jew on July 16 or 17, at Grey Lynn, was continued to-day. On resuming, Mr. Meredith (for the police) made a request that while each witness was being examined the other witnesses should be excluded, in view of the possibility of discrepancies in their statements ’ being of some value. The Coroner acquiesced, and for the remainder of the inquest this course was follovzed. A newsboy, Edward Eaton, described the behaviour of Jew and Tom McMahon outside Shearer’s shop between 6.15 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. on the Saturday. Jew said he bet McMahon that he could stand straighter than McMahon. Jew seemed to be trying to get the bottle, but could not do so, and he told McMahon to stop fooling and go home. They went down a right-of-way, and seemed to be squabbling for a little while, and then came back. At that time Jew’s overcoat, a fawn-colored coat, was on a seat outside Shearer’s. Other aspects of the same incident were narrated by Wm. Hayes, another newsboy, who stated that Tom McMahon asked a boy, Green, to draw a chalk line to see who could stand strajghtest, but the boy declined. Witness thought the two men were friendly, and did not seem to be quarrelling. McMahon seemed unsteady on his feet, but Jew was all right. Three other newsboys testified about the incident, one of them stating that he saw the two men eventually get on a tramcar. Francis Kevin Burns narrated how he travelled to town from Grey Lynn early on the evening of July 16, in a tramcar in which Jew and Tom McMahon were seated. Leaving Shearer’s corner, McMahon, who appeared to have taken some liquor, said: “Let her go”, or words to that effect. Jew had asked McMahon where he was going and McMahon said “To the King’s Theatre.” -Jew told him that he (McMahon) hgd no business there, and should be at home. The pair got off the tram at Ariki Street and walked back towards Grey Lynn. Jew had paid the fares. Both young men had been calling out rather loudly in the tram. Shortly before, the tram started McMahon was leaning forward in his seat, and was told by Jew to “sit up”; Jew got off the. tram first, and told McMahon to get off. He appeared to be looking after McMahon. Alexander James Poljock, who was conductor of the 6.45 p.m. tram from Shearer’s, Grey Lynn, to town on the evening of July 16, said Jew was sober, but his companion was well intoxicated. Jew called his companion “a cow of a man” several times, added the conductor. Among the witnesses was Frederick Louis Armitage, Government bacteriologist, who said he received from the police a hat, overcoat, coat, waistcoat and trousers for examination for human bloodstains. > The hat was marked “T. MeM” There were no traces of blood on the hat, coqt, waistcoat or overcoat, but there were bloodstains inside both the left and right-hand trouser pockets. He could not give the age of the stains, ad there was no test determining this. It was human blow) in each case. The bloodstains must naturally have eome from the knuckles and not from the palms, owing to their positiin in the pockets.