MURDER MYSTERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1921, Page 5

MURDER MYSTERY.

GREY LYNN TRAGEDY. MOVEMENTS OF DECEASED. FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright. Auckland, Last Night. The inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Francis Edward Jew, who was found murdered at Grey Lynn on July 17, was continued to-day. A large number of witnesses were closely examined by the Crown in regard to what they knew of the movements of deceased and his companions prior to the murder. When the inquiry was resumed this morning Mr. Prendergast (for McMahon) made a statement respecting his status at the proceedings. He had looked the matter up, he said, and had found that his status, if no greater, was at least no less than that of Mr. Meredith (for the police). It was only for convenience that the police conducted the calling of evidence at an inquest; in actual fact the matter was entirely in the hands of the Coroner. Counsel said that in England, and he assumed it was the same here, where the Coroner had refused counsel the right to call evidence and cross-examine witnesses, the findings

had been quashed. Consequently he thought his friend, Mr. Meredith, could not object to any representations that he, as counsel for an interested person, should properly make. > The Coroner stated that the matter was entirely in his discretion, and counsel had a perfect right to ask questions by permission of the Coroner. If Mr. Prendergast wished to ask questions he would not prevent him from doing so. Percy Lupton, ’bus driver, said he did not see either deceased or Tom McMahon between 7.30 and 9.30 p.m., when McMahon, Mackie and another young man got on his ’bus, travelled to Point Chevalier and returned at 10.15 p.m. All had pies at Green’s shop. He had stated that there was a third man in company with Jew and McMahon at the terminus about 7.30 p.m., and the police brought a man named Kelly, whom he identified as that man. Having been told that the police had shown in evidence that Kelly was not there, witness replied that he was either Kelly or a man of very much the same appearance. He would not swear to it. When they were about to start for Point Chevalier, McMahon asked: “Is that Putty (meaning deceased) under Shearer’s 1 verandah?” He had not mentioned this since, because he did not want to get anyone into trouble; he had known McMahon so long. The inquiry was adjourned.