OPEN VERDICT.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1921, Page 5

OPEN VERDICT.

GREY LYNN TRAGEDY. MURDERER NOT KNOWN. END OF THE INQUEST. By Telegraph.—-Press Association. 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 concluded to-day, the Coroner returning an open verdict. Emma Millington, living two doors from the vacant section, gave evidence that she heard the noise of boys squabbling outside her gate about 11.30 on the night of Saturday, July 17. She heard some pass along the right-of-way adjoining. About, twelve o’clock she heard some boys quarrelling outside her gate. She told Mr. Portierre, who had been making an independent investigation, that she saw blood on the telegraph post opposite her house. Her husband put his hand on her gate on Monday morning and got blood on it. Herbert Millington gave evidence that on Monday morning, on going out of his gate, he put his hand on the gate post and got some blood on his hand. He thought someone had expectorated with blood in his mouth.

Detective-Sergt. Cummings disposed of the statements as to blood on the gate, saying it might have come from the men who found the body, who used the gate. The discoloration on the telegraph post was proved not to be blood. Detective-Sergeant Cummings stated that on July 17 he arrived on the scene of the murder, being immediately followed by other members of the police staff. He saw the body on the section. After having described the attitude of the body, the witness said the pockets of the clothes showed no sign of 1 interference, and his clothing was properly adjusted. Among other things in the vest pocket was a cameo ring. Witness found rain water in the folds of an overcoat that was across the lower part of the body. Among other details of the state of the dress given minutely by witness was that the tie of deceased was quite normally adjusted, and did not appear to have been disturbed. There were no indications of a struggle. In the course of his description of the indications and circumstances witness stated that a batten found near the body weighed 51b. It was examined for finger prints without result. Blood and hairs from the batten and body were handed to Mr. Armitage for microscopic and bacteriological scrutiny, as also were two splinters of wood found adhering to the head of deceased. Two tram tickets were found in a pocket of deceased’s coat. It was some time before the police were able to get the body identified, but after identification that afternoon the body was removed and submitted to a post mortem examination the same day. The night of Saturday, July 16, was moonlit but overcast; the full moon that month was on July 20. Heavy rain fell at 4 a.m. and again at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning, but there was a high wind, to which the body, when found, was exposed, which would account for the clothing being dry in places. Witness handed to the bacteriologist, in addition to what had been mentioned, a suit of clothes belonging to the witness McMahon, and a suit of clothes from the witness Kelly. No blood mark was found on Kelly’s clothing. The rooms of McMahon, Kelly and Jew were searched. Ihe champagne bottle mentioned by witnesses was found next door to Gregory’s, as also was the glass. By the blood stains on deceased’s trousers it was obvious that the overcoat must have been placed over the legs of the body after the bloodstains had got on the trousers.

To Mr. Meredith: Everything pointed, in his opinion, to the injuries having been inflicted at the spot where the body was found.

The Coroner commented on the unsatisfactory nature of some of the evidence, which, unfortunately, did not lead to any very definite conclusion. His duty was to find when, where and by what means deceased came by his death, and he recorded a formal verdict. He did not think the evidence justified him in saying more.