MURDER TRIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1922, Page 5

MURDER TRIAL.

LONG ACRE TRAGEDY. DEATH OF a CHINAMAN. ACCUSED IN LOWER COURT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wanganui, July 20. Louis Toldy appeared in the S.M. Court this morning on a charge of the murder of a Chinaman, Chow Yat, on May 31 at Gordon Park, about three miles from town. Mr. Marshall appeared for the prosecution and Mr. Treadwell for the defence. Mr. Marshall outlined the facts of the case, stating that apparently the body was left some time on the roadside after the murder and later on in the night removed to where it was discovered by a young lady on the way home. The pointe relied on by the prosecution were that accused knew deceased, that he was seen in the locality on the evening of the murder when approaching the whare where the Chinaman lived, accused endeavoring to avoid recognition ’when seen. He was currying a fawn eoat on his arm. Search was at once made for the coat and accused said he never had a coat of the description. It was also known that the Chinaman had a half-sovereign which he cherished, and a half-sovereign was discovered in the possession of accused. The statethat accused left the body after the ments of the accused to the police had varied considerably. The theory was murder about 6 p.m., that he returned home and later revisited the scene of the murder to complete the robbery and the removal of the body 1000 yards along th road where it was discovered. The prosecution suggested that the object of removing the body was to throw it over a fence into the bush and the murderer was probably interrupted.

FURTHER EVIDENCE. MOVEMENTS OF ACCUSED. A QUESTION OF TIMES. Wanganui, Last Night. At the Toldy murder trial Detective Cameron produced a dark tweed overcoat and oilskin which admittedly belonged to Toldy He quoted a conversation with Toldy, when the latter said that neighbors declared they saw him at home at six o’clock. The detective said that the neighbors, when consulted by the police, said the time was seven o’clock. Following on this the detective told accuse:! that investigations of his statements proved them to be vitally incorrect, and he therefore arrested Toldy. Accused had half a sovereign in his possession.. He also produced it on June 22. ibui witness did not then know that Chow Yat had had half a sovereign. Detective Cameron and Detective Quirke walked from the scene of the murder to Toldy’s home by road in 38 minutes and across the fields in 30 minutes. Witness also said that a wash-tub full of soap-suds was in the whare at the time he visited it. Detective-Sergeant Qnirke’s evidence was on similar lines. He said accused declared he had only two overcoats. When Toldy Mrs. Secord saw him on Wednesday night witness told him it was on Tuesday night. Inspector Fouliy produced another written statement sierned by Toldy in which the latter said he was in bed from 2 to 5 and from 6 till 9 on the day of the murder. Wm. Stewart, a boy living near by. said he heard four shots about 5.45 and saw two men running along the road in the semi-darkness. He told his father later, but nothing was done. Other witnesses said they passed along the road early in the evening and if Vat’s body had been there they must have seen it. One witness said he passed a man going at a great rate towards town, but he could not tell who it was. Mary O’Donnell said, that when cycling home to Long Acre after 10 pm. she saw a body on th'e roadside. She had first seen accused in the district on the Monday before the murder and again on Wednesday morning.

Richard O’Donnell’s evidence related to events of Tuesday and Wednesday and did not correspond with Toldy’s account. He said that on Wednesday he saw Toldy on the road and Toldy went off into some hush, sidling round a tree as O’Donnell passed. Toldy then had a light gabardine overcoat over his arm On Friday when he saw Toldy again the latter seemed confused. To accused’s counsel witness said there was no difficulty in seeing Toldy in the bush. The hearing was adjourned. CAUSE OF DELAY. Wellington, July 20. Regarding the complaint made in Wanganui that there has been undue delay in proceeding with the charge against Toldy, the Minister of Justice contradicts the statement. A bacteriological examination of the clothing of Toldy had to be made and as this examination in tlie circumstances was one required great care and time the hearing of charge against accused had to be deferred until the report of the bacteriologist had come to hand and the police were able to go on with the case immediately.