ALLEGED SHEEP-STEALING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3114, 12 February 1909, Page 7

ALLEGED SHEEP-STEAL-ING.

"OTARAIA VENDETTA."

The charge against John O'Keefe of having stolen three ewes and one lamb the property of Arthur Martin, of Otaraia, partly heard on Wednesday, came before the Wellington Supreme Court again yesterday. Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C., with - him Mr C. A. Pownall, instructed by Mr J. W. Card, Featherston, appeared for the accused, and Mr Myers prosecuted. In opening the case for the defence, Mr Pownall explained that Martin was a large run-holder. Robinson was his manager, and O'Keefe was a smill farmer, owning about four hundred acres. His property was surrounded by Martin's. For the past twenty years relations between" Martin and O'Keefe had been severely strained. It was just twenty years since Martin first pns?cuted O'Keefe for the alleged theft of an iron* put, wori.h a few shillings, and an arsenic bath, worth 3s or 4s. Accused was acqui.ted. Fifcean years ago Martin brought a charge of cattle-stealing against O'Keefe without avail, and eighteen months ago Martin once more prosecuted O'Keefe fur alleged sheep stealing. Accused was committed for trial, and acquitted by the jury. Ihis brought them up to the late, t act of the drama, which, counsel asserted, was generally referred to as the"Otaraia vendetta." Counsel went on to say that the "neavy j villain" of the drama entered O'Keefe's employ in December last —one Smith (>r Collins). O'Keefe would deny tha evidence given by this witness, and expert evidence would bd called to show that the skin produced in Court was a "dead" skin, and not a "butchered" skin. This was a woolly skin. The defence would show that accused had ordered j Smith (or Collins) to kill shorn sheep, and that he did so. These skins had disappeared, and the inference was that the woolly skin was a "plant." After referring to some details of the evidence, counsel c-Jled witnesses far the defence. William G. Taylor, duly qualified veterinary surgeon, practising in Wairarapa, said the skin produced was a "dead" skin. On this point b.3 had not the .slightest doubt. Witness vvas cross-examined at considerable length by Mr Myers. He admitted that the wool about the neck of the skin was bloodstained for the whole length. It was usual t.i find some of,the veins black in a dead skin, but not all of them. Mr Mjers: Practical men say they are all black. Do you disagree with that Witness: I do. In conclusion, witness said it did djc surprise him that practical men had dashed the ski-i as a "live" ski', men judged on the amount ot injury to a skin. I Alexander Malcolm Brodie, veter- ' i iary sjrgeou, also declared that the j skin was a dead one. He corroborated the evidence of'the previous wit-1 ness without exception. Mr Myf-r*: iSoihmg will shake 50U ! ii. jour opinions? Witness: No. I - is a case of doctors differing?— Well, there has only been one doctor here to-day. Well, a case of experts differing? —Exp.rts of a different class. His Honor: It's a case of a doctor differing with a fellmonger. (Laughter). BUTCHERS' EVIDENCE. Albert Alexander Narby,' farmer and butcher, residing at Masterton, said his experience of these two busintsses extended over tw:nty \ years. As a practical man witness declared that the skin was a" >. ad" 1 skin. Hugh Long, butcher, Ma.i.rton, • gave similar tvidence. • Benjamin Richard Rayner (farmer, : Masterton), W. Buckeridge (farmer, Masterton) Chris. Heaton Smitn 1 (farmer and butcher, Masterton), . and Thos. Flynn (farmer on the Dyer ■ Settlement) also gave evidence. The j first three witnesses said the skin 1 was a "dead" oi,e. The last-mei - tioned witness and James Nathaniel ( Lowe, another farmer, stated they J had seen a skin, apparently a shorn j one, pulled off a batten fence by a 1 terrier dog. James Wilson Gibson, ! flaxmiller, and a neighbour of the j accused, gave evidence that the skin j pulled off the fence by a dog was a j shorn one.—"Post."

SAM!*