THE HAWTHORNE CASE

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 210, 16 November 1897, Page 2

THE HAWTHORNE CASE

INQUEST ON THE BODY. A CIIARu-E OF MURDER. An inquest was held on the bedy of Alfred Hawthorne on Saturday, after the viewing of the body. Dr. Caliill, who .vas present when the body was exhumed at Silverstream, said he had subsequently in conjunction with Dr. Tripe, made a post mortem examination. Had found a small hole on the left side of the head which pene tratcd the skull. On opening the skull he found the brain in an advanced stage of decomposition. From a mass of brain matter he extracted the pieces of lead and bone he produced. The lead was evidently a portion of a bullet which had penetrated the skull. There was only the wound of entrance. He could trace no wound of exit. The hat found on the body was handed to witness, who said the hole in the hat tallied with that in the head. The wound was quite sufficient to cause death. The position of the wound made the theory of suicide untenable.

Dr. Tripe agreed in toto with the evidence of Dr. Caliill.

Frank Philpot, who was Hawthorne's mate, was brought up in custody. litis a man of about thirty, with a very bad record and several aliases, and is a native of Taranaki.

George Snow deposed to deceased and accused havirjg lived and worked toge'herat Silverstream. Last saw Hawthorne alive about ten weeks back. On witness remarking to accused upon the disappearance of Hawthorne, he said his mate had cleared out. A few days later accused shifted his camp across to witness' place. He said he had bought Hawthorne out. He brought a number of tools which witness recognised as belonging to Hawthorne. He also recognised two watches and a clock as the property of deceased. Stanhope (Philpott) said he had bought them from Hawthorne, and Mrs Stanhope showed witness the receipt some time afterwards. Stanhope left a revolver with with witness, but took it away about two hours aftewards. That was about 8 p.m. on September 4th. Witness never saw Hawthorne after Stanhope took the revolver away. Stanhope said the weapon belonged to Mr Sowerby, who had quarrelled with Hawthorne and might shoot him. At this stage a letter was read, dated September loth, 1897, purporting to have been written by Mrs Stanhope and addressed to Hawthorne's s'ster at Woodville, stating that Hawthorne had poisoned his right hand and alluding to Stanhope's kindness to him in his illness. A P.S., signed " H.M.5.," deprecating Hawthorne's allusion to his kindness, was added. Hawthorne had disappeared some time before the date of this letter. Another letter was put in, dated ISth September, addressed to E. A. Hawthorne, Silverstream. It was signed H. M. Stanhope, and claimed that Hawthorne had taken away £27 from Stanhope's box. Coustable Cruickshank deposed that Hawthorne's disappearance was first reported to the police about eight clays ago by Snow and another mau named Menzies. Search was kept up continuously from that time till Friday last, when the body was found. On a track about thirty yards from the grave he found an empty revolver cartridge, which fitted the revolver produced. P. C. Sowerby, who had been on very friendly terms with deceased, said he had never seen the revolver produced, or given any revolver to Stanhope. Detective Neil deposed that when he arrested accused on another charec he found the revolver loaded in all chambers upon him. He said his mate Hawthorne had gone to Dunedin about two mouths ago, that he had purchased Hawthorne's camp and " togs," and got a receipt for them. When charged with the murder he made no reply. Police Clerk Wright produced a statement made by Stanhope as to Hawthorne's disappearance when he was arrested for forgery. He said Hawthorne had sold out to him and gone to Dunedin. He had a receipt for the money, but admitted the one produced was a forgeiy. He received a receipt from Hawthorne, but had lost it, so wrote out another.

(BY TELEOKAriI.—OWN CORRESPONDENT), Wellington, Last Night. In the Supreme Court, to-day, Philpott, who is accused of Hawthorne's murder, pleaded guilty to a charge of forgery and false pretences. The Judge commented on the fact that there were several previous convictions, and sentenced the prison to three years with hard labour. Another of this man's aliases is Wells.

The Grand Jury may possibly adjourn till Thursday, and Philpott will be brought before the Magistrate in the meantime to euable the murder charge to be taken this session.

It is understood that accused himself is desirious of having it come on as soon as uoosible.