STORY OF SHOOTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 January 1943, Page 2

STORY OF SHOOTING

TOLD BY THREE SEAMEN TERRACE GARDENS TRAGEDY. CRAWFORD AGAIN REMANDED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Events leading up to a party to which they had been invited at No. 17 Terrace Gardens, and the happenings which ended with the shooting episode in which two American marines were killed and a girl was seriously wounded in the early hours of the morning of January 7, were described by three seamen in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday, when John Sidney Crawford, a South African seaman, aged 26, was charged with having murdered Sydney S. Sparrow and Elmer William Geti, and with having attempted to murder, .Hazel Josephine Salmon and Constable Thomas William Illes. Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., was on. the Bench, and four witnesses were called. With the case for the police partly heard, accused was remanded by consent till February 17. Referring to his statement of the previous day that a report which might be prejudicial to accused had appeared in a Wellington newspaper, Mr Stacey said that, in fairness, he should point, out that both Wellington daily newspapers had contained the reference. The Magistrate: “I do not think anything appeared in the papers that was likely to prejudice any one.” Thom Oswald Philip Walker, aged 28, a cook in an overseas ship, described a party at a house which witness recognised from a photograph and at which liquor had been consumed. Crawford shot a marine and a girl he knew as “Bunty” and the third shot was fired through the key-hole. The marine was at the door of “Bunty’s” room. James Arthur Gilbert, an officer’s steward and shipmate of the previous witness, said he was at the house in question, where he met a girl called “Bunty.” “Bunty” told Crawford she would be glad when he went away. Crawford said that when she had come to him for £1 he had given her a £5 Liote. After she had gone he told all the room that he had paid for her lodgings and paid for her to go to Christchurch and back. About one and a half or two bottles of sherry were drunk while they were in the room. Crawford had a bottle of whisky. There was quite a bit gone when witness saw it later. Witness, when the time came to go home, was fairly sober. Crawford seemed to be pretty sober. Accused, Walker and Hughes went down the stairs first, witness following behind. As he came down to the bottom he saw Crawford standing with his back against the wall, and somebody knocking at the door of “Bunty’s” room. 'That person was in a uniform, and witness thought it was a policeman at first. Crawford was facing “Bunty’s” door. Witness went back into the front hall and asked Crawford if he was coming with them. Accused made no reply and witness saw the door half *ar. Shots were then fired by Crawford into the room. Witness knew “Bunty.” She was his girl friend for a time., Witness had finished with her last trip, but he knew that this time she was going round with Crawford. He did not consider it unusual to see the marine knocking at the door of “Bunty’s” room. The final witness for the day was Donald John Hughes, an assistant baker on an overseas ship. Witness said he saw a marine in the hall of the house and then left. He heard talking, but could not say what it was. He then heard three shots, .and .left the house.