The Colchester Murder.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 98, 19 January 1901, Page 3

The Colchester Murder.

Wellington, January 17.

Sergeant Frost, of the Colchester Police, and [Marsh, keeper of the Colchester Town Hall, arrived yesteaday afternoon, for the purpose of identify-, ing, if possible, the man Lillywhite, now in custody, on the theory that he is Blatch, the, man charged with the Colchester murder.]

When the case was called on at the Magistrate’s Court to-day, Frost said he had known Blatch well, and had seen him when he was at Colchester nearly every day. Accused resembled Blatch very much,’but witness could not positively say that he was Blatch. The more the witness looked at him the more he svas convinced that he was the suspected man. Later on in his examination, he said ho had formed the opinion that accused was Blatch. In cross-examination he said he could not recognise the voice as like Blatch’s. Ho could not say whether Blatch was marked with smallpox as accused was. He -could not say positively it was Blatch, but still the aiore he looked at him the more convinced ho was. Marsh said he had not at first recognised tho accused as Blatch, but since he had been in Court he had formed the opinion that he was. In cross-examination, he said Blatch had a place worn in his teeth from holding 'ids pipe. Ho did not find the same peculiarity in accused. As neither of tho witnesses had aeon Blatch with a board, accused consented to bo shaved.

The prisoner went into the box and gave a history of his life on the linos of what ho had previously stated. Ho produced letters from America, a Crown grant for land in Ticoma that ho occupied bsforo tho murder, and a certificate cf membership in tho Painters’ and Decorators' Brotherhood of North America. He at, aiu denied that he was tho man wauled.

'During tho luncheon adjournment, Lilly white was shaved, and the two English witnesses afterwards stated that after seeing him without a beard, and hearing him give evidence, they were prepared to say that the prisoner was Blatch.

Mr Bell, for the Crown, stated that ho would to-morrow apply to the De-puty-Governor to have tho warrant endorsed, and during the day he would apply to the Stipendiary Magistrate for the prisoner’s committal to the English oJficials.

Tho proceedings were then adjourned till morning.