THE THAMES SENSATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 512, 8 September 1902, Page 2

THE THAMES SENSATION.

THE EVIDENCE.

(.Special to Times.l Auckland, Saturday. <i .-cat interest is bein'; taken in the sordid store of the Thames shooting case. Michael Whelan is a coach-maker at Karanguhake, aged d. 3. The evidence showed that though accused was a married ! woman, Whelan had been on terms of j intimacy with her for 3i years. In his } evidence Whelan stated that he last saw j the accused at Kanmgahake about two or j three months previous to the shooting incident. They then parted bad friends, |

as he ha.i tuid bur he was going to get married and did not want her to be running after him. &he said, " Aii tight, my boy, you will be sorry for that, for the day you get married that day you will die.” They corresponded with each other up to the time of witness leaving for Karangahake, 12 months ago, but he would not say he had not done so since then. Ho would not swear he had written to Mrs Taylor about a month ago, addressing her " My darling,” and winding up with " Tours lovingly.” He generally signed himself as Jack or Jim, as it was her wish. Previous to going to Karangahake he had to visit lur houso almost every night or else site would be after him. During his stay j a t. lvarangahake she visited him about four or live times. Her visits to Karangahake were always at his request in writing. His only reason for writing accused affectionate letters from Karangahake was because if he hud not done so she would have been up there after him, and would have made a " holy show ” of him before everyone. She had done so at the Thames. He often came to the Thames and visited Mrs Taylor at her house. He went there because if ho did not go Mrs Taylor would come and take him away from any girl ho might he with. He w’ould not swear that on each occasion he came from Karangahake to Thames he did not notify Mrs Taylor ho was coming. He wrote her letters because she always wrote, inviting him to come. Ho had burnt all tho letters received from her. During the last live years, Mrs Taylor had not advanced him various sums amounting to X.OO and .£IOO. His presence at their house was frequently tho cause of trouble between accused and her husband, and that was why Mrs Taylor sent her husband to Auckland. Witness would swear ho novel* struck Mr Taylor and once gave him a black eye, neither had Mr Taylor ever attempted to put him out of the 'house, Mrs Taylor was at Karangahake about a month ago. lie received a wire from her to meet her at Paeroa, but could not say that she came there at his written request, for he hud written so many times. She rode out with him to Karangahake at that time, but did not pay her coaeli fare. She was there about three evenings, and ho was in her company one of those ovenings by her appointment. That was on tho third evening. It was about 12 o’clock on the first evening when they arrived at Karangahake. They quarrelled that night. She did not tell him on that occasion that he had almost promised to marry her, neither did she tell him that he. had dragged her down to the present position ; neither did she say at that interview that if he married sho would shoot herself. She had never told him that she would destroy herself if ho married, but she had told him that she would destroy him.

Witness was not at the house every evening at which Mrs Taylor stayed during her visit to Karangahake, but he was outside the gate each evening, except on the Sunday evening. Witness could not say ho was the father of the two children referred to, as accused was a married woman, but he would admit that ho had been intimate with her during the past 5.1 years. The children were put out to nurse, witness understood, because Mrs Taylor considered children were a nuisance in the house. Witness had seen one of the children in Auckland. The accused had brought the child out into the street and shown it to witness. The quarrel at Karangahake was because witness told accused ho was going to get married. Accused then told him she thought he was cruel. Her last words on that occasion were not “ If you do not marry me, I will dostray myself,” but that sho would “ do " for witness. On the night of the shooting, when witness came off the verandah, accused was about three or four yards away. He then jumped off and seized hold of her, because, although he had spokeu twice he had not received a reply. Witness did not say at any time “ I know who you are, you .” Ho had no difficulty in throwing her down, as she was very light. Witness grabbed hold of her left wrist with his left hand, and placed his right hand on her shoulder. Hit revolver went off when he had hnld of her left hand, and it was only when he ,aw her raise the revolver past his face thai he got hold of her right wrist. When ier head was lying on his right shoulder he did not point the revolver at hetself, >ut she pointed it at him. The revolver weni off during the time he held her wrLt. Ule.r it went off he ih-ew accused down nl had complete control over her. He ml not know when the revolver (ell on the ground, and did not take possession of it, Decause he did not 'hmk of it. About minute elapsed after throwing accused Pefoie he left her, and during the whole of ihat time the revolver lay on the ground. Witness was sure a second shot was not He knew accused was in the habit of taking sleeping draughts, but could not say for how long. The accused had lived in Auckland since het husband’s boardinghouse was destroyed, except when she was at Karangahake. He could not state that Mr Taylor was away from his home for any length of time during his (witness’) intimacy with accused. He believed Mr Taylor was away in England for a time, but could not say for how long. To His Worship : Witness thought it was a man who had shot him, and could not swear who it was. In the course of his evidence J. B.

Mason, licensee of the Warwick Arms Hotel, gave evidence as to a person dressed as a man coming to hi_s hotel after the arrival of the evening train, paying for a bed that was to be occupied later on. About a quarter-past twelve witness was in bed, but heard the bell, and went down and admitted the person, who explained that he had lost his way and could net find the place. After that the person got into the wrong bedroom, and witness called his attention to the fact. From the way in which the person walked witness was then quite satisfied that his lodger was a woman. Next morning witness took particular notice of his guest, and noticed that although she had a full moustache and short hair there was no appearance of any hair in his skin. On being asked if ho wanted any breakfast the lodger replied : “ No ; I had too much drink last night and cannot cat; can you let me see the morning's paper?” Witness replied that the paper had not come then, but after breakfast witness went to the bar and found his daughter reading in the paper about the shooting of Michael Whelan. Witness immediately went and informed Constable Hodgson that a woman, disguised as a man, had slept in his house on the previous night, but on going to the bedroom, found that the party had left by the Grey street entrance.

To Mr Clendon : On each occasion witness saw the party the latter bad on a macintosh. Witness never accused his lo Iger of being a woman, and knew nothing of her movements outside of his house. He could not say that she v as not in her r oom at any time between seven and twelve o’clock that night. His Worship considered a very strong primafacie case had been made out, and he would have to commit tne accusc-d for trial.

! Mr Clendon said that after such an expression from His Worship he would reserve his defence. The accused was then formally asked if she wished to say anything, but replied through her solicitor that she reserved her defence. The Magistratejthen committed her to take her trial at the next criminal sessions of the Auckland Supreme Court, bail being allowed in two sureties of £l5O each, and the accused in her own surety of £>oo.