TORERE TRAGEDY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10311, 21 January 1927, Page 5

TORERE TRAGEDY

FIRST DAY’B PROCEEDINGS ALLEGED MURDER OF JERRY WILLIAMSON. SULLIVAN BEFORE THE COURT. (Special to the Times.? .. . ■ OPOTIKI, Jan. 20. Ihe trial of John'Sullivan, charged with causing the death of Jerry Williamson on December 1, near Torere, commenced in the Magistrate s Uourt this morning. The Court- was crowded Mr F Wrey Nolan, of Gisborne, Crown Prosecutor, conducted the case on behalf of the Police, ana Mr N. V. Hodgson, represented the accused, who pleaded not guilty. The first witness called was J. li. Cowing, who said that he went to lorere on December 17 and made a survey and plans of the spot where the tragedy occurred. A plan marked “A” was produced and also a plan marked “B”, showing the position of the Torere school house, and Post Office. The plans prod-iced showed the distances between me various points.

HUMAN BLOOD STAINS ON CLOTHING. Philip Patrick Lynks, medical practitioner, said he was a duly mialitied pathologist attached to the Wellington Hospital. On December 10 he received from Detective McLeod a dark tweed coat and trousers marked “J.F.” on the waistband of the trouser, and “J.F. 3/12/26” on the lining of the sleeve of the coat, one pair of heavy nailed boots, with a Vshaped piece cut out of the upper, one light hat marked “J.F.”, one dark green hat marked “J.F.’, one towel marked “J.F.”, oneNvhite flour hag, two pieces light brown paper, one canvas tent fly, several pieces of the N.Z. Herald dated November 23, and three tins of earth labelled 1,2, and 3. All, with tlie exception of pieces of newspaper and tobacco tins, were marked “J.F.” There were stains on the inner side of the dark green coat, below the inner pocket, and on the lapel of the coat, and a stain on the lining of the left side and below the ticket pocket. All were smudgy, and proved to he blood stains. Further examination by means of precipitant test showed they were stains of human blood. There were smudgy stains on the boots. The same stains proved to he human blood stains. These also appeared on the crown of a dark hat and on the brim of a light hat. A stain was also found on the towel, on both pieces of light brown paper, and the canvas fly and on some pieces of newspaper. There were nu.merous heavy stains of human blood on the tins of earth marked “1” and “2,” containing pumice earth, with a strong animal odour resembling bonedust. The tin marked “No. 3,” containing a dark leafy soil, very mouldy and with a strong odour of decomposing animal matter. All the specimens of soil gave a chemical reaction consistent with the presence of blood, but he could not determine whether it was human blood. This was owing to the nature of the soil making the test very unreliable.

Questioned as to whether the blood shown could he from a cut finger, witness said that the person must have lost a large quantity of blood, and would need medical attention. After examination, he had returned all the articles to Detective Mc-Leod. The articles produced he identified.

WOUNDS ON DECEASED

Francis Courtney Forbes, medical practitioner, residing at Opotiki, said that on December 2 he made a postmortem examination of J. V illiamson, the deceased. The body was that of a middle-aged, thin man, about sft 6in. The witness then went on to describe the wounds as described at the inquest. He .produced two diagrams showing the extent of the wounds. The cause of death was, in his opinion, due to shock and haemorrhage. Answering Mr Nolan, witness said the marks on the face and head were very deep and consistent with a man having been struck repeatedly with a blunt instrument. Replying to Mr Hodgson witness said the wounds could not possibly have been done by a horse and dray running over deceased. ACCUSED’S QUARREL WITH MR KERR. Wilfred MacKinnon, taxi-driver, living at Opotiki, said that he was engaged by the accused and his mate Jerry Williamson to drive them to Mr D. Kerr’s farm. Both mentioned they were going to ivork there, and took their swags in the cor. Both men were drunk. He saw two bottles of beer. Accused also had an empty bottle in his coat pocket. Witness did not see any whisky. They left the* hotel about 1.40 p.m. Accused was in front and deceased behind. They met Mr Kerr about half a mile from his house. Mr Kerr was accompanied by a man, his wife and a sick child. Kerr repudiated having engaged the men. It was agreed to exchange passengers, witness returning to Opotiki, hut accused refused to enter Kerr’s car, ami threatened to strike ill- Kerr because the latter would not let them r-imp in the woolshed. Witness interfered and accused then rushed Mr Kerr. Deceased took no part in the pioceedings. When Mr Kerr’s ear was moving off, accused rushed Mr Kerr again.” When witness left deceased was still lying down and accused was standing in the middle of the read. They left there about three o’clock. Witness on a second visit to the spot noticed blood stains on the ro. d, on manuka, and' on broken bottles similar to the pieces produced. He particularly .noticed the ginger beer bottle produced. Cross-examined by Mr Hodgson, witness said he was telephoned foi by Dain, the barman at the Royal Hotel, to go for accused and deceased. Witness nad noticed both men about town on a spree for several days, but had noticed deceased moie than accused. Witness carried out their swags from the hotel; me irom the Opotiki Hotel and one front the Roval Hotel. Deceased paid for the bottles of beer which witness put in the car. Witness refused to stop on the road for drinks considering that both men had had enough. Accused was very excitable when rowing vitn Ml- Kerr, partly due to drink and partly to temperament.^ Re-examined by Mr Nolan, witness said he thought accused was < xcited a mod deal because Mr Kerr refused to “allow him in the woolshed. W itness considered accused knew pretty well what he was talking about all the time. PERMISSION TO SLEEP. IN WOOL SHED REFUSED. Duncan Alexander Kerr, sheepfarmer, living at Hawai, said he lcrt home on December 1 about p.m. to take a Maori man, his wife and a sick child to Opotiki. Ho met McKinnon about three-quarters of a mile from the gate at about 3.15 p.m. Witness recognised, accused as benm in McKinnon’s car. The driver taid , he was taking the men to his place to ; work. Witness denied sending for them, and said he .had no work to give. He also refused to allow the men to sleep in the woolshed.. owing to the state they were in. Accused became very abusive, wanting to fic-hfc! Witness told him the shed. as full of wool and he could not run tie risk of a fire. After the second

threat of violence witness got in his car and drove back towards nome.

“DRUNKEN SWAGGER CHASING A MAORI GIRL.”

“Just before I started,” continued witness, “accused threatened to. settle me, trying to get me as the car moved. I pushed him off and wear on home, where I went to meet the shearers. Later, I was talking to a Maori when his wife called out something. The Maori jumped on witness’s horse and rode away. 1 was told that a drunken swagger was chasing a Maori girl in the gorge. 1 jumped on a horse and followed and arrived where I last saw the accused, and saw a swag, also a hat on the manuka and a broken bottle, but no person.” DISCOVERY OF THE BODY. Witness described how he marched the scrub and saw a man’s Kgs. He called out, but got no answer. He tied his horse and came back to the man, who was lying on Lis left side, with the legs crossed. Witness thought he was breathing and saw blood on his face. Witness recognised him as one of the men in McKinnon’s car. He returned to Torere and noticed flowers lying on the road. He thought- they belonged to the missing girl.

SULLIVAN ACCUSES MR KEIiR. Witness rode into the school paddock, where Mr Drake, the schoolmaster, and Turi, were.. “I noticed accused,” said witness, “who pointed to me and said, ‘That man killed my mate, Jerry.’ Mr Drake said to me that accused had asked him to ring up the police as he (accused) had killed his mate. Accused appeared more sober than previously, but was agitated. Accused came out on the road with a bottle of whisky in his hand, but witness went home, procured hot water and bandages, and went to look for the injured man. He found him and came to the conclusion he was dead. The coat of deceased, inside out, was pulled -over the head. Witness waited there for tiie police, who arrived later, Sergt. Ferguson and Constable. Hcaslop, with Sullivan and Mr Drake. He had noticed on the west side of the road two pools of blood and also a mark of loose sand as if something had been dragged across the road in the direction where the body was found. He also saw blood stained sticks similar to those produced and also fragments of glass. The photograph produced was a true picture of the spot where witness left the body.

WILLIAMSON’S ONLY REMARK

Cross-examined, witness said deceased took no part in the conversation between witness and accused when they first met. Deceased stood up all the time witness remained there as far as he could remember. He could not say whether deceased was drunk. Yv hen witness met accused at Drake’s he noticed he appeared sober but agitated. He thought the body must have been pulled into the scrub by the feet. Re-examined by Mr Nolan, witness said Williamson only once spoke during the time they met, just saying “That’s right,” when witness mentioned the risk of losing liis insurance if lie allowed them to sleep m the woolshed.

“GO TO THE NEAREST DOCTOR

Hemv -Herewini, a Maori boy in Standard 1., whose evidence was interpreted,. said lie went to the loieio School. He remembered December 1. He was returning from school that day with a younger brother. They noticed a man on the road some distance from Mr Kerr’s gate. He was rolling up a swag. Witness noticed his hands were cut, and he had blood on them. “He called to me to go to the nearest doctor,” said witness. “I did not reply, but rode straight home. J did not notice any hlocd 0,1 his face.”

Cross-examined by Mr Hodgson, witness said he saw blood on the around on the opposite side ot ti e road where the man was: He bad no idea who the man was. His father had told him on December 2 that the previous day was December 1 . be police had also mentioned it. MAORI GIRL CHASED BV ACCUSED. Maggie Herewini, whose ev deuce was interpreted, said she lived with her father and mother at Air Keir s station. Her age was fourteen years. She attended Torere school. She lemembered going from echoed on December 1 with the girl Hokimati Williams- both walking. She remembered meeting accused when about half-wav home. He was going towards Torere. He said there was a car stuck on the road. Witness said it must be one of Flemings. He then asked for her dress to tic lus fingers with, which she noticed were covered with blood. He also said: ‘Don't go to Kerr, as he is mad. He also waited to know how far it was from there to Francis’s. Witness told him theywere, six miles from Opotiki. vie showed his hands and then caught me by the shoulder,” said witness, “but I ran away.” The dress produced was the dress worn by her that dav and was torn when accused held her “When he held me,” said witness, “I called to Hokimati to run away. I ran towards Toieie. 1 prisoner picked up his hat and followed, carrying a bott e an lus hand and calling out- ‘I will kill you. a ran too quick and outdistanced lnmI went to Mrs Maxwell s place. 1 did not think accused was drunk and did not feel afraid of linn until he touched me.” Tr , Cross-examined by Mr Ilodg*>o 1, witness said her brother Henry 1 as ahead of her after school. ** uen 1 ran away,” she said, “accused also ran after me.”

HANDS COVERED WITH BI.OOD. Hokimati Williams, aged eleven vears whose evidence was interpreted, said she remembered coining home from school on December 1 and meeting accused about half way home. Accused asked whose car was stuck on the road, but spoke mostly to J o previous witness. She could not hcai what Maggie answered him. Witness noticed liis hands were covered with blood. She saw lnm grasp Maggie - shoulder, and she then moved on. She corroborated the previous witness’s evidence. She positively ldentlfiCrosa s C -examined by Mr Hodgson, witness said she did not sce any ci on the road when going to school that morning. She saw Maggies torn dress on the-Friday. She heard the prisoner threaten Maggie. P The Court was adjourned until 9.40 The prisoner appears quite unconcerned and does not appear to realise his position. _____