TORERE TRAGEDY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10312, 22 January 1927, Page 7

TORERE TRAGEDY

SULLIVAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL TRIAL TO BE HELD IN GISBORNE IN MARCH (Special to the Times.) OPOTIKI, Jan. 21. The trial of John Sullivan, charged with murdering Jerry Williamson at Torere on December 1 was contiuued this morning before Mr W. G. Kenrick, S.M. The first witness was A. G. Drake, schoolmaster. Torere, who said he closed the school on December 1 at 3.30. He remembered seeing accused coming across the paddocks from Hawai direction. He was talking to Turi when Sullivan approached. He sang out, “I’ve killed my mate. Ring up the police and tell them. Fetch a doctor.” He was under the influence and was very excited, waving his arms about'and. continually going down on the ground and getting up again. He had blood on his right hand and earned a bottle of whisky similar to the one produced. Witness rang up the police, but the Sergeant was away at the moment. He went to the window and Sullivan said: “If you do not ring the police I will take charge of the phone”. Soon after he had a message that the police were coming. Accused then said: “He shot me in the foot” He took off his boot and asked for a rag. “I could not find any wound.' Just then the witness Kerr arrived. Accused got up, pointing to Kerr, and said: “There is the man who told me to do it. He helped me to do it.”. Kerr and Herewini then left the paddock. Witness and. Kerr lmd a conversation and then witness went back. Accused had quietened down. He took him out food and a drink of tea But he would not eat. Witness joined the party and went to the scene of the tragedy. He saw Williams’ body. Kerr and Herewini were there also. He noticed swags similar to those produced. He noticed a lot of blood on the left hand side of the road going towards Hawai. The sticks produced were near the blood.

Cross-examined by Mr Hodgson, witness said he first saw accused half a chain away. He appeared to he very agitated and in a bad mental condition. Witness asked Herewini to stay witli him but he went away with Kerr. When going with the police, accused told them where to find the body. Re-examined by Mr Nolan, 'witness accepted prisoner’s statement when he said: “I killed my mate” . He appeared to know what he was talking about. Witness forgot to mention that he asked him to go up and try to revive Williams. Witness said: “Wait till the police come”. Accused said there was some sense in that.

Turi Herewini, a station hand, employed by Mi* Kerr, said after dinner on December, he took sheep to Hawai. leaving Kerr at home. He returned at 4.30. His wife called on him to go to meet Maggie as a swagger was chasing her. He rode away towards Torere and noticed the swags on the* roadside, also a bat on a stump, broken bottles and blood staiins. He reached Torere without seeing Maggie. He then saw Sullivan walking towards the school house. Drake had not seen Maggie. When Sullivan reached Drake and himself he‘said: “Ring up the police and doctor. Gome down, I‘ve killed my mate”. Drake and witness went inside. Coming out together later, they noticed, blood stains on Sullivan’s band.- He also saw a bottle of whisky in his hand. Kerr arrived. Then Sullivan sang out: “This is the man who helped me to kill my mate”. Witness then detailed his further movements, corroborating Kerr’s evidence on the same lines. When he and Kerr returned to Williams witli water lie noticed a slight moveiaent in the throat. They then carried him to the road, but reckoned he was then dead. Cross-examined by Mr Hodgson, he said he did not see his son, Henry when he returned from school. Accused was walking quickly through Drake’s paddock. He did not see him wave his arm's, but he was getting up and down continuously. Matenga King, a cowboy employed by Kerr, remembered the afternoon of December 1. He saw Turi leave the homestead, also Kerr. Tliey returned ablaut 6 o’clock and went away again, with bandages and water. He went on foot, They rode first. He saw a man lying in the scrub. He thought he was dead. Then witness went on to give similar evidence to that of the previous witnesses in regard to the bloodstains on the road and the swags lying about.

Tatana Kopti, a laborer living at Maraenui, said he remembered being driven by Kerr towards Opotilii on December 1. He remembered meeting AlcKinnon. Both drivers stopped and arranged to exchange passengers. Accused was one of the men with AlcKinnon. He heard them say they were going to Kerr’s to look for work. He heard Ken- refuse a shakedown, as his wife was sick. He also refused the use of his woolshed. Accused' then got very, excited and wanted to fight Kerr, but McKinnon stopped him. Later he saw SulJivnn try and jump on Kerr’s car. He considered Sullivan was drunk, but knew what he was doing. Cross-examined by Air Hodgson, he said both men could stand up on the road, tut Sullivan was more excited than his mate. McKinnon turned his ear round before Kerr turned his.

Alargaret Alaxwell, who was living at Kerr’s station in December last, together with her sister Lucy, said on December 1 she saw Kerr go away in the car at 2.15. She saw him follow Turi later.

Cross-examined by Air Hodgson, she said she knew Kerr went away at a quarter to three, because she could not get an answer on the phone. Lucy Maxwell said she was staying at Kerr’s on December last. She corroborated the previous witness as to Kerr driving away in a car on December 1.

Constable Heaslip, stationed at Opotiki, said he left Opotiki on December 1 accompanied ny Sergeant Ferguson, arriving at Torere at 6.30. They stopped the car opposite the sehoolhouse and saw Drake and Sullivan. The latter had a bottle ol hi sky in his hand and was very .talkative. Sergeant Ferguson said on arrival “AVhat’s the matter?” Accused replied: “Duncan Kerr hit me over the head with a stick. I got him down and should never have let him up.” He then said: “Duncan .Kerr killed my mate. He hit him over the head with two bottles of beer.” Witness took possession of the bottle of whisky which had bloodstains on it. 'Ho saw blood on accused’s hands, hot. coat, t?-ou-sers and boots. The articles produced he identified. He noticed a small cut on the thumb of the right hand which ha could not account for. _ There was a quantity of blood on his clothing. Replying to the Sergeant, accused said his mate was down the road near Kerr’s. Sergeant Ferguson, witness, Drake and accused went in the car towards Hawai. Arriving on the spot accused said: “That was the' place.” Kerr and Herewini were about half a chain away. Kerr called out: “He’s dead all right”. -They -went along and saw deceased lying by the road. Sullivan again accused ; Kerr of killing his mate. Kerr denied this several times. As there was an argument Between Kerr and Sullivan, witness took the accused further hack and asked accused what clothes Kerr was wearing when he had ’seen him on the road; The answer was, “The same as now”. Witness examined Kerr’s clothes. There was no

trace of blood on them. He told accused so. Witness here gave details of deceased’s injuries and identified the broken glass and* ticks .produced as the same as hud been picked up on the spot by witness. He corroborated previous witnesses as to tho pools of blood on the road and the position of the body. He could identify the photographs produced as being enlargements of .the negatives taken by Sergeant Ferguson. In deceased’s clothing, he found £1 17s 9d a comb, tobacco, cigarettes,, watch and pencil. They included a discharge and paybook in the name of “W. A. Williams” .Accused, when brought into the station charged with murder, made no reply, except: “Why was not Duncan Kerr brought in also.” His Belongings consisted of 2s Bd, in money, a pipe, tobacco and matches.

, Cross-examined by Mr Hodgson he said tho swags were rolled up when first seen. The broken rum bottle produced was in a sugar bag unbroken and partly full. He could not say how the bottle .was broken. Accused was under the influence of liquor at Drake’s, but not drunk. He was very excited, but his talk was rational. When charged he appeared not to realise liis position. Sergeant Ferguson is at present seriously ill and was unable to givo evidence.

John McLeod, detective stationed at Gisborne, stated that at 11 a.m. on December 2 last, he arrived at Opotiki to investigate the death of Jerry Williamson and with Sergeant Ferguson went to the scene of the murder. He noticed a large patch of blood opposite the side and another patch in the scrub. Where the body was found there was another kyrge pjatch. He took samples of the earth, subsequently handing them to Dr. Lynch, of Wellington. The tins wei*e those now produced. Witness gave details of the examination made on the spot. Witness then detailed liis examination of accused's swag, blood appearing on the different articles. All the articles were marked by Sergeant Ferguson “J.F. 3/12/26.” When opening one hag, the Sergeant dropped a Dottle of rum which broke. The bottle, was that produced. The bloodstains on the articles in the swags could not have soaked through from the outside. Ho assisted the witness Cowling to survey certain spots on the plan produced. He had made enquiries in the locality as to who passed along the road on the day of the tragedy, the only ones being accused, his mate, and the witnesses. Cross-examined ' y Mr Hodgson, he said no finger prints were found on the ginger beer bottle produced, which could be identified. Enquiries had proved that deceased was William A. Williams, a returned soldier, and a native of Cardiff, Wales This evidence concluded the Crown case.

When asked by the Magistrate if he had any statement to make, accused replied “Nothing to say” and was formally committed for trial at the Gisborne Supreme Court on March 7.