I.—lβ
22
The Chairman : When they first took the dagger, there was rust and verdigris ; Dr. Cahill says he found rust and verdigris. The Committee : Inspector Thomson says he found rust on it. Mr. Jellicoe : I should like the Committee to refer to the search-warrant. It is a search-warrant alleging that a pocket-book had been stolen; and that bears out Chemis's statement. The Chairman : Is the warrant among these papers ? Mr. Jellicoe : It can be obtained from the police. He seems to have been distressed about this pocket-knife. The Committee will observe he describes the box in Court before it is shown to him, and not knowing what has been found. Tho shot-pouch is produced; there is brass on it, and you sec he describes it accurately. The Chairman : The wad-cutters : are they here ? Mr. Cooper : Yes. The Chairman : I note the one has been ground, and the other not, which confirms his statement. Mr. Jellicoe : Yes; although he knew nothing of the wad-cutter I had purchased. He does not know that his wife has given evidence. That sentence should read, " Benjamin took the handkerchief out of the bedroom into the kitchen." Be the arrest, I call the attention of honourable members to the fact that if the police on the Ist June had a theory that Hawkings had been killed by gun-shot, and if they then in any way suspected Chemis, why did they not arrest him at once ? Why did they wait until the sth June, and three days after they had taken possession of the gun ? Their conduct shows that they in no way suspected Chemis before the sth June. The Chairman : That all took place on Saturday afternoon ? Mr. Jellicoe : Yes. You will note that he saw the chopper and tub when giving his evidence in the Court; the articles seemed to be old acquaintances of his. I desire to point out that all the affidavits had been forwarded by me to His Excellency the Governor long before my interview. It may be noted that he was cross-examined as to the most minute details. The feathers were put in the fire, and the entrails given to the cat. He was surprised to see a curve in the stiletto, and remarked fhat it had no such curve when taken by the police. You will recollect that this was done in the Cabinet room by practising on a Ministerial rug (see Mr. Eichardson's evidence). The warder confirms his statement: " I knew nothing about it." I wish to draw the attention of the Committee to the nature of John Tasker's evidence, and I will ask honourable members to read the evidence carefully, in order that they may decide whether the remark I am about to make is worthy of consideration. I venture to say that no man on the face of the earth who had not the plans and photographs before him could understand what Tasker was giving evidence about. He had quantities of paper, and he was fitting it together thus : " One fits on two ; two connects with six ; four is a piece from—" &c, &c, &c. How could a man standing in the dock understand what all that meant? —and Chemis says, "I could not make out or understand what they were talking about." You will see that the spring of this powder-flask is a new one, as stated by Chemis. Eeferring to the pocket-book, he first described it, and the one produced proves to be the same. The fact that they found this pocket-book at Chemis's and left it, is a proof that they did not bring away and produce every article that they found which would have told in favour of the prisoner. The explanation of course may be that they were not then suspecting Chemis. The Chairman : Do I understand now that the sheath-knife is not in and am I right in understanding that the doctor's evidence shows that it must have been a sharp two-edged instrument which inflicted the wound ? Mr. Jellicoe : Yes. The Chairman : Well, in that case, it is not necessary to havo the sheath-knife produced. Mr. Jellicoe : Now, you will see that Chemis gave his evidence about Che mending of this powder-flask before I knew anything of that fact. Dybell was telephoned for and ho came at once (see Dybell's further evidence). I wish honourable members to observe the date Sir Harry Atkinson was examined. The Chairman : What date does that refer to ? Mr. Jellicoe :It appears on the first page. I refer to this because it is important to show that neither Mrs. Chemis or I had any knowledge of the contents of the papers until after they were placed on the table of the House, and that was after Mrs. Chemis's examination and cross-examina-tion had been concluded. I now come to a matter which may require some explanation. Whilst the magisterial proceedings were pending, the land adjoining Chemis's property, and all the hills in the vicinity, were visited by almost everybody in Wellington who took an interest in this case, and the interest was widespread. Their object was to make a search, and do what they thought the police ought to have done before the trial of Chemis took place. A man named Low, who dreamed a dream that he had seen in one of the gullies near Hawkings's property the knife which the murderer had used, and the shot-pouch, with some other things. Mr. Low was well known by the wags at Kaiwara to honestly believe in his dream, that he was not going to rest till he had. searched every gully in the neighbourhood. During the examination he brought to me at my house at Wellington a knife and a shot-pouch ; there may have been something else. I put Low in the witness-box, as I thought the Court should hear what he had to say. He stated The Chairman : I do not think you should give much time to his evidence. Mr. Jellicoe :It is desirable to point out that Low said he found them at a certain spot. I ascertained that this ground had been searched under the directions of Colonel Hume. I therefore communicated immediately with Sir Harry Atkinson and Colonel Hume, and they agreed to send out the prison warders, by whom the search had been made next morning early. About five o'clock we started, and took the "dreamer" with us, and he pointed out the place where he said he found the articles. After Low was examined, John Coil was examined by me. [The evidence read].
Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.
By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.
Your session has expired.