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328. Was that on the evening of the 31st?—No, it was next day. 329. On the 31st of May it is stated that Constable Carroll saw the body about 9 o'clock at Dimock's. Did you notice the shot-marks then ? —He was lying there on a stretcher. He had just been taken from the scene of the murder to Dimock's. It was made out to be an accident at first. I thought myself it was accident. I had not any conviction at the time that it was a murder. 330. Mr. Allen.] You spoke of nine pieces of paper on the ground : what size were they'? — They were all small pieces. 331. Were they anything like this. [The attention of the witness was directed to the exhibit.] —Yes. 332. You could not describe it ?—No. 333. How could you think it was a murder if the reins were tied up?—l did not notice that the reins were tied up. 334. Was the paper blackened ?—Yes, there was a particular piece blackened. 335. What size was it.—lt was a small piece. 336. Blackened in what way? —It was blackened apart from the print, as if blackened with lead. 337. Mr. Jellicoe.] You could not identify it again?—No, I could not. Constable Healy sworn and examined. 238. The Chairman.] Can you identify the date ? You say in your evidence before the Supreme Court, " blank " day of June, that you went to the scene of the murder with Carroll ?—lt was on the Ist day of June ; it was on a Saturday morning.' 239. What house do you refer to in your evidence ?—Hawkings's house. 240. Can you tell the Committee what pieces of paper you picked up on the scene of the murder ? —I picked up several pieces of paper, also a piece of cloth, and a button, and two stones with blood on, about 17 yards from where the body was found. 241. Were they all pieces of newspaper ? —Yes. 242. 'About what size?— Small pieces; some of them were about Jin. square: some perhaps lin. square. 243. Mr. Jellicoe.] Would you know them again?—No, I could not swear to them. 244. Mr. Allen.] Was there anything peculiar about them ?—I saw that they had been used for a gun ; some of them were blackened and some lead colour. 245. What did you do with them?—l gave them to Constable Carroll. 246. What did he do with them?—l do not know. 247. Did you put them in an envelope ? —I gave them to him ;he put them in his inside pocket, I think. 248. Just loosely ? —Yes, I think so. 249. What day was it that you went to Chemis's house?— That was on a Wednesday, the sth of June. 250. Did you personally find any paper at that particular time ?—No. 251. Did you see any other person taking paper from any part of the house?— Yes; I saw Benjamin take papers from the drawer, some from the kitchen, and also some from the children's bedroom. 252. Mr. Lake.] What date was that?— That was on the sth of June. 253. The second visit of the police ?—Yes. 254. Did you go to Chemis t s house on the Ist of June? —No. 255. Did you see any of these pieces of paper marked for identification in any way ?—No. 256. Neither of those found on the scene of the murder or in the house ?—No. 257. Mr. Kelly.] You say in. your evidence that Benjamin fired some shots ?—He fired the revolver; he shot at the rock. 258. Do you know whose revolver that was ?—lt was Benjamin's revolver. 259. The Chairman.] Were you present when Chemis was arrested ?—No. 260. Mr. Allen.] It was the drawer on the right-hand side that was searched ?—Yes. 261. Was it locked ? —No, not when I went into the room. 262. What was found in it?—A revolver, some papers, a small cocoa-tin. 263. What papers ?—Documents, and loose, I think. 264. Any newspaper? —No; no newspaper. 265. What else ?—Two packets of salts and some bullets, and a piece of fuse. 266. Any wad-cutter?— No. 267. Any gun-caps ?—No. 268. Are you sure of that ?—I am sure of that. 269. Who else was there besides you ? —Detective Benjamin, Detective Campbell, and Constable Carroll. 270. There were four of you ?—Yes. 271. You searched the drawer well?— Yes; I was standing close to Benjamin when he searched. He handed them to me. I put them in my satchell, and handed them over to Detective Benjamin at his office in Wellington. 272. Mr. Lake.] Do you feel sure that if those articles had been there you would have seen them ?—I am positive we would. 273. Dimock picked up some paper?—He gave mo some, and I gave it to Carroll. 274. The Chairman.] Did you ask any one where the powder-flask was ?—I might have done, but I do not recollect ; the first place we went to was the right-hand top drawer. 275. Mr. Lake.] All the papers were given to Carroll ?—Yes, on the morning of the Ist. 276. The Chairman.] Who was in the house when you went there?— Mrs. Chemis and a sister of hers, I believe. 277. Not Chemis? —He was arrested in the forenoon.
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