THE MURDER INQUEST

MORE WITNESSES EXAMINED.

I CORROBORATIVE EVIDENCE. I , j MOVEMENTS OF DECEASED, j The inquest touching the death of Francis Edward Jew, under mysterious circumstances, at Grey Lynn on July 16 or 17, was continued before Mr. R. W. McKean, S.M., yesterday afternoon. Mr. . V. R. Meredith, assisted by DetectiveSergeant Ward, led the evidence adduced by the police, and Mr. E. J. Prendergast watched proceedings on behalf of . Thomas McMahon. BET ON A FOOTBALL GAME. He had seen Jew with as much as £10 on odd occasions, related James K. Lipscombe, grocer's assistant, who had worked in Treacey's with Jew ior the past fourteen months. It was not often, however, that Jew had as much as that. Witness left the shop on Saturday with Jew, and saw him later at Carlaw Park with Alf. Newdick. There witness had a -bet on the football match of £1, on his brother's behalf, with Jew, whom he last saw at the park at 3 p.m. At 7 p.m. , witness went by tram from Ponsonby to Grey Lynn, leaving the tram at a shop just beside the vacant section on which the body was found. He went to a house opposite the section, stayed about five minutes, and then went to Surrey Crescent (Shearer's shop), and took the tram to town. He returned from town j to the house near the section, with the young lady, shortly before 11 o'clock. On neither occasion of his presence near the section did he. see Jew or McMahon. A SATURDAY AFTERNOON. Alfred George Newdick, driver, employed by Ncwdiek Bros., said he lived in Sehvyn Street, Grey Lynn. The factory was in Great North Road, and witness' mother and brothers lived there. Witness was a close friend of Jew, who frequently visited witness' home. On the Friday night witness arranged to meet Jew on the Saturday, and the latter came to witness' house shortly after midday on the SatuTday nnd waited until witness had lunched. After lunch witness and Jew, with others, tdien got witness' brother's car to drive, to the football at Carlaw Park. There were about twelve of them in tho ; car, including five Newdick brothers and young Jew. The car broke down in i Stanley Street, and two of witness' bro- I thcrs walked ahead. The oar was fixed up and the* rest of the party drove to the Park. The £1 that Jew gave Lips- j combe to bet with on Uhe Nowton-Oity : matoh was given to Jew by witness. At I half-time Jew and witness had a drink at the Strand Hotel. Tom McMahon j was with them, and he had a bottle of i champagne in his pocket. When the game was over witness went outside the park with Jew and left him there, with a message to meet later at the Thames i Hotel. Witness motored to town, an-d I later Jew and one of witness' brothers came in. Witness thought Jew did not have a drink there. Witness then joined the paxty in his brother's car — from ten to twelve of them —and tfhey drove to tho Rob Roy Hotel, -where some of them had a drink. Jew did not have a drink there, but stayed in the car. They drove on to the Star Hotel, where Jew. witness and three brothers i ljtd a drink. It was then about 5.45 p.m. From the Star Hotel the party, | reduced iby three, drove to Newdick's i factor)-.in Great Xorth Road. Jew suggested going to the "stable to bed the I horses down. Witness went into the (house to speak to his mother about ji:esult*of the footbp.ll, and then down to the stable, expecting to find Jew there, ♦few was not there, and vfitness went on fixing up the horses for the night. It was then just after fi p.m. Afterwards he went to the house and asked for "Frank," but was told he wasn't there. Witness thought that perhaps Frank Jew had gone 'on witli witness' 'brother Roy to his house in Sehvyn -Street. About 6.30 p.m. he left for home, rode in a gig as far as Shearer's fruit shop (at the second tram section), where he spoke to Mrs. Shearer. When witness got home about 7 p.m. Jew was not there. He left home after tea about 8.30 p.m., caught the tram at Shearer's corner, and went to town, ■where he spent the evening with a friend at the prince Arthur Hotel. He left about 1 a.m., and got home in a taxi. He then went to bed. The police had 'been fully and freely supplied with all information about when and where he was, that day, with the names of all tho people he had met. About noon next day he got word of a man being found dead, from a brother, who inquired about Jew and the kind of clothes he was -wearing. At the . -brother's suggestion witness went to tihe vacant soction and saw that the. dead man was Prank Jew. Witness last sawJew alive just after 6 p.m. at the factory, when he was "quite all rigb-t," meaning that he was a long way from being drunk. THE CASH CONSIDERATION. ••Jew was a follow who always knocked about with £10 or £12 in his pockets," declared the witness, but witness could not say what money Jew ; carried that day. He had seen him with ,up to £30 on him on odd occasions. Jew had said he had bets on Mustard Pot and No Bother in the Wellington races that Saturday, -but witness did not think he did have those bets on, f-o-r the reason that Jew had not been to town to make the bets, and witness knew ol I nobody in Grey Lynn with whom he

could get the bets on. Jew did -have a I •■double book,'' and witness thought the - last 'Easter meeting was the last betting book lie had. He ilidn't do much betting at Carlaw lark. Witness would be pretty sure to know if Jew was keeping company with any girl, nnd he was certain that at the time Jew was not going with any girl. I I Henry John Hulse, residing with his father at Rockland* Avenue, Dominion Koad, said his father had a paper round at Grey Lynn. He helped his father after school hours. The Saturday before Jew's body was found witness went to the "Star" office for the Sports Edition, which he took to Grey Lynn. He went j to the "Star" office close on eight o'clock. j He did not get his bundle until about half-past eight. He caught a Grey Lynn car at Customs Street at 8.41 p.m. Mr. Miller was the conductor of the car. Witness arrived at Grey Lynn somewhere about nine o'clock." William George Shearer, fruiterer, of Grey Lynn, stated that Jew always used to get his Saturday night's Sports Edition of the ••Auckland Star" at his shop. On the night preceding his death Jew called in at about six o'clock, and : paid for the "Star" in advance, saying he would call for it later. Witness thought that Jew had been drinking.

He certainly staggered about the shop a lot. He was talking about betting, and told Billy McMahon that he had won £2 at football, and had backed two horses, Mustard Pot and another. Billy McMahon was out at the door, and McGregor was in the shop with Jew. Witness thought he heard Jew say, "I'll be about here." Later he returned and borrowed a corkscrew, which he brought back in a few minutes. Witness did not see him after that. Ellen Shearer, wife of the previous witness, said she saw Jew and Tom McMahon and another young man outside tho shop. She thought Jew had been having a drink or two. Ten minutes after he had gone away Mr. Alt". Newdick come into the shop, and witness asked him where his mate (meaning Jew) had gone. Newdick said he had gone home to get cleaned up. Tom McMahon came in about 9.30, but she did not ask him what had become of Jew, nor did she hear anyone else do so. That she would swear to. Hector Wylie McGregor, residing at Baildon Street, Grey Lynn, gave evidence as to seeing Jew at 6.25 on July 16 in Shearer's shop. Jew said he had a win at the races, and also at football. He had evidently had a few drinks, but was not drunk, and said he expected Tom McMahon along with a bottle of champagne. McMahon came along soon after and pulled out a bottle of champagne from his pocket and put it back again. McMahon was not sober, but did not seem to have had very much. When witness returned to Grey Lynn at 11.10 p.m. Tom McMahon was sitting on a seat behind the telephone box with some others. Witness said he would swear that he" did not then say anything to McMahon as to when he left Jew. Next day McMahon told him that Jew had gone away in a tram about half an hour after witness had left. TO-DAY'S HEARING. ' WITNESSES OUT OF COURT. When the inquiry was contlued this morning, Mr. Meredith made a request that while each witness was being examined the other witnesses should be excluded, in view of the possibility of discrepancies in the statements being of some value. The coroner acquiesced, and for the remainder of the inquest this course was followed. AT SHEARER'S CORNER. Frederick Charles Edmonds deposed to seeing Frank Jew and McGregor in Shearer's shop at the Grey Lynn second , tram section at 6.25 pjn. on Saturday, I July 16. Witness and McGregor had been at the football match in Carlaw Park, and had returned in company to i Grey Lynn. McGregor had gone into ! Shearer's shop first, and witness went in I a little later. He saw McGregor and I Jew leaning against the soft-drinks I counter. Jew looked as if he had had a j few drinks, and was wearing a light grey raincoat. W"itness remarked that he was going home for a. wash, and left almost immediately. He came back to the shop about 8.15 p.m., and found that McGregor and Jew were gone. McMahon was not there either. He fancied Stan. Rodgers was under the verandah then. Lupton was there, and Charlie Rodgers arrived while witness was talkI ing to Lupton. Witness heard the sports 1 special ("Star" Eight o'clock Edition) would be late, and he took a tram to town. It was about 10.15 p.m. when he j came back by tram to the corner, and :he noticed Stan. Rodgers there then. He 1 was talking there for some time when ! the bus (from Point Chevalier) arrived, ■ and he noticed Lupton, the driver, McI Kay, and Tom McMahon whom he bej lieved had been on the bus. McMahon I was showing slight signs of liquor. Wit--1 ness spoke 'to Rodgers and McMahon. ' They had a pie each, which Tom Me- ' Mahon bought. McGregor arrived about i 1-1.15 p.m., and the four of them then left for home. A DISCUSSION AMONG MATES. It was about three p.m- next day that witness heard of the murder, and he, McGregor, and another companion went along as far as the block of shops at the tram section. Later they met Mc--1 Mahon and others, and discussed the I subject of Jew's death. He heard Mci Mahon say he was at the football match | with Jew, but could not recollect him I saying that he was with Jew on the j Saturday night. j Re-examined: On tiie way home on Saturday night, after McMahon had left j them, the matter of Frank Jew being : under the influence of drink was disI cussed by witness and McGregor. The I latter stated the opinion that Jew had I been "putting it on"' to some extent. McGregor did mention something about a bottle of champagne to witness, but witness thought it was earlier in the evening that that was mentioned. Witness could not remember whether McGregor told him who it was that had the bottle of champagne —Frank Jew or Tom McMahon. He was not interested in bottles of champagne. Mr. Meredith: Are bottles of champagne so common at the Grey Lynn terminus! —So far as I know bottles of champagne are very rare out there. Further pressed, the witness still maintained that he could not recollect what McGregor said about the champagne. You and McMahon are mates, are you ! not? —Yes. ' Didn't McGregor say anything about ' where Jew was?— No. I believe he said he himself was at the Star Billiard Room that Saturday evening. You didn't ask him if he knew where Jew was? —No. Your memory is not very good?— Not on that point.

| A TRAM-STOP EPISODE. Gertrude Lilian Scott, widow, of Williamson Avenue, stated that she knew the deceased, Frank Jew, quite well by sight. About 6.40 p.m. on the Saturday night she was waiting for a tram at the twopenny section, when she saw Jew talking to a young fellow who was sit- ! ting on the seat there. The other fellow was acting in a silly njanner, and had with him a bottle which she took to be a bottle of champagne. Jew seemed to be sober, but the other fellow was not. Jew said to him: "Don't make an exhibition of yourself- Put the bottle away and come on." The other man did so. Thomas McMahon was called into the Court, and the witness was asked if she could identify him as the other man to whom Jew had been talking on the occasion referred to. She said that the man in question had a blue overcoat on that night, and was a little shorter and broader than Jew. The witness, McMahon, in some respects answered that description, but she could not identify ' him as the man. ' This episode was corroborated by 1 Robert Hulse (newsvendor). Hulse remembered somo conversation between Jew and McMahon about going to Pitt ' Street. He was told by his runner boys i that the man with bhe bottle was Tom . I McMahon. ,

SEEN FROM THE TRAM. Albert Raymond Cole, who lived next door to McMahon, stated that as he vram going to town by tram shortry after halfpast six on the .Saturday evening he noticed Frank Jew and Tom McMahon and about six others near the tram-stop at Beaconsfield Street. They showed signs of liquor, and Tom McMahon was waving a bottle. Jew seemed to be waiting for McMahon, and as the tram went away the party seemed to make a move to walk towards Newton. That was the. last he saw of Jew, and he did not see McMahon again that night. A DISCREPANCY EN* TIME. Tbe witness went on to relate a conversation he had with Tom McMahon and Bill McMahon on the Sunday after tea, when the three of them, and witness' brother Herbert, were sitting on a seat outside Shearer's shop. They were discussing the murder. Witness was talking mostly to Bill McMahon. Tom McMahon remarked that he had seen witness at the tram stop (Shearer's) on the Saturday evening, either at a-quarter to nine or a-quarter past nine, just before witness' brother came along for the S o'clock edition. McMahon .said that he was in the pie-shop eating pies w<hen Jewcame in. He did not say what pie-shop, but witness took it to mean Green's. Witness thought it was rfill McMahon who mentioned to him about Jew J s beta on the Saturday; it was not i ;iri "s Mahon. Tom McMahon did .-.<■ •■ s. : . anything about the bottle £2' pagne, but witness told him h** r..i.-' „-:. him and Jew at the Beaconsfi<-i«l Stia-.-stop, and McMahon replied i'..\- to -,: j not see witness then. BACK AGAIN TO THE A newsboy, Edward Eaton, describedthe behaviour of Jew and Tom McMahon outside Shearer's shop between 6.15 p.m. and 6-30 p.m. on the Saturday. Jew said he bet McMahon he could stand straighter than McMahon. Jew seemed tc be trying to get the bottle, but could not do so, and he told McMahon to stop fooling and go home. They went down a right-of-way and seemed to be squabbling for a little while, and then came back. At that time Jew's overcoat, a tfawn-coloured coat, was on the seat outside Shearer's. Other aspects of the same incident were narrated by Wm. Hayes, another newsboy, who stated that Jew bet McMahon' he could spit further than he could. They had one try. Tom McMahon asked a boy Green to draw a chalkline, to see who could stand straightest, but the hoy declined- Witness thought the two men were friendly, and did not seem to be quarrelling. McMahon seemed unsteady on his feet, but Jew was all right. Three other newsboys testified about the incident, one of them stating that he saw the two men eventually get on a tramcar. Esther Wood also corroborated on the same subject. At this stage the hearing was adjourned for lunch. Francis Kevin Burns narrated bow be travelled to town from Grey Lynn early on the evening of July 16 in a tramcar in which Jew and Tom MiriMahon wera seated. Leaving Shearer's corner McMahon, who aippeaxed to have taken some liquor, said, "Let her go!" or ■words to that effect. Jew bad asked McMahon where he ~a& going, and McMahon said "To the King's Theatre." Jew told him that he (McMahon) had no business there, and should be at home. The pair got off the tram at Ariki Street and walked back towards Grey Lynn. Jew had paid the fares. Both young men had been calling out rather loudly iv the tram. Shortly before the tram started McMahon was leaning forward in his seat, and was told by Jew to "Sit up." Jew got off the tram first and told McMahon to get off. He appeared to be looking after McMahon. Alexander James Pollock, of 51, Johnston Street, Ponsonby, who was conductor of the 6-45 p.m. tram from Shearer's. Grey Lynn, to town on the evening of July IGJ said that Jew was sober, but his companion was well intoxicated. Jew called his compaion "A cow of a man" several times, added the conductor. Further evidence was being taken when we went to press. A CORRECTION. In the evidence published yesterday JOhn Jew is made to say that Tom McMahon told him Frank Jew stayed at the tram terminus till about 11 p.m. on Saturday. The evidence was that McMahon said he himself was at the terminus till that time.