THE PETONE MURDER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 17, 21 January 1897, Page 3

THE PETONE MURDER.

The trial of Stephen Bosher for the alleged murder of Joseph and Emma Jones ab Petone on August 27l>h, which occupied tho Magistrate's Courb, Wellington, during the whole of last week, has been adjourned till the 25th owing to tbe pressure of other business. Mr Gully, Crown Prosecutor, conducted the case and Mr Wilford appeared for bhe defence. Henry Fleet, a night watchman, deposed that he passed Jones' house aboub 8 p.m. on the night of the murder, and saw the shadow of a tall man on the window blind. He also noticed that the back door was open during the night, and thab a light waa burning. James Panhill BB_d he passed Jones' place aboub a quarter pasb seven, and heard Jones talking to Bosher ab that hour. Margaret Daviee, of the Salvation Army, said Bosher arrived at the Barracks about half-past eight on the night of the murder. ~«-,, Eliza Procter, a lieutenant in the Salvation Army at Petone. oaid she bad noticed a great difference in Bosher'a demeanour after the murdor, and she noticed when she waa in his house afeer the murder that he very seldom ate his food, lb waa also much more difficult to get him bo do anything ab the meetings. In cross-examination by Mr Wilford she stated thab Bosher told her bhab the police had him under suspicion for murder, and ib seemed to alter his whole life. Bosher'a name had been on bhe roll aa a aoldier of the Army, bub they bad taken his name off bhe roll. It waa no longer there. They had good and sufficient reasona for taking hia name off, and he was no longer a Boldier of tb» Army. Constable Cox, etationed ab Potone, deposed thab the print on the scullery door corresponded with a boob found in Bosher'a bouse. Bosher'a statemenb as to his whereabouts on the night of the murder was then read, and this waa mainly the same aa his evidence ab the inquest. Leigbton, a bootmaker, stated thab the footprint found in the bouse occupied by Jones waa identical with the Blucher boot found in Bosher'a house. Con3bable Cruickshank, in the course of hia evidence, read a statement made by accused, which contained some interesting details of accused's life, and experience. Bosher came to New Zealand in 1876, arriving at Lyttelton. He waa then about 19 or 20 years old. After remaining in Christchurch for a few.weeks, he shipped as cook on the ketch Alice Jane, which

traded round New Zealand. When he left the Alice Jane, in 1878, he shipped in the French barque Mazelian, at Lyttelbon, for Belle Isle, in France. In the winter he left the barque in Boulogne. As soon as he landed he was arrested by the French Government for nob having done hie military service, and brought before the Marshal's Court at Liilo. He received two days' imprisonment, and waa compelled to do his military service iv the 37th regiment of infantry at Troyes. When he refused duty he waa brought before the Marshal's Court at Chalons, and sentenced to live years' mili tary detention At tho expiration of his time he was sent to the first battalion of lighb infantry, stationed at Mascara, province of Oran, in Algeria, where he remained for over five years. Ho went to Algiers, and took the boab Trindad for. Liverpool. He then went to London, and shipped for New Zealand as steward on the Doric on the 2nd of July, 1890, receiving his discharge in Wellington on tho 25th of September, 1890. Frederick Albert Godfrey, employee of the Governraonb Railway Workshops, who was called to the scene of tho murder, described the position of the bodies, and also tbe footprint ab the doorway. lb was a lump of mud on tha floor, with a footprint in it. Before he went away, Bosher camo, and said, in the course of conversation : " I go dere last night, and knock, knock, knock, and make nobody hear, and 1 go again this morning, and knock, knock, and mako nobody hear." This was referring to Jones's bouse. Regarding the footprint outside Jones's door, Bosher said: "You can't, go by that footprint. I may have made it myself going in this morning." Mary Ann Reeco, the young woman who married Boabor in 1892 (but with whom, af.er the murder, accused was found guilty of committing bigamy, for which he is now under sentence), next gave evidence. She said accused had been in Wellington the day of the murder, and returned in the afternoon. Shortly after 7 p.m. Bosher lefb the house, stating that he intended to go to tho Salvation Army meeting. She aßked accused to bring home tomo buttor, and expected him to go to Jones for it. Shortly before nine that night ho returned home, and asked for a book which he wanted for Mrs Hawos, of the Salvation Army. Ho took the book and went oub again. When ho returned from the mooting, witness asked him how ib waR ho had returned so soon ? and bo replied thab bhere were nob many there. Soon after taking away tho book he returnee! to the house. Witness then reminded him thab he had not fed tho horse, and he gob soma chaff and went out." He came back after a short, interval, and looked a little flurried. She uo.ieod one of his hands was blooding, bub could nob say which. Bosher, in reply to a question, said that he did nob always open tho gate in going into tho paddock, and that tho scratch was made in getting through the fence. Accused did nob go oub again thab night. Next morning Bosher waa up about daylight, and left the house shortly after seven a.m. He intimated that ho was going to Taita, and said he would call at Jones's to see if they wanted anything. Witness did nob see him tako either book or parcel from the house. Ab aboub haif-pa.b seven he returned, and *aid as ho could make no one hear ab Jones's, bo had gone to a neighbour, Mrs Atkinson, who went into the house and returned screaming, saying ■■ they are dead." Witness asked if it was possible they had boen murdered. Accused replied, "We don'c know; we cannot tell." Ace. sed went to Taita, and on his return rornainsd ab homo till one p.m., when tho polica camo and took hia evidence. When on a visit bo friends ab Taita she hea.d Bosher remark thab he had lost a knifo, which ho described as a •* bushman's friend." Subsequently, however, ho told her that it hacj been found and retnrnerl to him. She had seen a largo knifo in the back room of their house in Pebone. It was a sheath knifo, but not in a sheath, though Bosher had ono for it. Sho saw ib there both before and after the murder. Asked to describo if, witness said sho had never handled tho knife, bub so far as sho could remembor tho front oi the blade was a little rounded and the back nearly straight. The knife had no bar on it separating the handle from the blade, but had three brass rivets in the handle. It only remained in the house for a short time after the murder and she did nob remember hearing Bosher say anybhing particular hi reference bo ib. Aftor the trial of Shore, who was first accuaedandsubsequontlyacqnibted on the charge of committing the murdor, witness asked Bosher what he had done with the knifo. He said he had lost ib. She had heard thab tho police wore tearching for a knife, and on tho second occasion when she asked accused what he had dono with it he replied thab he had taken it away, bub did nob say where. Sho asked if ho had given ib away, and ho said " No." He had taken caro of thab, because if the police found ib they would perhaps come on him. Boßher added thab tho knifo was in Wellington. Those wore tho only references to the knife between them. Bosher used the knife for killing pigs, calves, and general use. On the nighb of tho murdor Bosher was wearing bluchers, and on the following morning heavy watortights. Bosher was intimate with tho Joneses. Cross-examined by Mr Wilford, witness said she bad two children by accuaed—ono an infant. He had boen very kind to her, and a devoted father. (At this stage accused appeared to bo much affected.) She felb very grieved ab their being parted, and boro him no ill-will. Bosher had always spoken of Mr Jones in the highest forms of respect. She did nob notice blood on bho accused's hand unbil ho returned from feeding tho horse. Witness would not swear tho bluchers produced wore those worn by Bosher on August 27th, the night of the murder, lleporbs had been current in Petono thab Boshor had been soon burning clothes in his bouse, bub sho had investigated those reports and found them to bo incorrect. Witness stoutly denied that she had received a communication dated October 19,/1596, from tho proper Mrs Boshor, who resides in Akaroa, and declared if such had been sent ib would never have reached her. Since Bosher had been in gaol he had written to her asking after the health of the children. The morning after bhe murder accused took his usual breakfaeb, and had carried on vegetable hawking, as had been his wont. She could account for bis movements up to 7.15 p.m, and after 9.15 p.m. William Jones, residing ab Taita, stated thab Boshor wenb to his place the morning after the murder, and when questioned aboub any footprints, got so agitated thab he trembled violently and Mrs Jones bad to make bim a cup ot tea, but be was too upset to drink more than half. Accused showed him a coab pockeb which was torn, saving that he tore ib getting inbo a cart that morning. Bosher a lefb band, from the wrist to the knuckle, was streaked with blood aud bhere was a piece torn clear oub of the right hand on bhe second or third finger In- examination, witness Baid be did nob know what to think when Shore was arrested, and limped half-way to Pebone on stick to see Bosher and ask him if he had anything to do with ib before he communicated with the police. The case is still proceeding.