BARMAN'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 134, 9 June 1927, Page 9

BARMAN'S DEATH.

fc- ■ ■ r STORY TOLD AT INQUEST.

pDfDU'S ALLEGED CONFESSION L r »TVE HAD BAD LUCK TO-DAY." \ CvSULTEvG WORDS FROM BARRETT (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) IT TAHIATUA, this day. ' The inkiest into the death of W. J. Barrett, barman at the Commercial Hotel, in consequence of which Delva Kala stands charged with wilful murder, vas continued to-day before Mr. S. L. P. Free, S.M., and the district coroner, Jlr. J. D. Wilson. Constable T. Swan said that in reeponse to a message he "arrived at the Commercial Hotel at 1.40 p.m. last Saturday. In the kitchen he saw the barman, William J. Barrett, lying in a pool of blood. At the police station the ercused, the Hindu chef, Delva Kala. eaid: "I've had bad luck to-day; I have * wife and two boys in Bombay, India." Witness asked accused what reli<non le was? He replied. ''Hindu." ° Accused repeated that he had had bad luck at Pahiatua that day. He alleged that the barman came into the kitchen for lunch and said to him. ' ; Are you leaving on Monday?" Accused replied, ,; Yes, I've given a week's notice. Then tie barman called me a 'black woolly • .' I had the bread knife in mv land and I cut his head."

Witness said the Hindu talked about lis wife and two boys, saying he came to New Zealand in 1919, and went back to Bombay in 1921. He returned to 2few Zealand in 1923, and had been a fortnight at the Club Hotel and two Bionths at the Commercial. Accused, when witness saw him, was tober and calm. "I KiU Him." Thomas Davidson, kitchenman, said deceased and himself exchanged greetings shortly before the tragedy on Barrett's way to lunch in the kitchen. Later, witness heard moans, and saw Barrett on the floor. He thought the barman was in a fit, and caught him by the shoulder. Witness saw a gash. As Tritness was afterwards going into the kitchen he passed accused, the Hindu chef, Delva Kala, going out. Witness had not heard anything in the way of discussion between the deceased *and accused. Subsequently he said t5 accused, "Did you do that to Bill?" and Kala replied, "I kill him." The onlv other thing he said was, "The chickens m the oven, Torn," referring to dinner being prepared for the night. Accused used to cut up bread with a small Chinese chopper.

H. P. Perry, licensee of the hotel, also gave evidence.

Wm. Saunders Routledge, day porter who was working j n a sned - and wag ' failed to the kitchen by Davidson, said he did not see the Hindu there. Subsequently accused, in reply to Mrs Jago said: "I kill him." Asked by a conftable where the tomahawk was, he saidIn the sink." Witness found the chopper but nothing else in the sink- The water in the sink was hot and soapv and full of soda. When the chopper yas picked out there were no si<ais of blood on it. Hindu Seen with Barrett. Constance Tester, housemaid,- was in the pantry which led to the kitchen. The connecting door being open, she said she heard a gurgling sound and then a chair falL She hesitated a moment and then went to the pantrv door and looked into the kitchen. She saw accused walking away from where Barrett had been sitting. Barrett's plate was covered with blood, and his body was lying on the floor. The cook seemed to walk to the fireplace in the same direction as the door, out to the pantry. There was no one elae in the kitchen beside Barrett and accused. Ruby James, another waitress, said -ave Barrett a cup of tea. The Hindu was quite near and Barrett was cutting bread. She then left the kitchen and went to the dining room. On reaching there she heard an awful Boise and hurried out and saw Barrett on the floor, with Davidson trying 'o raise him up. Davidson said:. ,: H e °has gone." Witness proceeded immediately to the office and saw the Hindu standing at the front door dressed in his best clothes, a navy blue suit. His kitchen aress was a white coat and white apron. Witness said to the Hindu. "Whatever happened f He replied, "Me don't know." The other waitress asked the same question. Mrs. Jatro took the chef into the dining-room, and then returned to the waitresses in the hall and said, Pull yourselves together, pirls."

"I Kill Him." Mrs. Frances Ju»o ; manaser-ess, said she -Rent from the kitchen to the olF,ce and found the chef there. He,then went to the front dour, and she . following, asked, '"Where were you when this happened? Did you see it happen r : ' Kala said, "I kill him. 1 kill him." Accused returned with her to thg dining-room till the police arrived. Accused and Barrett were on the best of terms. The Hindu *as to leave the hotel on 'Uonday, of his own accord. He was a man of "temperate habit?. .- ■Dr. Dawson said he asked,the Hindu ""■ho did it. He said. "I did it." He asked him what he meant by doing a thing like that, accused said. ' : Come outside and I'll explain matters." Detective Quirke: You didn't go, doctor? c Witness: Xo. (Subdued laughter from the back of the court.) Wound Inflicted By Expert. The doctor added that the wound was more or less of an expert nature. An ordinary layman could not have done it *'ith the same strength and skill. It was none by a person accustomed to use an instrument similar to that used. Constable Burrell said that when accused by Mrs. Ja-o the Hindu made no reply. He a«ked him what he did it for. and he still made no reply. He noticed Kala whs tieinblina, but he was perfectly sober. The sink was full of hot water. The meat chopper was wet with no signs of blood on it. When charged the Hindu replied: "Alright. I dunno," but subsequently he said: "111 tell you all about it later on." Verdict of Wilful Murder. The coroner found that Barrett died from a wound wilfullv inflicted by Deva Kala. Accused was then charged with wilful murder. He appeared quite calm. Mr. S. K. Siddells, instructed by Mr. F. IX McLiver. of Auckland, who had We:, briefed for the case, entered a plea of nor guiitv. Havin Nardil Nsiil: acted as interpreter. Kala was committed for trial at the Supreme Court at Painierston North on ,&m>&& .1 ' ■

ACCUSED PERFECTLY CALM. Deva Kala, who appeared In the dock collarless, with his navy blue suit and dark tweed overcoat, is 36 years oldHe has lived at Blenheim, Stratford, Palmereton North, Hasting, Dannevirke and Pahiatua since coming to the Dominion. He i s oft 10in in height, and well proportioned, -with swarthy skin and thick curly black hair. While appearing perfectly calm, his keen black eyes seemed to miss no detail of the proceedings. He lost some of his colour and gave the impression of a nan who realised the full significance of the serious charge. The interpreter, who was until recently porter at the Club Hotel, showed more nervousness over the part he had to play in interpreting the Hindustani language than did the accused. Accused was brought from Palmerston North this morning and afterwards was taken to Wellington. It is stated that when he was arrested accused had a razor in his possession. In his room was found a knife with a blade some nine inches in length.