HOSTILE WITNESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 276, 22 November 1927, Page 8

HOSTILE WITNESS.

CHEMISTS ASSIST*^ RETRACTS HIS STATB*^^V "BULLIED INTO IT BY DETBCt^^. (By Tplo.sraph.-Own Conespo,^ CHRISTCHURGH, this fcjT " The outstanding feature o! the day of the trial of Charles Wflfc- " Boakes on the charge of murdering Gwendoline Isobcl Scarff was tie examination of Sydney Charles chemist's assistant. Mr. A. T. Donnelly, the Crown 4 cutor, received permission to treat E*r' v as a hostile witness, as he daue/spl statement made by him prior to ' trial. Entering the witness box, Kinz 'ijiM ~ h3 met Boakes about twdvTmontSPP agoMr. Donnelly: Von remember thfe evidence in the lower Court!—YoPifegr Did you make a statement to Gresson in his office on November 4'— V* Yes. • . - Which is true? That made to Gresson or that made in the Court?— That made to Mr. Gresson ia his office. Mr. Donnelly: Your Honor, statement which I put in I submit I jff'? entitled to treat King as a hostile wit- :v ness and cross-examine him. His Honor: That is so. Mr. Donnelly: Do you remember to* 1 lower Court evidence?— Yes. The statement was altogether true? —Yes. Why did you give evidence Wore magistrate which you now uyyffalse?—l was bullied into itbv Bickerdike. * .4 111 the statement you say that July 18 Detective Bickerdike got yd*if* into the police station and Imllifj-jf? out of you? —Yes. "Told Me to Say On July IS you wrote out at th» ; police station a statement snbstaatidlT the same in effect as the one tub in the lower Court? \V)ere did 70a get the information to put in the statement ?—Detective Bickerdike made ok write the statement. , ...y,'. How did he make you write it?—lk threatened that he had a charge agaiari me. On the following day you broogfet - back to the detective samples of the drugs you said you had sold to Boaku? Yes. The detective asked me to bug the samples. i- fv- - Why, then, did you bring the stnf -back if you knew the statement vis untrue!—He practicaUy ordered me to bring it back. ' , '' But if it was not true, why did Toa not tell your employer?—Bickerdike told me to say nothing. You knew it was very wrong to auk* the statement if it was not tneV- "• Yes, I do now. r ; • V

In the statement did you tell Sr. Gresson all you knew?— Yes. "

Why did you not tell Mr. Gretna' that you had made two statemeaif instead of did. . Mr. Donnelly: It's not in your statement.

After various other questions, Sir. Donnelly said to the witness: If roar statement is true, you knew yon wen doing a dreadful thing by lying!—l do know now.

Why did you not speak to somebody about it?— There was nobody to.speak to.

Witness* Latest Statement

Counsel said he proposed to read tk» statement and if there was anything m it witness objected to, King conld stop him.

In the statement, witness said i» effect that when Detective Bickerdike questioned him at the police station ttr yarding supplying pills to Boakes, he denied having done so, or having beo asked by Boakes to do so. He alleged that the detective kept on saying it wai no use witness denying supplying SOW pills, and that the detective threatened to bring a charge against him and eventually bullied him into admittiaf that he had supplied pills. The statement continued: "I «»id

""Yes' because he had frightened me ai» that my nerve was all gone., Tb statement that I sold the frills Boakes was untrue, and I make tfc» statement now knowing that I law sworn an untrue statement in ti* lower Court. After I went up to ■? room again Bickerdike said that Boafa* had obtained a bottle of liquid from-B®-I denied that, but I wasn 't feeling better and eventually I said TTes* to that

"Detective Walsh had come in If then and Bickerdike went right it all again. As they ..went ah< Bickerdike suggested making * afrfe ment. They dictated it and I it out. When finished they readft through and I signed it. They aa» that I was to keep quiet and not to f/S anything to anyone. They mil 4 could go then. I had been ttj station from a-quart«r to three a-quarter past five." i. Confronted With Boakea.

The statement detailed what occaiwl at the police station on the Boakes was arrested. When Bickerdike told Boakes witness *•* man the pills, Botkw ■*» "That is a lie." The sfcatenMnt d** tinued: "I felt pretty bad when «•" fronted with Boakes, but I couldn't * any way out of it, as Bickerdik® always told me to stick to my and say nothing to anyone until *** trial. I never said a word to about the case. At the trial I jfQP'p evidence in accordance with my ment." v" : ?.

In conclusion was the followingJ**" sage:—'"l didn't see Mr. Thomas Wednesday, November 2. because I in the meantime gone back to TiM*** to my family. I had told my ono night last week that my ment was not true. lam makiaf statement after being advised ty •**" Gresson that I am liable to prosecoWP for perjury for the evidence gi**® * the lower Court and my motive * wish to put right the wrong I ** done."