FIFTH EDITION "MURDERED FOR GOLD."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 257, 30 October 1928, Page 19

FIFTH EDITION "MURDERED FOR GOLD."

CHINAMAN AT KYEBURN.

yrM HARDIE THE MAN ?

JUDGE'S REVIEW OF CRIME

' (By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

, j , DUNEDIN, this day. ! the trial of William John Hardie on charge of murdering Joe Leong Shun »t' Kyehurn Diggings on July 17 was tegun to-day. Mr. Justice MacGregor, addressing the wind jury, said it was fairly clear the (yaamsn was murdered for his gold, had disappeared. The only quests was whether the evidence wag sufficient to point to Hardie as being the gtirderer. Sue Pee, who lived with gbun, said after dinner on July 17, tedwed, a perfect stranger, called at fjfet-feut and said something about a carder which had recently taken place. The Chinaman treated Hardie hospitably- The man, according to Pee, {jjte* if Shun had a gun, and an old guizine rifle was produced, which he j3el. Accused asked if Shun was getting plenty of gold, and went outside niMaibly to look at the claim. i Companion Frightened. goo Pee later went to chop wood. He noticed Shun lying some distance »w»7». groaning, saying he was dying, glen said the man who was there had lhat him. and asked Sue Pee to go to the hotel for a doctor, but Sue Pee was frightened. Shun told him not to be frightened, as the man had broken up the goo and thrown it into the tuslodts. Sue Pe6 slept the night in the ttiMoeks and reached the hotel next turninggome days later Sue Pee Identified Htrdie at Dunedin as the man who had (tiled at the hut. Sue Pee's evidence «il direct prima facie evidence of murder against Hardie. His evidence did not ittnd alone, it was corroborated by other evidence.

Hurdle, Mid fcts Honor, had stated tat lie was in his own hut at 3 o'clock on the afternoon of the 17th, hut that itlteinent war» contradicted by Ges and another mac; who said they saw Bardie iear 6hun's place on the morning of the nordir. That was exceptionally important. 'Another contradiction was found in Birdie's statement when in his wallet were found certain photographs oorreiponding with some Sue Pee said he had diiplayed in the hut. Hardie said he bid received no gold from a Chinaman, bat had got the gold out of his own dtio. Hardie did not have a miner's right, and experts said that the gold tucen into Naseby by Hardie must have ((Me out of Shun's claim, as the gold wis different in colour and quality from gold in other parts of the district. I When Hardfe was escorted into the lode he. appeared nervous, but pleaded! ttt guilty m * firm voice. Mr. A. C. Bftnlon Appeared for him. Before the jury was empanelled the Grown IVosecutqr. M*\ Adams, exertiaed 12 challenges, and Mr. Hanlon three. "Zither Murder or Manslaughter." Mr. Adams, in opening, said there had lite a certain amount of sensationalism Ja the public reports* and on behalf of the Crown he urged jurors to recognise lotting but what would not ho produced is evidence. Shun had met his death by ballet wounds. Two of the four wounds eoold have caused his death. There was 10 possibility of the defence proving selfdefence. It was either murder or manslaughter. The Crown could not produce any Mitel spectator of the crime, but there wu evidence which took them very close to the time when the crime was comKitted, namely, that of Sue Pee, who was fa the hut when Hardie arrived and saw Slran and Hardie leave together. Counsel proceeded to trace Hardie's Movements and emphasised the importance of knowing what chance Hardie had of getting the gold since 2oz was in his possession when he was arrested.

The Court adjourned lor luncheon, the Judge informing the jury that they would be kept together during the trial, which is •spected to last three days.