WIDOW'S STORY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 303, 23 December 1941, Page 3

WIDOW'S STORY

KOITERANGI CASE CONSTABLE'S "CONFESSION" (0.C.) HOKITIKA, this day. Interesting new light on the Koiterangi tragedy was thrown yesterday when the inquest into the six deaths was continued before Mr. A. E. Ben' jamin, coroner. The main witnesr was Mrs. Graham, wife of Stanle/ Graham. The shootings began at the homp of Stanley Graham, farmer, on tba afternoon of Wednesday, October S, when Sergeant \V. Cooper, Constable F. W. Jordan and Constable P. C. Tulloch, all of Hokitika, were killed instantly, and Constable E. M. Best, of Kanieri, received a wound from which he died three days later. Mr. G. S. Ridley, who went to the assistance of the police, was also seriously wounded. Two more men were fatally shot the following night. They were Mr. R. J. M. Coulson and Mr. G. Hutchison, Home Guardsmen, who who had joined the police in an endeavour to apprehend Graham. The latter was shot by a constable on October 20 and died from his wounds. Evidence was j :iven by Dr. Wilsor., who attended the injured men at Graham's house, and also took Mr. Ridley and Constable Best to hospital. Detective-Sergeant Knight read a statement by the late Constable Best, which stated that Graham fired shots which killed three policemen and wounded him. | First Shootings Mrs. Dorothy Graham said that on October 8 Constable Best called twice in the morning. He had a conversation with Graham about some cattle. In the afternoon Constable Best returned with another man in plain clothes. Graham came out to see | them unarmed. Witness stood aside with Constable Best while the other man spoke with Graham. The other man said: "I am going to take that firearm." Graham replied: "If you wait until to-morrow you can have the lot." The other man would not agree to this. Constable Best thep moved up to the group. Graham said: "Get out of the road." He had a rifle in his hand which he had brought from the house when he was asked for it. He had been holding it for about five minutes. Graham fired the rifle, but witness did not see the result of the shot. She was pushed through the kitchen door by Graham. She heaitl several shots. Mrs. Graxiam said that she then went outside and her children came to her. She ran round the house and saw four men lying shot. Best was the only one she knew. He was lying in the doorway. The man who had been speaking to Graham was lying between the door and the front gate, and two others were in the passage. Witness ran down the road and asked the school inspector to call a doctor. Constable Writes Nothing was done with a view to exonerating Graham, witness continued. He asked her to get a pad and pencil. When she returned with them Constable Best said: "Lift my head. I want to write." Witness asked him what he wanted to write. He replied: "Just anything." Graham then called her and told her what Best was going to write. She could not remember what he said. Dr. Foden, for the Crown, produced a document which read:—"l, P. M. Best, intended to murder Stan Graham." Mrs. Graham admitted having written that. She admitted to Dr. Foden that Graham was anxious to have Best sign the document. Graham realised the significance of what he had done. George Sackville Ridley, agricultural inspector for the Canterbury Education Board, said that at 3.30 p.m. on the day of the tragedy he saw Mrs. Graham come running down the road calling out for a doctor. He ran to the Post Office and arranged for a doctor to be called. He then met another man who told him there was trouble at Graham's place. He gave witness his rifle. Witness Was Wounded They went up to Graham's gate. Witness said to the other man: -You cover, me with the rifle while I go in." Mrs. Graham came out and said: "Do not bring a gun in." She produced a sheet of paper and said: "We've got his confession." Graham, who was holding a rifle, stepped back a pace and shot witness. Mrs. Graham stated she did not see the shooting, but no one but Graham could have done it. Mrs. Emma Maud Cropper, who had a clear view from her home adjoining. describing the incident on October 8, said she heard shots and saw a man (Sergeant Cooper) run from the house and fail following a further shotAlbert Cropper, husband of previous witness, corroborated his wife's evidence. Witness saw Graham shoot and a man who was running out of the house (Sergeant Cooper) fell on the footpath. He saw Graham search the body of the fallen man (Proceeding.)