MURDER TRIAL AT WELLINGTON

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26264, 8 November 1950, Page 8

MURDER TRIAL AT WELLINGTON

Eleven Crown Witnesses Heard

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON November Eleven Crown witnesses were hei'rt in the Supreme Court to-day on the second day of the trial of Leo S/l--vester Hannan, a labourer, aged 50. on a charge of murdering Frederick Andrew Stade at Wellington on August 10. Stade’s body was found at *Le railway station soon after 1.13 a.m. on August 10.

The last two Crown witnesses w:J be heard to-morrow. Hannan’s counsel, Mr G. I. Joseon, is expected to cal] evidence for the defence.

The first witness called to-day w.u Alfred Alexander Beatty, a hospi‘nl cleaner, who said that on the ni :h’ of the alleged murder he had be • 1 taking a friend to catch the 1.15 a.m train to Johnsonville. The witness said that he had se :.i near the station an elderly man canning an iron bar which was making a clinking noise, and that the man walked in a shuffling manner. He had later seen the man come into t*n. station and on to No. 2 platform carrying the iron bar. The iron bar produced in Court was similar to the one the man was canying. said the witness. He had been unable to identify the man at a parade later.

Details of a conversation with the accused, whom he had later identified, and evidence as to where Stade am the accused were standing when the 1.15 a.m. train to Johnsonville pulled out on August 10 were given by the guard of the train. Clement Walter Free.

The witness said that the accused and Stade were the only people on H.e No. 2 platform when the train left. To Mr Joseph, the witness said that there could have been another pgrs in elsewhere on the station.

The witness said th?t just before the train left he spoke to a stranger on the platform. This man had told n m he wanted to go to the lavatory aac. that the main one was locked. At tais stage, added the witness, he notic Stade standing outside the grille gates of No. 1 platform near the public lavatory. Later the witness had” identified the man he had spoken to as the accused.

“Stade Called Out Something” “As I was talking tc this man. Stade, who was sti’l outside the gril e called out something—l think to the man,” said the witness. “I did no: take any notice.” The witness ad tea that there was nobody else on th*' platform but Stade ana the accused w’hen the train left. The witness said ne had known Stade for about three years. Counsel: What kind of temper did Stade have? The witness: If there had been anybody about the station he would have told them to get out. He had a job and was very conscientious. Was the man you were speaking to carrying anything in his hands?—l did not see it. Did you hear any sound or noise when he walked?—No. Did the man have a shuffling walk or limp?—l did not notice. There cnuld have veen someone else on the concourse or station?—Yes. John O’Connell, driver of the locomotive on the 1.15 a.m. Johnsonville train, said that about 1.9 ajn. on the nieht of Stade’s death Stade had been talking to a man at the foreman’s office. There had appeared to be some altercation between Stade and the man. The man had been about sft Win ifl height and 10 or 11 stone in weight. He had been dressed in dark clothes and hat. O’Connell said he had known Stade for six or seven years. Stade had not been involved in any fights as far as the witness knew, though he had had a number of arguments. Stade had never used his hands to make anyone leave the station.

Sergeant Cyril Scanlon said that at 4.30 g.m. he saw a man on the south side of Manners street. He raided no objection when asked to go in the police car. The man was the accused. To Mr Joseph the witness said that • man whn was not th® accused was taken to the police station from a night cafe. This man had blood on his clothes. He did not know of a third man being picked up who had blood on his clothes. Questioning of Hannan Detective-Sergeant Burton Bernard Bevage said he bad questioned Hannan when the accused was brought in to the central police station. Hannan had said he had been walking about all over the place since 7 o’clock the previous night. The witness had seen what he was certain was blood cn the inside of the accused’s right trouser leg. There was also a small piece of fieshv matter. The witness had made a rough sketch of the accused’s face showing the approximate location of to’ood spots on it There were 18 there and four on the left hand. They appeared to be fresh. The accused had said that the blood •pots on bis hands were caused by his nose bleeding for four days, but the witness had examined his nose and found no signs of recent bleeding. The nose had not been examined by

one of the doctors. In the witness's opinion it was not necessary, as there was no blood in Hannan’s nostrils. There was no blood on the accused's right hand, nor was there any under the fingernails on either hand. Mr Joseph: After the accused had been charged, did you make inquiries as to another suspect? The witness: There was no direct evidence of any further suspect. Any matter that came in for inquiry was checked. Were you in Court when the police were asked to continue their inquiries about another suspect?—Nothing has been found that would substantiate the accused’s request for further investigation. Have you been able to find where this turnkey came from?—We have made fairly wide inquiries, but we have not been able to ascertain where it came from. The witness said that inquiries had been made from the City Council and the Wellington Gas Company. Fellow-Lodger of Hannan In further cross-examination Detec-tive-Sergeant Bevage said that Hannan's fellow-lodger, a man named Price, was sft Ilin in height, weighed 11 to 12 stone, and was suffering at the time of Stade’s death from a leg injury.

Counsel commented that Price was a former employee of the Wellington Gas Company. Mr Joseph: I put it to you that after you arrested Hannan all further inquiries ceased except for the weapon?

The witness: No. What other inquiries were made?— All information that came into the detective office was investigated, no matter what its nature

Elizabeth Forbes, proprietress of a bed and breakfast hocse at 1 Vivian street, told Mr Joseph under crossexamination that Price brought “Bluey” Hannan to the house on July 30. The witness, who wa*> called by the Crown, said that Price paid Hannan's board after Hanna i came to the house. Hannan left on August 5 at her request. He was in a different room from Price. The witness said that Price worked at the gasworks and was aged 50 to 55 or mo -e. The witness told Mr Joseph that Price did his washing from 2 a m. to 4 a.m. on August 10. She told him *ne had no business in the washhouse ai that time.

Mr Joseph: Did he tell you why he did it at that rather strange eaJ*’ hour?

The witness: He was a bit peculid’ Did you tell the police about ini washing of clothes about a hour aftei a murder?—Yes.

The witness said she die not remember if there were trousers in the washing. There were light anu dark ships.

Price limned, the witness said. Qu s tioned further, she said he had a soic leg and was off work at the time. Hr had used crutches, out did not have them then. He had a stick. Crown’s Re-examinstion

Re-examined by Mr w h. Cunning ham, the Crown Prosecutor. the w'tness said that she knew nothing abut the washing of clothes until 6 o’clock the next morning. Eartier she was toid about it by another boarder.

Mr Cunningham* Had Price made any preparation for w ashing? The witness: He had it soaking in two tubs the day be'ore. , The witness added that Price wis on crutches when he left the house, and she saw him on crutches in me street after that.

To Mr Josenh Detective-Serge-Z.it Scott said that when Hannan was charged the police had the evidence o. Free. Beatty. O’Connell, and Dr. Lynch —Dr. Lynch had identified the piece of fleshy matter as a piece of human sea In several hours earlier. The accused was ndt limping When taken into Custody. He had a sort of shuffling ga t. The police had been unable to establish where the iron bar came from.

The photographs put in yesterday were given to the jury. Witness said tha* the wounds on the head could not have gone any deep*.. He said that there was moist blood on the accused’s clothes when he was interviewed at 5 a.m. He agreed that mtoist blood spots on the face wou’d smear if they were rubbed. He saw’ no smears.

Arthur Walter Baker, a detective described finding the metal bar produced in Court in the harbour.

Victor Coveny, a constable of the wharf police station, yaid he saw the accused pass the wharf police stat nr on the morning of August 10. He fir;t saw him approaching from the nonh at 1.28 a.m. They exchanged a greeting. Later he identified Hannan at a parade. When seen on the wharf the accused had nothing in his hands. James Gibson, chief detective at the Central Police Station, gave details of identification parades held.

To Mr Joseph, the witness said that before the second identification para x the accused had been twice in the dock in the Magistrate’s Court. The witness tola the Chief Justice (Sir Humphrey O’Leary) that the parades were held according to instructions. The hearing was then adjourned.