THE TAIHAPE MURDER

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 105, 29 January 1924, Page 8

THE TAIHAPE MURDER

MOGHAN TO STAND TRIAL AT SUPREME COURT

CORONER DELIVERS HIS VERDICT

By Telegraph—Press Association.

, Taihape, January 26. Anthony Moghan, charged with having murdered Gordon John Gemmell at Taihape on. January 2, Has been committed for trial. . Tn the course of the Magistrate s Court hearing of the charge, Dr. J. A. Hurley, Government Bacteriologist in charge of the laboratory it Wellington Hospital, said that on January 7 he received from Constable. King two shirts, a pair of trousers with braces, a blanket, apair of socks, and' a pair of boots. He also received a letter from Sergeant Matthews with a request te examine tho articles for blood stains and ascertain if such blood was human blood. He explained to Constable King that the time he wanted the articles in was too short, that for a thorough examination a month would bo necessary, but there was a chance of wetting it within two or three weeks. The reason for this was that it required a month to prepare the amount, of material necessary for the examination. He examined the articles submitted for blood and found it on all except the boots. The boots would require longer to examine. An examination of the blanket for human blood the test showed that it was present. He had not enough material to finish tho other articles. These would probably be ready to report on in a fortnight. He bad the exhibits with him, but would require them to complete the tests.. To Inspecor Fouhy: The exhibits included a wisp of hair. There was no evidence to show that it was not human hair. It was not possible to swear that it was human hir, for some dogs, even cows, had hair like human hair; but to the best of his knowledge it was human hair. This concluded the case for the proseciutioln. . . Moghan when questioned! said! he had nothing to say. Mr. Hussey asked if Moghan would be sent to Wellington Gaol to await trial, so that accused could be near his counsel. Inspector Fouhy objected on behalf of the police owing to the extra expense. Mr. Hussey: I will ask the Department to transfer accused to Wellington.

The Stipendiary Magistrate agreed that the best course would be to send Moghan to Wanganui Gaol. It remains for the Justice Department to decide whether he will remain there or be sent to Wellington. The Stipendiary Magistrate: Accused is committed to the next sitting of Wanganui Supreme Court for trial, on the Coroner’s verdict. Mr. J. P. Aldridge. Coroner, who sat on the bench with Mr. Watson, S.M., said that the case was a simple one, and he would make no remarks. He retained the verdict that the deceased, John Gemmell, died at Raukura, Taihape, on January 3, 1924, from injuries received at the. hand of Anthony Moghan.