WEST AUSTRALIAN MURDERS

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 253, 9 July 1926, Page 4

WEST AUSTRALIAN MURDERS

INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE BY CLARKE BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Copyright. (Rec. July 8, 11.-10 p.m.) Perth, July 8. At the inquest on the victims of the goldfields murders, Clarke, one of the accused, called as a witness for the Crow’n, gave evidence that when he look over the hotel at Boulder, Treffene, (another accused) was barman there, and remained in that capacity until June 6. After witness bought the hotel he began trafficking in illicit gold, Treffcne being associated with him in buying and disposing of it. Witness financed Treffcne and allowed him to purchase gold ore on the hotel premises. The ore was kept on the hotel premises, and when sufficient accuniu lated it was taken to the bush by Treffene and Coulter (the third accused), in witness’s car. On April 27 Treffene and Coulter took a load of gold-bearing ore in the car to the bush, and had a sliot-gun in the car. Later they returned, called him aside, and Coulter said: "Detectives Pitman and Walsh came on us to-day, and Treffcne shot Pitman before I knew what had happened. I then shot Walsh.” Clarke proceeded to state that Treffene did not deny Coulter’s statement; neither did Coulter deny Treffenc’s statement that Coulter shot Walsh. Witness asked Coulter what he had done with the bodies. He replied: “They are still at the plant. We. tried to burn them, but they would not go into the furnace.” Coulter then said he wanted Clarke to go with him that night in order to prove an alibi for Treffene, who would be working at the hotel, and also to clean things up, and for Clarke to bring a knife and saw. Clarke agreed and they went in the car into the bush to the treatment plant, and while witness remained in the car Coulter went to the plant with the knife and saw. Coulter several times returned to the car for whisky and on one occasion said he had the bodies in the furnace. "I have burned their heads,” he said. On another occasion when Coulter was at the plant witness could hear sawing. When Coulter finally returned he said he had burned as much of the bodies as he could. Coulter then brought several parcels to the car and drove to the abandoned shaft. lie threw the parcels and tools down the shaft, and they drove home. —Press Assn.