DOUBLE MURDER CHARGE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 95, 16 January 1943, Page 6

DOUBLE MURDER CHARGE

Police Case Opens THREE SEAMEN TELL OF SHOOTING Accused Remanded Again Events leading up to a party to which they had been invited at No. 17 Terrace Gardens, and the happenings which ended with the shooting episode in which two American marines were killed and a girl was seriously wounded in the early hours of the morning of January 7, were described <by three seamen in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday. The first evidence was heard in the case in which John Sidnev Crawford, a South African seaman, aged 26, was charged with murdering Sydney S. Sparrow and Elmer William Geti, and with attempting to murder Hazel Josephine Salmon and Constable Thomas William Illes. Air. Stout, S.M, was on tlie Benell, and four witnesses were called. Their evidence occupied about four hours. With' Hie case for tlie police partly heard, accused was remanded by consent till February 17. Air. W. 11. Cunninghan), Crown Prosecutor, who conducted the case for the police, said that, even then they might have to wait till the wounded girl was fit to give evidence. Accused, for whom Mr. W. J. Stacey appeared, was not required to plead yesterday. There were about 100 spectators waiting when the doors opened at 2 p.m., and there was a large crowd in Court, but it thinned out as lhe afternoon wore on. Admissibility of Evidence. Before the hearing of the evidence commenced, Air. Cunningham, commenting on Hie remand which had been granted from: the previous day to see if the evidence of three seamen witnesses could be taken at a later date to permit of -better facilities for cross-examination, said it was impossible for them to remain behind from their ship, or lie replaced in their work by others. Consequently their evidence would have to /be taken separately. The magistrate said there could be no objection to the taking of tlie evidence, but the question of its admissibility in the .Supreme Court was not for him to decide.

Air. Cunningham said the evidence could he taken subject to any legitimate comment which might be made afterward.

Air. Stacey said he was perfectly satisfied that the company could not detain tlie men.

Air. Stacey said that whether the witnesses could make a declaration that they could attend the Supreme Court trial was a question. It was most, probable that they would not be in AVellington. He would like it recorded that lie objected to tlie admissibility of tlie evidence of all these witnesses.

Referring Io his statement of the previous day that a report which might be prejudicial to accused had appeared in a Wellington newspaper, Air. Stacey said that, in fairness, lie should point out that both AVellington daily newspapers had contained the reference.

Tlie magistrate: I do not think anything appeared in the papers that was likely to prejudice any one. Mr. Stacey observed that it was a matter for a higher tribunal. Constable Jack Calclough, police'photographer, the first witness, produced photographs of 17 Terrace Gardens. Met by “Biinty.” Tlioin Oswald Philip Walker, aged 28, a cook in an overseas ship, said he first met accused on New Year’s Eve at tlie Orient Cafe, being introduced to him with friends. On January G witness saw accused again, this time nt 2.30 p.m., outside a shipping office in Customhouse Quay. With witness were Donald Hughes and James Gilbert. Au arrangement was made to meet accused at G p.m. at the Orient Cafe. This was carried out and all four had a meal at the cafe. They met Crawford with the intention, as accused said, of going to a party. They went to a house which witness recognized from a photograph produced, which they reached between 8.30 and 8.45 p.m. Crawford knocked at the door and it was opened ly ’’Bunty." whom he hud never seen before. He heard lhe name when Crawford spoke to her. She led the four of them up the stairs to the landlady’s Hat. Next she used some obscene language to Crawford and went downstairs. Crawford made no reply till after she had gone, when he fold the landlady.^witness, Hughes and Gilbert that he had kept her apartment going while she was in hospital; the day before he had given iter £5, and lie had helped her all lie could. They remained in the htmlladys room till just after 12.30 a.m. During that lime Hughes was asleep in the adjoining room. M itness. the lamihid.v, Gilbert ami Crawford were drinking; Gilbert and himself hud sherry and Crawford whisky. AVitnesS, while in the house, drank just over a bottle ot sherry himself. anil Crawford about half a bottle of whisky. During the evening an American merchant, seaman entered the room, got the bottle opener and left, "bunty came up to the room after Criiwiord had left, and said goodnight to tlie landlady, Gilbert and witness. Crawford had gone tit about 11.50 p.m., saying he was going for a taxi ride. AVitness could not say what time he returned, but it was before witness left the premises, which would be after 12.30 a.m. Gilbert woke up Hughes and the landlady woke up witness. Hughes, witness and Criiwiord then left and waited on the landing tor Gilbert, who, with Hughes, went down tlie stairs, witness and Crawford bringing up the re-ir Hughes walked outside, leaving witness and the other two at the bottom of the stairs. As they got there ail Ameri(•an marine was knocking at s door Witness stood about a loot behind bin,; toward the front door. Crawford was on the left of witness, against the dividing wall. Gilbert was behind witness Crawford said lie was going to say goodbye to ••Bunty.’’ Io whom tlie marine was calling mil. Three Shots Fired. The next witness knew was that Craw; lord had a .15 in his hand. ’•Bunty opened the door. Crawlord shot the marine and “Bunty’’ and the third shot was tired through the key-hole. Witness could sec the head and left shoulder ol “Bunty through the door. The marine stumbled in through the door when he was shot. The door was open when witness saw me shot lin’d at “Bunty.” Between that and the shot through the key-hole, lhe door slammed. Witness was inside the front door when all three shots were bred. After the third shot Crawford Passed witness and coining out ‘d lhe hall, broke with lhe butt «»f the gun tin* window on bis left' Witness, who liail served in till- Aiinv in Hie pre-eiit war. recognized .-. gun produced as the weapon used, or a similar one. It was an American .45 auloimitic. After the window was broken witness and his two companions got out of tile house and down lhe steps “at flu- double.” Ciawfoid. before he fired the shots, had taken (ho revolver from his right-hand overemit. poeket. Witness Imd mil. seen him with a revolver at any

time earlier in lhe evening. After he got outside the house, witness did not hear tiny more shots. The marine who had been knocking on “Bunty’s” door wits in full rig. Crawford fired at tne left-hand side of the marine’s body, under the arm and at. lhe back. Before the shot was fired witness did not see or hear anything happen between Crawford and the marine. Crawford did uot point it, but pulled it straight, out. of his pocket and fired.’ AVith Hughes and Gilbert, witness finally made his way as quickly as possible back to the ship. Drinks at. Hotels. Cross-examined witness said that earlier in the afternoon they had two glasses of sherry at Barrett’s Hotel, four at the Grand Hotel and two at the Carlton Hotel. AVitness took two bottles of sherry to the Orient Cafe, where they had two or three cups of beer. He went to sleep over the table after Crawford left, but was not drunk. They had not gone to bed till 4.30 that day, and had turned out. again at 0 a.m. Three of them had two bottles of sherry at the house that night. Crawford had whisky. If there were two dozen quarts of beer at the cafe, it must have been drunk by Crawford and Hughes. They were half-way down the stairs at lhe house when witness first saw the marine, who was calling out, "It’s only me, Bunty.” AVitness had been in "Bunty’s” room earlier in the evening. There were then there two marines, "Bunty” and a girl friend. AVitness would not say whether the marine who was knocking at the door litter was one of them.

Crawford was opposite the bedroom door when he shot the marine, who hud bis back to him. The muzzle of the revolver would be only a foot or two from the marine. AVitness could not say who slammed the door. AVitness followed Crawford out of the front door. Accused went one way and witness another. The last thing witness heard was the breaking of the window. Re-examined witness said he never saw two dozen bottles of beer at tlie cafe. While lie was there four or five bottles appeared. They were brought by Crawford. When the shooting occurred witness was ‘‘pretty sober.” llis condition was medium, as was that of Crawford, who was not drunk. Flight down Hill.

James Arther Gilbert, an officer’s steward and shipmate of the previous witness, said he had met Crawford on a previous trip to New Zealand. AVitness detailed the meeting at the Orient Cafe with accused, who invited himself and his two mates to a party that evening, saying a bottle of whisky would be coming up. AVitness said, he was “halftight” when they met Crawford at the cafe that evening. At the house a marine answered the door first and then a girl, known to him as “Bunty,” came out. Site took them up to the landlady, Airs. Last, to whom they were introduced. “Bunty” told Crawford she would be glad when he went away. Crawford said that when she had come to him for £1 lie had given her a £5 note. After she had gone he told all the room that he had paid for her lodgings and paid for her to go to Christchurch and back. About one and a half or two bottles of sherry were drunk while they were in the room. Crawford had a bottle of whisky. There was quite a bit gone when witness saw it later. About 11.45 p.m. Crawford said he was going out for a taxi ride and left the room. AVitness could not say whether accused left the house, but he returned about 12.30 a.m. or later. AVhen Crawford returned and was asked where he bud been, he said he had been out for some cigarettes. AVitness, when the time came to go home, was fairlv sober, but had "had a few.” Crawford seemed to be pretty sober, as were the other two. Accused, AValker and Hughes went down the stairs first, witness following behind. Me half-slipped as he went down, and as he came down to the bottom he saw Crawford standing with his back against the wall, and somebody knocking at the door of “Bunty’s” room. That person was in a uniform, and witness thought it was a policeman at first. . Crawford was facing “Bunty’s” door. It was pretty dark, and witness could not see Hughes or AVnlker till he got outside. He went back into the front hall and asked Crawford if he was coming with them. Accused made no reply and witness saw tlie door half ajar. Shots were then fired by Crawford into the room. AA’hen accused fired witness dived out, as he thought Crawford was going to kill him. lie was a yard to a yard and a half away from Crawford when the shots were fired. He saw the flash of the revolver; of three shots, which seemed to come from the same position. AVhen running down the hill witness heard the crash of glass, but did not see Crawford. At no time earlier had he seen accused with a revolver or heard him mention having one. Cross-examined, witness said that they had had a fair amount of drink that day, but AValker and Hughes were sober. AVitness knew "Bunty.” She was his girl friend for a ’time. He thought accused knew that. AVitness had finished with her last trip, but he knew that this time she was going round with Crawford. AA'itness was certain he heard only three shots, which practically dazed him. They were in rapid succession. He did not consider it unusual to see the marine knocking at the door of “Bunty’s” room. Hughes’s Evidence. The final witness for the day was Donald John Hughes,'an assistant baker on an overseas ship.| AVitness said he first met Crawford on New A'ear’s Eve and later saw him on January G. He saw a marine in the hall of the house and then left. He heard talking, but could not say what it was. He then heard three shots, and left the house. He beard the breaking of glass, but did not see Crawford again after he got out of the front door. This concluded lhe evidence yesterday.