MURDER CHARGE

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 28, 2 August 1921, Page 4

MURDER CHARGE

THE MANGAMAHU TRAGEDY

KINSELLA BEFORE THE COUET.

(BY TBLBCRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

WANGANUI, Ist August. In the Magistrate's Court to-day, John Kinsella was charged tliat on 22nd July at Mangamahu he murdered George Gordon. The Goronei-'s Inquiry proceeded at the same time.

Cecil Addenbrooke, farmer, said that on 22nd July he caw the accused at about 6 p.m. coming down a paddock with a- man named Gibson. KinseJla Raid : "Go and ring up the police. I hare cut George's b head off." He eouM walk, but not too straight. Gibson was very drunk, and tumbling down half the time. Kinsella becanir: hysterical several times, and staned' to on\

James Campbell, a roadman, said that accused, after stating that he h.-.d killed Gordon, got a bit excited, and kept repeating : "Why did I do it?" He ' was crying. Kinseila was sober right through the piece. They gave him one drink to "keep him right" until the police came. He did not iry to got away. Kinsella and deceased were friendly.; they used to work as mates aA one time.

William Gibson, a fajrnsr at Ngamatea, stated that on the Friday he met Kinaalla at the Mangamahu Hotel, and they* had • three drinks. After dinner they had. three more drinks'. Witness bought two bottles of beer, and when they got to the whare he found that .Kinsella had two bottles of whisk/. The beer was consumed while going along the road. Witness went to the whare. Gordon was lying on a bunk, ard apipeared to be sober. Witness i-onld v not recollect how many drinks rf whisky they had at the whare.

Mervyn Addenbrooke also {rave evidence.

William B. Bundary, licensee of the M.angamahu Hotel, said that Kinselk .was at the hotel on Friday. About noon he was joined by Gibson, and they had three beers and soda before dinner and three more afterwards. Witness sold Gibson two bottles of whisky and KirBella two bottles of whisky. Both man were quite sober. Gibson had three short and three long drinks, whereas Kinsella had ill riiort drinks.

Senior-Sergeant T. Bourke said he considered KiuseUa was drunk until the time he was locked up.

Tho Coroner found that deceased was killed by the accused John Kinsella, who was committed by the Magistrate ■for trial at the Wanganui Supreme Court on 23rd. August.