FATAL AFFRAY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 103, 2 May 1924, Page 8

FATAL AFFRAY

IN . BOULCOTT STREET

ONE MAN TO i'DEATH

iANOTHER CHARGED WITH . < MURDER. v.» •

TlieVresult of an ,affray in;; Boulcott street 'last evening .was the bleeding to death elf one man, and a charge of murder^agiwnst another. The man who is

dea3 is* Walter John- Whall,. a .water-

side^ worker, aged 40, and married. As the" result' of '■ his death another mar-

ried man named Joseph Barnes, aged

31, a cook employed at the Waitangi boarding-house, has been; arrested and

charged with murder.

Barnes appear

Ed at the Magistrate's Court this .morning."- He W3S arrested last evening by Defectives'Jarrold and Nuttali. On" the application of Chief-Detective Kemp he >vas" remanded for seven days. He was represented' by; Mr. J. F. \B. Stevenson, who*'asked merely that -: the accused slicflild Jiot be taken to the gaol 'until he (Mr; Stevenson) had had an opportunity to %gel him ■ medically examined. Tt is understood that the examination will be'to prove that accused has bruises on ; his.;,body. . ..* . , :-'. - . The. quarrel which ended fatally; occurred about 7 o'clock on the .street.in* froijt-of the boa-rding-house- It is alleged 'that Whall, with .two companions, called at the ..boarding-house with the express purpose .of remonstrating with

Barnes in connection with attentions-it j.was said he was paying to Whall's wife.' ■ Barnes lives apart from his, wife, and

Whall was * only on good,terms ;with

'; his.1 occasionally. Words led.; to. blows, j and there was a" bout with.fists in the | yard of the boar.ding-honse. Whall, who "'' was', much the bigger of the two, had

' the best" of this,- and Barnes retired .^ to the house. Whall and'his companions {'commenced to retire, and according to the'story of those .who were.present were li overtaken just as they were"' reaching t■ the-'road by Barnes, who'is stated to j'.. have, renewed the fight.' In a few "sec- !; onds Whall staggered, and. fell at the ;■ feet' of his companions. He was seen:

..V to "be seriously injured, and collapsed fin a very short tune. The injured man's f wife appeared on the scene at this ," stage, and went to him. He rallied mo- • : mentarily, remarked "I am done," and •'■ died immediately through loss of blood. , Th.o. wound was in the groin, and had /• apparently severed a main artery. Mcdi- ■ cal. aid was summoned-, immediately the ' affiir was over, but nothing could be done for-the injured man. '--.

The police were also called, and De-

tecfive Jarrold was quickly followed, by Chief-Detective Kemp, who took, charge of the case, and Detective Nuttall. The

scene of the affray was naturally quickly ;the centre of attraction for a large and morbidly curious ; crowd. Inquiries were continned until about 11 p:ml, aftar. which Barnes was arrested, and taken.to tho police station.

Barnes makes a complete denial of haying used a knife, or of having attacked WhaU on the second Occasion. The police made'a search of the board-ing-house; premises, and took charge of. a number "of.,knives, including a butcher's knife.i'and a white jacket'torn anct staiaed with blood "on the front and: babk. • „.■.". '.. '.: It was dark at'the time of thevaffray> and Mr. Wells, the proprietor of the boarding-house, states that he.had considerable difficulty when .be. arrived in making out who were;present/ This was immediately after Whall had been stabbed.**» He. (Mr. Wells) had just come from"th-e-"bright light' of the., kitchen.Whall and two companions were present, as weltas-someone in a white coat. After tli3*" affray he found Barnes back at his" work in the kitchen:, '"■■..■■

Barnes is a small man, standing about 5 feet 5 inches, white faced, and-.neat in appearance,. He was, born in Lancashire, and Was. in Australia when the war broke out. He. went to England and enlisted, arid.saw active service 'with the J infantry Air Forces. • He ' was married in England,- and returned to Australia, and then, came on to; New Zealand with his^wife,";_ ■*'".' ' ■■'•{< .-. •