CHARGE OF MURDER

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 99, 23 October 1924, Page 6

CHARGE OF MURDER

AN AUCKLAND CASE

SHUTES BEFORE THE COURT.

(BT TEIBORAPfI—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) / ' '•' ' AUCKLAND, This Day. The charge of having murdered Louis Short against Benjamin Harrison Shutes, aged 32, in the Aurora Hotel on 10th October, was resumed in the Police pourt. Shutes was also charged with assault on Frederick James. Sands on 10th October. Frederick Sands, licensee ef the Aurora Hotel, said that on the night of 10th October, lie saw Stretton and Kilpatrick in the bedroom occupied by a man named Wftelan. The latter brought three bottles of beer to, his bedroom. Witness' saw Shutes when he came to book a room: Shutes, no doubt, had had a few drinks, but was sober. Witness later heard loud talking in Whelan's room, and saw accused, Kilpatrick, Whelan, Taylor, and Stretton (three boarders and two guests) in the room. He cautioned thorn, but tho noise continuing, witness told Shutes he must leave. Shutes replied that he would not be put out, and walked into a corner of the room. Accused put his hand down towards his trousers pocket. Streeton called: "Look out, bos; he's got a knife." Eventually Shutes and Kilpatrick left quietly, Stretton having left previously. ... John Whelan, in evidence, said Shutes when invited to have a drink spilled as much as he drank. The medical evidence was to the effect that Jensen had an incised wound, four inches in length. Also, that one corner of his mouth had been punctured, and that there was a wound in the lobe of the left ear. The knifo produced could have caused these wounds, A post mortem examination showed that there was a, surgical wound, 4£ inches long, on the upper and inner part of tho right thigh. That wound could have been caused by the knife produced. Ivan Eccles said he was in the upstairs bar of ; tho Aurora Hotel at 9.30. Just after Short left the bar witness heard his name shouted. He found Short stooping, with blood rushing from his groin. .Short said: ."There he goes. Chase him." Witness saw a man running downstairs, and followed him. The man took refuge in a doorway, where' he was threatened with a beor bottle. The man ran awuy, and witness lost sight of him. Tie could not identify the man, but identified clothing .he was j wearing as that which Shule had on in Court.