THE PAPAKAIO MURDER.

Evening Star, Issue 12999, 19 December 1906, Page 8

THE PAPAKAIO MURDER.

Giving evidence at the trial yesterday afternoon of .John Findlay for the murder of William Hay Rennie. Dr Whi-ton. of Oamani, said that blood had flown from the wounds in deceased's head through the mattress and on to the floor below, where there was a considerable pool of blood. Witness described the di-xovery of the bullet fragments, and said he could not say whether there were one or two bullet!*. He could not say whether more than one shot was lived. It set-mod- ptohable that the shot was fired from tho foot of the bed. Deceased might have raised his bead and have been shot down; he could not possibly have been in a sitting posture at tho time. .. Charles Henry, gunsmith, Dunedin, said ho believed the portion* of the bullets to be fragments of two bullets tired from a revolver. Isabella Dunlop, assistant mistress at Papakaio School, said she last saw deceased alive on the evening of October 2. They went np the road together, and she saw him enter the gateway of Ins house. The. following morning she not ced that tliere were fresh bicycle marks leading away from the lions.- in the direction of PapakaioConrad Hodgkinsuii. farmer, described a tree ring with accused on October 2. At tho Boundary Creek Hotel be saw accused ccmo out of a paddock. "1 he man was ahead of him when be first saw him, but witness, being mounted, soon overtook him, and the man walked alongside the horse tor about a mile. Accused described himself as a runaway sailor. He said he had no money. He asked the names of people living in the neighborhood, and also questioned him regarding Papakaio. Accused .said he had been badly treated on board the boat, and lie had cleared out from it, and if he went back be would lose all the monev he had earned. Witness offered to buy Kim a ticket to Kurow. but he said he did not think ho would go, after learn.ng that there was a constable there, for fear of being sent back to his shin. He refused money (a few shillings) that was offered him. Hugh Mackenzie described a meeting with accused on tho Papakaio road on Oetuber 1. He was then by Olliver’s gate. Pbe man came up to him, and asked some questions about the neighborhood. He stated that be had just left a ship lying in tho harbor. He had been a ship’s cook. He was looking for a job, and would like one at his own trade, but would take anything on. He wanted to get rp country cut of the way of the polite.

Arthur Francis Stock, grocer's inner, Oaiuaxu, said that on Mondays he drove out to Georgetown, returning on Tuesday. On Monday, October 1, he twice saw accused. On the second occasion he asked for a ride. Witness told him it was not worth his while to get on the cart then, as he was stopping at almost every house in the township, but he would give him a lift if he saw him later. Accused told him he was a sailor, and that he had deserted from the Port Stephens. Subsequently he gave accused a lift for some distance, and filer he. saw him at Georgetown. Witness caw him in the roadway the following morning, and again in the afternoon, when he was between Papakaio Church ?.nd Ronuio's boose. He was then sitting on the side of the road. Witness gave him a tide. He asked how many teachers there were at the school, and was told that there were two—a male, and a female. There was also some conversation about, tin? boat from which the accused said he had deserted, leaving £l3 10t> hack pay. Accused said ho was making for Christchurch, having failed to get work at any of the homes on the road. During a pause outride Mr Olliver's house, where witness stopped to serve a customer, accused asked him several questions about the neighboring bousc.s anti ihe number of in* habitants. William Henry FHcker. farmer, near Georgetown, said he first saw accused about half-past three o’clock on the afternoon of October 1. Accused asked witness whether he had seen any “ slops mc.urng policemen. He had run away from the Port Stephens, which was at Oamaru, and had Bad to sleep on tho racecourse. Alexander Young, hotelkeeper, at Georgetown. spoke of a, conversation with accused on tlie. evening of October 1- He offered his watch in return for a bed and breakfast. This offer being refused, he said he was a runawav sailor'from Oamani. and had no money. AVitness agreed to give the man his bed and breakfast, and he promised to do a little work in return. Accused had a bedroom at tire hoick and on the follow ng morning witness directed him to a place where he believed he would find work. He returned and explained that h : s services bad not been wanted, but that ho had heard of a job at Peebles.. Tlie Court then adjourned.