AUCKLAND MURDER CHARGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 August 1929, Page 5

AUCKLAND MURDER CHARGE

THE MAN AT THE DOOR

IDENTITY PROBLEM

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, August 29. . At the Police Court, the hearing was continued of the case in which George Caffrey, 34, a labourer, was charged that on August 2 last, he murdered Thomas Levy. The charge arose out of an affray jn a Nelson Street house. After the luncheon adjournment, George Frederick Cole, who had earlier been placed in the prisoner’s room on the ground that he had been drinking, resumed his evidence. He said that when cleaning out the room where Levy had lain on a bed, he found the knife produced. He had never seen it before. . . 3 Lavinia Foster, aged 30, single, said that she and another woman friend called at 119, Nelson Street, about six o’clock, and with Cole and Levy sat around the fire in the front room. A man, whom she identified as the accused, went to the door and asked Cole to go outside. Cole .would not, and the man said: “I will get you, Cole! ’’ Later Levy answered a knock at the front door, and she heard words, followed by a cry from Levy. “Dave, he’s got a knife at me!” Then Levy went back to the room with blood flowing from him. He said: “I’m done!” Witness was frightened and went away with her friend as soon as possible. There was no one outside when they left. Beatrice Rushworth, a widow, who accompanied the previous witness, said said that she saw a hand striking Levy, but the man’s form was not visible. . David Patrick Carmody said he was • in a spare room of the/house when Levy went to the door. He thought Levy said: “I will fix y'ou!” Witness •'» heard scuffling, but could not see who was with Levy at the door. James Gallot also said he did not see who was scuffling with Levy at the door. Margaret Langdon, of 97, Nelson Street, said she and her husband, on hearing a noise in a right of way, went outside. Her husband, on striking a light, said: “It is you, Caffrey!” The man had a bag of potatoes over his shoulder, and said: “I do not want your potatoes, I want Cole. I am going to kill that to-night. He sleeps in that back room of yours.” Witness said: “You will do no killing here,” and told Caffrey that Cole had left her house, and was living at 119, Nelson Street. James Langdon, husband _ of the previous witness, gave similar evidence, and said he was of opinion that Caffrey was drunk at the time. Delia O’Connor said that Caffrey was married to her sister. She called at their place ’about 6.45. A scratch on Caffrey’s cheek was bleeding, and when asked how it had been caused, he said: “The Wild Irishman,” meaning Patrick Byrne, another in the room. Detective Knight said he accosted the accused at his house in Wellington Street shortly after the police received word of the stabbing. Accused’s boots were spattered with blood. Detective Sneddon read a statement made by the accused, saying that he went to 119, Nelson Street, to see Cole. The door was opened by a man he did not know, who told him to go away. There was a scuffle, and suddenly a man cried out about blood flowing from him. Accused said that he had nothing in his hands at the time, and he did not know how the man was injured. He was accompanied by a friend, Patrick Byrne, but did not see him with any weapon. The accused added that he assisted the deceased into the room. He had a few t . drinks during the afternoon and evening, but he remembered clearly what happened. . Patrick Byrne said he was drinking with Caffrey nearly all day, but he returned to Caffrey’s house after six o’clock, and fell asleep on a couch. He did not go to Nelson Street with Caffrey. Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.