WANGANUI MURDER.

Grey River Argus, 21 July 1922, Page 5

WANGANUI MURDER.

TOLDY IN COURT. (Per Press Association.) WANGANUI, July 20. Louis Tohly appeared at the Police Court this morning, charged with the murder of the Chinanmn, Chow Yat, on May 31 at Gordon Park, about three miles from town. Mr Marshall (for the prosecution) outlined the facts of the case, stating that apparently the body was left for some time on the roadside after the murder. Later on in the night it was removed to where it was discovered by a young lady on her way home. Tlie points relied on by the prosecution were that accused knew the deceased, and that he was seen in the locality on the evening of the murder. When approaching the whare, where the Chinaman lived, the accused was endeavouring to avoid recognition, ami when seen was carrying a fawn coat on his arm. Search has since been made for the coat and the accused said he never had a coat of that description. It was also known that the Chinain;.n had a half sovereign which he cherished, and a half sovereign was discovered in the possession of the accused. The statements of accused to the police had varied considerably. The theory was that the accused left the body after the murder about 6 p.m., and then returned home and later revisited the scene of the murder to complete the robbery and removal of the body 1000 yards along the road to where it was discovered. The prosecution suggested that the object of removing the body was to throw it over a fence into the bush, and the murderer was probably interrupted. CASE FOR PROSECUTION. WANGANUI, July 20. At the murder trial, Detective Cameron read a statement made by accused, in which he stated he was born in Hungary, in 1867, and had been in Wanganui 19 years. On the afternoon of the tragedy, he left his whare at Wanganui East at 1.30, dressed in his best clothes, and carrying a grey tweed overcoat. He walked along the roed *o Okoia, passing Gordon Park Road ■ where it junctions with the road to Okoia. About 2.30 he turned back, slowly retracing his steps home, which 1; xhed after 5 o’clock. He lit a fire, cooked his tea, and went out to the tr. in line at 6.30. Then he returned to the whare, and lay in bed smoking and reading. He heard the 8.15 train come past, and got up and spoke to the train inspector. He went back to the whare at 9, and did not go cut again at night. He stopped home washing and mending all next day. He had worked at the murdered Chinaman ’s garden, where he lived alone for a week about three months ago, and while there slept in the same house with the Chin:, man, an old man, who was in charge of the garden. There were eight or nine Maoris working in the garden and sleeping in the house while the accused was there. He had not at any time during the last six months worn an overcoat other than a grey tweed overcoat and the oilskin coat which he had at present in his whare. He knew how to use a revolver. He had used one in Hungary hunting wild pigs. He never had or lii cd one in New Zealand.