COURT NEWS.

Grey River Argus, 2 November 1928, Page 5

COURT NEWS.

KYE3URN MURDER. IS GOLD A CLUE. EVIDENCE OF MINERS. DUNEDIN, November 1. The Kyrburn murder case was further inves'igated yesterday afternoQn, before .hi: tire MacGregor and the jury. V h< n the Court rose after sitting seven hours, thirteen witnesses had been examined and twentv two others had vet to be cal Id. V* hen the t rial was resumed this morning. Moses Rrowr., a gobi miner. s!at<d that hr had b< en mining (or lorly-eighf year in various parts and had been engaged as an expert in connection with prospecting and dredging. On July 23, at the request of the police, witness went- to Shunt’s place and supervised a washing-up of the claim. Witness examined samples handed to him in Court by the Crown Prosecutor, and slated they were taken from Shunt’s claim.

‘‘ln all my experience.” added wit ness. in reply to a question.“ I have never come across gold of the same rusty oxidised appearance except in his place.” Witness further said he was familiar with gold in all parts of the district, and the gold of the kind produced was obtained in no other claim but IShum’s. Ills Honor asked »vhat gold witness was examining. The Crown Prosecutor stated he was comparing the gold old to the bank with three samples taken from Shum’s claim. Witness said |h«ro was no difference between the golds. Mr Hanlon asked if witness did not say before ‘ he Magistrate that not having seen the fourth sample come out of the box. it was impossible for him to say it was identical with the other three samples. Witness replied: I am so absolutely certain that samples are identical that I don’t see I could make that mistake. Witness added that what occurred was that he was asked if he could swear the gold came from the claim, and In said he couldn’t because to swear ’hat, he would have to sec it come out. Isaac. John Parfit, miner, said the gold sold to the bank, and the gold obtained from Sh unis’ claim were practically the same in colour. Blowings from the gold from Shunt’s claim, and blowings returned by the bank were somewhat alike. Chariest Thomas Horc, miner, said that he washed up Hardie’s claim and from what he saw. it would be impossible to get more than two dwts. out of the workings. He tried several grains to the yard. Detective Lean gave evidence as to accosting accused in the street, who was warned about making a statement. lie said he did not know any Chinaman a‘ Kyeburn, n>r had he shown photographs to a Chinaman. In a wallet on accused was found a paper indicating that he had sold a little over 2oz of gold to the Bank of New South Wales, on July 19. When accused was told that the photographs found on him would be shown to Sue Pee, he said he. showed them to the Chinaman in Ryeburn Ho'el three weeks before. Sub-Inspector Fahey described the identification parade, in which sixteen men. all six feet high, seven of them dressed similarly to accused, were lined up. Accused was allowed to choose his position in the row. * f Proceeding). FURTHER WITNESSES PUT THROUGH. DUNEDIN, November 1. In the Supreme Court to-day, before Justice MacGregor, nineteen additional witnesses were examined in the Kyeburn murder case. Three witnesses have yet to be called. The case will probably be' concluded to-day. Conspiracy Charge. AGAINST POLICEMEN. AUCKLAND, November I. The trial of two former police sonstables. Thomas Francis Carroll, aged 29, and Sydney Francis Waters, aged 33, and a taxi-driver, James Tait, aged 33, on charges of a’ son and conspiracy to defraud, commenced at the Supreme Court this afternoon. The charges arose out of a sensational explosion and tire in Carroll’s shop at 62, Napier 'street. Ponsonby. early on the morning of August 29th. Each of the three was charged with wilfully setting fire to the premises, and with conspiring (o defraud the British Traders’ Insurance Coy. Ltd. of £394. Carroll was further indicted with having made a declaration amounting to a forgery in declaring h.'s loss by fire, before a Justice of the Peace. Evidence was given by James Irwin, trustee in the estate owning the shop, and by an insurance adjuster. The Court then adjourned till to-morrow.