MURDER CHARGE

Grey River Argus, 16 December 1943, Page 4

MURDER CHARGE

Against U.S.A. Seaman WELLINGTON HEARING.

P.A. WELLINGTON, Dec. 15. Evidence of what happened after the death of Robert Lane, a Negro seaman, aboard a United States snip in port in the early hours of December 3, was given by Crown witnesses in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, when the hearing was continued ot the case for the prosecution against Reginald Delone- Surtes, aged 25, American merchant, seaman, charged with murdering Lane.

Sergeant Howes said that when Surles was brought to the Central Police Station on the morning of December 3 by a United States Marine Corps Military Policeman, he said that Lane had attacked him on the shin, and that in a struggle for a knife, Lane had received injuries. At the Police Station, Surles was not intoxicated, but he showed signs of having had a quantity of alcohol Detective-Sergeant Tricklebank, who took charge of the investigation, said Lane received three stab wounds in the chest and one in the back. Other evidence was given by Detective Smeaton, Sergeant Prater, Dr. P. P. Lynch (who made a post mortem examination of Lane’s body), and a U.S.M.C. Military Policeman.

To give Mr. G. C. Kent, who appeared for Surles, the opportunity of cross-examining the military policeman, the case will be continued on December 22, ?.nd Surles was remanded until then by Mr. Stout, S.M.