DUNEDIN SUBURBAN MURDER CHARGE

Grey River Argus, 11 September 1948, Page 3

DUNEDIN SUBURBAN MURDER CHARGE

DUNEDIN, Sept. 10. Further evidence was heard in the Police Court in the case in widen John Fraser, aged 48, labourer and maister, is charged with the murdei of Alexander Sickels at Abbotsford, on the night of August 4. Severn, witnesses gave evidence of seeing Fraser, who was then carryiing l. shotgun, in the vicinity of tne tragedy. Mrs Edith' Phillips, of Salisbury Street, Kaikorai Valley, said that Fraser came to her door on the morning of August 6 and asked her to ring the police. He was very shaken and his lips were quivering. Witness rang the police and Fraser said: “Tell them Mr Fraser will be waiting for them.” James Rennie, grocer, Tainui, said he owned the grocery store occupied by deceased.He met the accused on July 9 at tne back door of the house, having been called from the-shop by the deceased. Accused toid the witness he was looking for his .wife. Witness explained to lum that accused’s wife was not there and added that the best thing he could do was to go away as he did not intend to have any disturbances. The accused then turned to the deceased and said: “I’ll get you.” The accused then turned to leave the place. Evidence that accused borrowed a double-barrelled gun tpreduced; from witness, was given by William Frank Self, brewery A son of accused, John Malcolm Fraser, labourer, said his father was at' home when he returned from work on the 'evening of August 4. There was nothing . unusual about the demeanour of his father, who said he was going, to a euchre 2 ar -.' at Maori Hill. His father left nome at 6.30 and appeared quite sober. The witness next saw his lather the next afternoon in the watchhouse at the police station. At no time had the witness heard his father make any threat against Mr or Mrs Sickels. Dorothy Lillian Hanah Coward said she saw the accused at Dunedin on the 7.25 p.m. Mosgiel train on August 4. He was carrying a long cardboard box. The witness, who knew accused and his wife, sat opposite him. She asked him what he was doing on the train, and he replied that he was going to Sickels’s nlace at Abbotsford. He added that his wife had left him.

Dorothy Grace Sickels said accused was her brother-in-law. About two months before her husband's death her sister came to witness’s home dressed in men’s clothes. She had a dress underneath and she also had a man’s overcoat. She was accompanied by another woman. Her sister stayed about eight days, but she had not seen her again until the Sunday after her husband was buried.

About, 8 p.m. on August 4, witness and her husband were in the sittingroom. The back door was locked and she heard the handle being turned. Her husband went to the door and a little later she went out of the sit-ting-room and saw the accused pushing her husband towards the shop door, a gun being pressed against his abdomen.

Her husband cried out; "Don’t do it, Jack.” Then the accused looked straight at the witness and pulled the trigger. After the report the accused urned round sharply towards the witness and said: "And now for you.” The witness said she rushed back into the room and locked it, and made for the window and called for help. The accused was kicking at the door. The witness then went out by the window and pulled the whole frame with her and ran into a neighbour’s house. The witness said she had never had any disagreement with the accused, and had only visited the accused’s home once years ago. A neighbour, Percival Edwin Todd, storeman, described Mrs Sickels’s coming into his house on th’e night of August 4. calling out: “Alec has been shot.” Witness jumped over the back fence and saw a man, who shouted: "Stand still or I’ll shoot.” The man had a shotgun and had it pointed at the witness. Witness ran towards the back door, but it appeared to be jammed. He put his shoulder to it and it flew open. There was a light in the kitchen and the store he noticed Sickls lying on- his back. As he raised the deceased’s head Sickels died.

Fraser Committed For Trial P.A. DUNEDIN, September 10. The Lower Court hearing of a charge against John Fraser, a labourer, of murdering Alexander Sickells, at Abbotsford, on'August 4, was concluded to-day, and Fraser, who pleaded not guilty in a clear voice, was committed for trial at the next session of the Supreme Court on October 19. Most of the day was occupied in hearing police witnesses.