SHOOTING OF DETECTIVES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 30 August 1926, Page 5

SHOOTING OF DETECTIVES

THE CALGOORLIE CASE

-ACCUSED’S VERSION OF THE AFFAIR.

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCT A.TION—COPYRIGHT.

Perth, Aug. 2S. Counsel for the accused continued his address to the jury in the Calgoorhe murder case. He gave Treffene’s vert sion of the shooting. He said Detectives Walsh and Pitman were watching Treffene, who was working alone. Ihe officers were expecting a mate of Treffenc to come along, as tracks of a motor car were visible in the vicinity. Eventually Treffene left the plant, carrying a shotgun over his shoulder and a bar of gold in his left hand. He proceeded down 'the busk track. Tlic detcctives then called out ‘‘Hold on Phil, we want you.” Treffene began to run away, and the detectives gave chase. When the police were close to him, Treffene stumbled and nearly fell. He made a grab for his gun, which went off. Treffene dropped the gun and then noticed Pitman in the act of falling. Walsh, too, staggered and fell to the ground, evidently shot through the jugular vein. Pitman was shot in the eye. Treffene got Walsh a drink of water. Pitman meanwhile, had ceased breathing. Treffene went to get something to stanch Walsh’s bleeding, but on return found him dead. Clarke came along later and persuaded Treffene not to tell the police, as Treffene desired to do. They returned to Boulder. Clarke went out to the plant the same night and next morning told Treffene that he had tried to burn the bodies, but could not manage it, so he had cut them up.