ALLEGED MURDER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 30 August 1929, Page 4

ALLEGED MURDER.

THE AUCKLAND CASE. CONTINUATION OF: POLICE EVIDENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, Aug. 29. in the Police Court, George Caffrey, aged ill, a. New Zealand labourer, was charged that on August 2 lie murdered Thomas Levy, a middle-aged man employed as a labourer by the Fletcher Construction Company. Caffrev was committed for trial. * After the luncheon adjournment George Frederick Cole, who had been placed in the prisoners’ room on the ground that ho had been drinking, resumed his evidence. He said that when cleaning out the room where Levy had! lain on the lied he found the knife (produced). He had never seen it before. Lavinia Foster, a single woman, aged 20, said' she and a woman friend, Betty Rusliworth, called at 119 Nelson Street- about six o’clock, and with Cole and Levy sat round the fire in the front room. A man whom she identified as accused went to the door and asked Cole to go outside. Cole would not, and the man said, “T will get you Cole.” ’ Later Levy answered a knock at r n rout door, and she heard words followed by a cry from Levy, “Dave’ he’s got a knife at me.” Then Levy went back to the room with blood flowing from him. He said “I’m done.” ’

Witness was frightened, and went away with her friend as soon as possible. There was no one outside when they left. Beatrice Rusliworth, a widow, who accompanied the previous witness, said she saw a hand striking at Levy but the man’s form was not visible. ’ David Patrick Carmody said he was m the spare room of the house when Levy went to the door. He thought Levy- said: “I will fix you.” Witness heard a scuffling, but could not see who was with Levy at the door. James Gallott also said he did not see who was scuffling with Levv at the door.

Margaret Langdon, 97 Nelson Street, said she and her husband, on hearing a noise in the .right-of-way, went outside. Her husband, on strikes a light-, said: '“lt is you, Caffrey.” , . man had a bag of potatoes over Ins shoulder, and said. “I do not. want your potatoes; I want Cole. I am going to kill that to-night. He sleeps m that back room of yours.” Witness said, “You will do no killing here,” and told Caffrey that Cole had left her house and was livinoat 119 Nelson Street. *=

James Langdon, husband of the previous i witness, gave similar evidence. He was of opinion that- Caffrev was drunk at the time. Delia O’Connor said Caffrey was married to her sister. She called at their place about 6.45. The scratch, on Caffrey’s cheek was bleeding, and n hen . asked how it .had been caused he said, “the wild' Irishman,” meaning Patrick Byrne, another man in the room.

Detective Knight said he accosted Caffrey at his house in Wellington Street shortly after the police received word of the stabbing. Caffrey’s boots were .spattered with blood. Det-eeti-sre Sneddon read a. statement ™ade by Caffrey, saying he went to 119 Nelson Street to see Cole. The door was opened by a man he did not know, who told him to go away. There was a scufflle, and suddenly the man cried out about blood flowing from nm. Accused said he had nothing in his hands at the time, and did not know .how the man was iniured. He was accompanied by a friend, Patrick Byrne, hut did not .see him with anv weapon Caffrey added that he assisted the dying man into the room. He bad had a few drinks during the afternoon and evening, but remembered clear] v_ wliat had happened l . .^ a t , 'i c ‘k Byrne said he. was drinking nith Caffrey nearly all dav, but returned to Caffrey’s bouse ‘after six o clort- and fell asleep on the couch. He did not go to Nelson Street with Can rev.

Caff rev pleaded not guilty, and was Vnnrnitted to the Supreme Court for trial.