ALLEGED MURDER.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 4 January 1923, Page 7

ALLEGED MURDER.

CHARGE AGAINST FIREMAN

(BY TELEGKAPH—pniiSS ASSOCIATION.j AUCKLAND, Jan. 4. At the Police. Court, John Finnigan, aged 61, a ship's fireman, v^s charged with assaulting Con O'Keefe and with having caused actual bodily 'harm A sensation wlas caused by Detective Mcllveney stating that the man alleged to have been assaulted had died in hospital, and he would withdraw the charge of assault and substitute one of murder. The accused was remanded till to-morrow. Bail was not asked lor.

i The accused and deceased Mere firej men on the steamer Tredenham. There I was some drinking among the crew ashore on New Year's Day, and an altercation took place between Finnigan and O'Keefe. It was alleged that at midnight, when O'Keefe was asleep m his bunk, Finnigan pulled him out on the floor and kicked him on tho head and back. Finnigan was pulled off O'Keefe, and the latter was put back in his bunk unconscious. He remained so until Ithe matter came to the knowledge of the officers next day when he was sent to hospital. Last f night an operation was performed on o Keefe, who did not rally but died at 9 o'clock this mornin" The accused denied all knowledge "of tha assault when arrested. j