COURT SEQUEL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 4855, 6 June 1936, Page 5

COURT SEQUEL

TO TAUIYIARUIMUI SENSATION.

ASSAULT AND STABBING ALLEGED.

TWO MEN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

At the Magistrate’s Court, Taumarunui, yesterday, before Messrs. WMeads and W. Thomas, J.P.’s, Cyril Dunning Henderson and Alva Vernon McFinn were each charged that, on April 29, 1936, at Taumarunui, they did commit an assault so as to cause actual bodily harm. Detective-Sergeant J. Robertson prosecuted and called evidence as under: —

Dr. Welby Fisher deposed that on April 30 last, about 1.45 a.m., he Avas in bed when he heard a thud and then a crash on his verandah. He got up and before he could reach the door there was the fall of a body against the front door with what sounded as a desperate slapping of hands on the door. When he opened the door the young man Henderson was lying face down, very pallid and showing very little signs of life. He was almost pulseless. His face was smothered with blood and his clothes and hands were stained with blood. On a slab of concrete in front of the verandah was a very extensive pool of blood. He quickly attended to the man, turned him over and called for assistance and while the bleeding from a lacerated wound in the forehead was stopped with pressure, he obtained and administered restoratives by means of injection, and then called the police. The wound on accused’s forehead appeared to have been occasioned by a fall on to the concrete slab at the door. The cuts on the back of the head seemed to be occasioned by some sharp-edged weapon, probably a knife or piece of glass. There was a faint smell of alcohol in Henderson’s breath. Accused might suffer ill effects. He was taking a long time to reach normality and was not normal yet. Witness had been anxious for Henderson’s life. There was a possibility of his dying. John Alfred Carter said that the party that evening composed Leach, McMinn, Henderson and witness. After they had left McMinn and Henderson had an argument about 2s 6d and a tin of tobacco, and McMinn called Henderson a thief. McMinn took his coat off and threw it on the road. McMinn slapped Henderson across the face. McMinn asked Henderson to fight and Henderson would not. McMinn said to him, “You thieved my tobacco and took the old man’s 2s 6d as well.” Henderson denied it. After McMinn slapped Henderson’s face, witness said, “Never mind about the 2s 6d, let it slide.” With that McMinn stopped carrying on with the fight. A few words passed. McMinn asked witness to take his bike back and witness took it home. McMinn put his coat on again before they left. The two went away quite friendly then. Henderson bad a bone-handled pocket knife in his pocket. George Thomas White, labourer, said he saw McMinn when he was home at 6.30 p.m. for tea. He had one or two drinks but was in his usual health. Witness next saw him about 1 a.m. next morning. Pie then came into the house and called witness. Witness got up and saw him and advised him to go to Dr. Sturtevant. McMinn, when he came in, showed witness a white-handled pocket knife. The knife was open and the blade and handle were stained with blood. McMinn left a tin of Grey’s tobacco behind at the house before going to the doctor. Witness saw injuries on McMinn’s back and saw when he came in the door, that he was smothered in blood about the clothes and arms. Dr.- Sturtevant said McMinn had two stab wounds in the back.

Detective-Sergeant J. Robertson deposed that he obtained a statement from McMinn, but accused said he did not wish to sign it. This dealt with the events described by Carter. After the latter had left the matter of the tobacco came up again. Henderson took McMinn’s arm and started to walk around the back of Hawkless’. McMinn just followed round. Henderson was not hurting his arm but was just leading him. When they got in front of Kenderdine’s gate Henderson started putting pressure with both hands on McMinn’s arm. McMinn thought Henderson was trying to throw him so he (McMinn) lashed out with his right hand which was free, hitting Henderson on the jaw, and Henderson fell over. Henderson got up and said, “We’ll go over here and fight,” indicating a gate across the road. During the fight McMinn felt a stab in his back and brought his electric torch down on Henderson’s head. After the fight McMinn walked away and watched Henderson. He saw him get up and appear to walk away all right. Henderson pleaded not guilty and McMinn pleaded guilty. Both were committed for trial at the Supreme Court, Hamilton. Bail was allowed self in £2O and one surety of £2O in each case.