OHIRO ROAD TRAGEDY

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7268, 22 September 1933, Page 7

OHIRO ROAD TRAGEDY

Engmedrifer Charged lift Murder ACCUSED RESCUED FROM DROWNING Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 21. Gcofgo Edward James, enginedriver, aged 57, who was rescued from drowning at Thorudon on Friday, June 30rh, tho day on which Mrs Cecilia Smith and her seven-year-old son were found dead under tragic circumstances, appeared before Mr E.' Page, S.M., today, on the charge of murdering Mrs Smith. •

The hearing of the evidence will probably take two days. The accused, who is very deaf, was allowed to leave the dock and sit close to the witness-box.

Senior-Sergt. Dinnic produced a number of photographs of the flat at Ohiro Road, referred to as James’s Flat, and of Mrs Smith and her son. Among the exhibits was a photo of a bloodstain on a piece of newspaper, and a, lantern slido showing a rubber heel which, it was stated, coincided with the bloodstain.

Plans of the fiat, showing bloodstains, were produced by Philip Rex Rose, and plans of the district by Harold William Falkner, chief surveyor to the Wellington City Council, who gave details of distances by various Routes from the fiat to the fisherman’s hut on tho beach at Shelly Bay Road and from there to Shed -15 at Thorndon.

Eileen Jean McKenzie, who had authority to lot the fiat, said that tho accused called on her • on the evening of June Cth. She understood him to say that he had got married and wanted his wife to sec the flat. Accused moved in the following day. On June Sth she met a woman going upstairs with a little hoy. The woman said she was not Mrs James, and witness had since learned that she was Mrs Smith. About a week later, the woman said she was going to get married. She said that James had a lot of worry and had a Court case and they were not going to get married until it was fixed.

Awakened by Scream Telford Itichard Williams, who occupied one of tho fiats, said he knew tho couple as Mrfl and Mrs. James and thought, the boy was their son. On the morning of Juno 30 he was awakened by a scream from the woman, and the boy gave a short scream or cry. The woman then gave another scream. There was no cry for help in ■ any shape of form, therefore he took no notice. He went down, to the bathroom, and as lie closod the door heard tho woman, say; “Oh. George, go for the doctor. I am done.” He heard no more after that. He was sure it was Mrs. Sfith who said that. Ho did not hear accused speak at all, nor the boy. It was at 7.30 o’clock that witness heard the scream and at 8.30 or 8.45 that he saw accused and the boy going up the steps towards Ohiro road. Accused was holding tho boy by tho hand.

Witness went on to tell of how ho communicated with tho police at 6 p.m. and of the finding of the woman dead. A blood-stained table knife was found near the chair in tho room. Later he identified the body of the boy Noel at the morgue. Richard James Brown, a student of Wellington College, who lived next door to the fiat, said he left home at 3.30 that morning. He saw a small boy como out of the gate and a man come after, wheeling a bicycle. As witness passed the boy said: "Are we going for a ride on the bike, daddy:?" The man replied in the affirmative. He saw them later in Willis street. On September 18 he picked out accused in an identification parade. Similar evidence was given bv Albert George Clifford. This witness, however, had been unable to identify the man at tho police station. Leslie Richard Moore, a tramway motorinan, who said ho had taken particular notice of the man and the boycn the bicycle in Crawford road, also said that at tho identification parade he identified accused as the man. Witness remembered the date because the, kiddie was "laughing like anything" and it just reminded him that it was his own kiddy’s birthday and that it was pay day.

Letter Left on Wharf Ralph Dry described, rescuing James from the Harbour, Tho latter, who was pulled out with a, rope, was underneath the wharf clinging on to a pile. A coat and hat were found on the wharf, together with a letter. This letter was read to the Court as follows: "Friday.—Mrs, Rouse.—• Nuncy, you see what you have brought me to now. If you had only havo gave me and Badge a little sum out of tho money to start us up in married life, the same as mo and your mna did for you when you %vas married. It would havo gave mo a chance, but, no. you want the lot—homo and overything, and turn mo out into the street yourself. You had everything you wanted when we took you into our life as a baby and gave you everything. I love Badge and her boy and I am sorry to have come to an end liko this, but it is all through your selfish ways that I did this. You was happy. It did not matter about me—once your father. So this is the last words from mo, yours broken-hearted father, G. James. ’ ’

The case was adjourned till tomorrow..