WEST COAST MURDER.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13983, 20 November 1917, Page 6

WEST COAST MURDER.

THE ACCUSED'S CAREER.' -,* k *,<*- T < / * ',V I "— l *, &f, k (J v (Per Press Association). § 'WELLINGTON, November 10. / Tnquinos made by a reporter the Bnso Records Oflico to day regarding the statement that Eggers, alias MacMahon, enlisted with the Main the Ex- j peditionary Force, ascertained that theio is no record thcie of a man named\ William Fredonck Eggers, or a man with a similar name having joined the Mam Body. It is explained that a deserter would not have been imprisoned 'on Somes Island, which is reserved for the recep turn of interned enemy aliens. CONDITION OF PAYMASTER HALL , IN A PRECARIOUS STATE. (Per Press Association). ; v GREYMOUTH, November 19. Paymastor Hall, one of the victims of tho West Coast tragedy, has taken a bad turn to-night, nnd his condition is exceedingly precarious, EGGERS DISOUSSES THE TRAGEDY . WATCHES FUNERAL'CORTEGE. GREYMOUTH, NoVomber 17. 'Mr Chris. Nissen, hairdrosser, of Boundary street, who gave the police, valuable information regarding Eggors • (or, as ho was then called, McMahon), told ,tlie Chnstchurch Sun reprcsenta- • tive an interesting narrative, ' "Oft Saturday night," Mr Nissen Said, "McMahon came into my saloon as cool as a. cucumber. There was a general talk among the people waiting, and wheu the conversation drifted on to the tragedy, McMahon exclaimed, 'An awful affair.' He then proceeded to state that he had come front Hokitika, and had bought land at Inelibonule. He was cool, collected, and nnfliuching. "The conversation proceeded, and: the man .'skitod' that lie had a beautiful automatic pistol, and could fire . thirty-six shots a minute, and guarantee to strike his' target every time. These statements aroused Mr Nissen 's suspicions t and he gave information, to tho police accordingly, . Some time, ago McMahon stayed at the Park Hotel, where, on leaving, he asked Mrs Russell to take charge of a Gladstone bag. On Sunday morning, after KUiO, he called at, the hotel, inquired for Mrs Russell, and got the bag. Hoi was departing when tho strains of a funeral march wero heard outside, and it was decided to adjourn to the balcony to witness the parade of the Citizens' Band, Territorials, Cadets, nurses, etc., pass en route, to Holy Trinity Church, where a memorial ser« vice to soldiers nnd John Coulthard wa9 held. "What a dastardly deed!" exclaimed McMahon, with sqiuo show of emotion at what he again termed "the terrible thing.". Mrs Russell states that tho man then left the hotel, stating that sinco his last stay at the hotel he had been at Inchbonnic, N . t A VERY STRONG MAN, : ;~. ANOTHER REMINISCENCE. " POCKETFUL OF "FIVERS." GREYMOUTH, November 17, A local dentist, whose services Eggers ultibsed on several occasions during November, 1910, says that Eggers was always most elaborately dressed, and very affected in his manner of speech. He spoke most grandiloquently of his position, and said that he had a largo station in the North Island. Ho always hud plenty of money, and on one occasion, on paying for some work done, produced from his hip pocket a large wad of notes, all for £5, as was revealed when he went through them to ascertain if he had a £1 note. Tho dentist said that he was greatly impressed by the evident physical strength of Eggers, whom he would pick as one of tho strongest men that 'ie, h"' 1 -iH;. . -• When arranging for some work to be done for his "lady friend" on November 17, 1916, Eggers gave that name. ~ — i TO TAKE A TRIP. •■ \ . ; EGQEfaS'S INTENTIONS. ■'">] (===* ■_."• . TSjjj THE BAG WITH THE MONEY. . A Cliristchurch Sun reporter ascertained on Saturday moriiiiigrtliat it was the intention of Eggors to take a trip to Australia and America. How he proposed to get over the passport difficulty it is impossible to say. ■ -Mr O'Brien, licensee of the Empire Hotel, in the office of which Eggers left, his bag on Tuesday evening, stated that . he had occasion to shift the bag from one corner of the office to the other, and he was astonished at it's weight.'" This fact, combined with tho further one that Eggers hnd come from the Coast, led Mr O 'Bricn to express a suspicion, concerning the identity of the man to Mrs O'Brien., The,police in- : quiries the following : day served to confirm his suspicions, .