THE ARCHILL MYSTERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17889, 17 September 1921, Page 9

THE ARCHILL MYSTERY.

scONTemA-M. OF INQUEST, 61 WITNEBSES TO DATE, SEVERAL' ALIBIS FURNISHED TIME OF TEAM TRIP VERIFIED. The inquest concemiag the death" of the young man, Francis Edward Jew, ■whose body was found in a vacant section at ArchhiU on Sunday, July 17, 'was continued before Mr. W. R. McEean, >f.. coroner, in the Magistrate's Court 1 nwtcrday. Mr.. V. R. Meredith. 'Grown pohcijor, appeared for the police, and ' lis. E. J. Prendergast watched the pit)-! feedings on behalf of Thomas McMahon. i Thirteen witnesses were examined during the day, making a total of 62 for the tire days. In addition, two witnesses ■h ho had given evidence earlier in the •week were recalled. The coroner an- j nounced that he did not propose to sit day, and the inquest was accordingly *..!journed until Monday, when the taking I «j( evidence will be resented. -• |

George Shel»i>c Green, .pork butcher at the old Grey Lynn terminus, said he did s.iOi see Jew on the day before his death, Cew xvzs not in witness' shop that day. ',1 um McMahon, Percy Lupton, and about en. othess camo in about 10.20 p.m. and I' id tea, pies, and bread and butter. Tom iMcMahon paid 2s for the pies, "and his companions made up 6s between them for the ether things. They all went o»t toward I-upton's bus. They were all perfectly frober. McMabpai was in the shop again St about 11.5 p.m. with a man named !M'.ckia, and had soft drinks, for which fitness thought McMahon paid. Charles David Cyril Rogers, telegraph pHchanic, living at Surrey Orescent, said «'iat on the evening of Saturday, Juiy 16, h* left, home at about eight o'clock, and went to, the second section, which was a hoot 150 yards away. He left the footpath at about the telephoTJe-box and caught, a tea for Newton opposite Treaty s shop. He had waited at the tele-phone-box for about ft-ur minutes, Lupton, Edmonds, and Spears be»ug these. Later in the evening, at about 11 o'clock, witness saw- Tom McMahon outside Shearers &hop with McGregor, Stan. Rogers, and 3-.dmoD.ds. They all appeared to be sober. Witness spoke to them for live or ten minutes, and" then went home. He next saw McMahon during the following week, tut had no conversation with him.

Witness at FraJt Shop. Christopher Conn, thief clerk in the Biationmaster's office. Auckland, residing in Sehofield Street, Grey Lynn, said o ** l <ni the Saturday evening he went to £ hearer's shop at about 8.5 to get a sports rdition of tbw Star. The papers had not come, and he sat. on a seat outside the s hop waiting for them. It was very close en nine o'clock when the papers arrived. He took out his watch at 8.45, and it was zMt until some tun«. after that that they earner While he was on the seat he did not sap either Jew or Tom MeMahon, though the shops about there were fairly well at. Reginald Louts Short, taxi driver, refc«din K at Beresford Street, said that on Bhe Saturday afternoon he •was at Carlaw Park with George Caughey, and afterwards went with him to the Albert Hotel, reaching there abdut 5.40. Turn MeMahon came into the hotel at about 5.30, but as £ar as witness knew did not have any Orink. MeMahon was there until closing time, and witness went out with him and Ostugbey. MeMahon had had some drink. They all caught a Grey Lynn fcramcar above Wellesley Street shortly after six clock. Witness and Caughey helped MeMahon up the steps and put him .in a Beat. Beacham -was the conductor of the car. Witness travelled as far as the reservoir, leaving MeMahon. on the car. MeMahon had a bottle in his inside pocket, which witness thought was whisky, because it was wrapped in tissue paper. ' In the hotel so mo men who were talking to MeMahon suggested he should have a drop of champagne! as it might pick him up a bit. Witness iook it they were referring to the bottle which MeMahon had. The Coroner: Why did you help him into the tram? — Witness: He was well intoxicated.*

And required assistance? Yes. , Conversation on Tram. Wilfred Arnold Beacham, tram conductor, said that froto the foot of Queen Street to Surrey Crescent was a 20-minute* run. and the terminus was four minute* further on- His waybill showed that he left Queen Street at 6.1 on the Saturday evening, arriving at Surrey Crescent at 6.20 and the terminus at 6.24. H*- remembered Short and McMahon h?iag ok Ibis particular car, the former getting off Si the reservoir. McMahon was not sober, he was merry, Witnetss could not say ;where he got off, but had an. idea it, was either Surrey Crescent or the Grey Lynn t-chool. He did not. ,see him again until about two weeks later, when he was on witness' car.

■• Mr. Meredith : Was the murder mentioned ? — Witness : I said something to him, "What do you think of the murder ?** and he said, "A funny thing; he was sitting in the car with me 'the Saturday night." What car?— The Grey Lynn car. He said they were going home from football. What did you say ''—-I said it was hard luck.

Did you say to McMahon whether you fca»- Jew in your car with him?— No. Did you not say to him you had not Ken Jew v?ith him on the car? Did you not say. " That is funny; I did Dot sec him with yon?"— Then you understood McMahon to be referring to the trip when he came out with you on the 6.1 car?— ' You knew Jew?— Yes, well.

Was he on that 6.1 trip''—No. Did you see Jew at any time that Bight? John Horace Jew, recalled, referring to the conversation he had with Tom McMahon on the section on the Sunday aftvrtioon, said McMahon toid him the deceased left him to get on a city-bound car at about 7.30.

Written Statement Produced. John Roland Golden, recalled, was question regarding a statement made by himto the police on July 21. This referred to incidents outside Gregory's shop on the Saturday evening when witness, Matthew Brodie, Dobbs, Francis Jew, and Thomas Ml Man on were present. Witness at first faid he did not know whether the signed l statement produced was his. Mr. Meredith : Do not act the fool. Witness: No one is acting the fool. You are.—No, I am not. Witness then admitted the signature on the statement was his, and Mr. Meredith read the following passage : " Jew said, * Come on Tom, we will go to Newdick's loft a;ijd have a sleep.' Tom said ' No.* ?&at said ' If you want to go to Newdick's loft we will take you there. McMaho.i jsaid, ' No, you will not. Yov. will coma down with me to the 2d section. ; Jaw said, ' Say we go down .the section below the church and hava a sleep.' Tom aid he would not go on the section below the church. Jew said he would like to have a sleep on the doorway of Gregory's shop." Counsel asked witness if the statement was tine. Witness : If it is down there it is true. The Coroner : Why do you say, '• If it is down there?" You can see it is down there. Witness said it was there, but he did not remember it at all. Further questioned he admitted the statement was true. Edmund Peter Kelly, bricklayer, residing at Commercial Road, Grey Lynn, between 300 and 400 yards from Shearer's (nop, said that on the Saturday evening, shortly before six o'clock, he saw Les New-dick, Roy New dick, and Lupton in the Star Hotel, Newton. Witness had lived at Grey Lynn all his life and he had seen Luptoa hundreds of times. Lupton also must have seen" witness hundreds of iuues. Witness talked to Orpheus Smith

"—■»'.»' l —... , , n lln .1 .. outside the bote] .' until 6.20 to 6.30. and .■;§«*:■ w,&nt; homeby.;. tramcar. Tom -.Jiir.ru and" a chap named Stevens" -wars on the car. They -hid both had drink. AxcMabon had two bottles of champagne:': .as Jar knew they were champagne. He was holding on? oUt in his' nana and that' urns' champagne. He had the. other one in his pocket'and did not take it out. Mr. Meredith; .Yon could not, sea exactlyjrhafc ; it- •; was. ,it may have been ofier. Witness: It may have -heen. iV: I**"1**"* 58 said fc 3 got off the'tramcar at, *4go. street with Stevens; and went horn's ariavmg there at 6.35 or'6.«ol' After tea witness caught a car at Elgin Street and went to •Newtou'tp keep an appointment with Smith When the ear waf; passing Beaconsßeld street he saw Tom McMahott S",*! 0 * other ohaps he did not know. McMahon, who was not sober, held a bottle up toward the car; ; Witness, after roeefang Shiith and -another friend named ludd -at the Star billiard rooms went out at between 7.20. and 7.30 to Mount Albert to. -peters, residence. 'Ho remained there until about 11.30, caaght a car to.« Pago's store, lungsland, and* Walked : through Commercial Bead to his home. Kidd wis with faun, and accompanied him to witness gate. It : was fa at the : latest when witness arrived home. He did not go out %* mtha * night, and at no time teat night was he near the old tram torJfc-™ S !&**>*¥ **& they saw him there it -would not be correct. ■■>■}. -

Examination of Clothes. ** Mr. 'Meredith,: You were later asked by toe police to give your clothes for inspection for the purpose of having the& .examined for bloodstains—Witness; They were returned to you next day" and you were told there were no blood:' steins on them?—l was not told anything of the sort. They were only returned with thanks. Mr. Meredith : ft might be some satisfaction .*° you *° know there were no bloodstains on the clothes Orphans Smith, labourer, Western Springs, and William A. Kidd, hootmaker, x Grey Lynn, gave corroborative evidence concerning Kelly's movements on the Saturday evening. The witness Kidd said the police called on him between 1 and 2 a-m. on July 28, and he tola* them what he had now stated.

Thomas Bert Selkirk, salesman, residing nt New North 4 Road, Kingsland, "also deposed a a to seeing Kelly at, the Star billiard room about 7.30 p.m. on July 16 Kelly, with others, leaving him later,' saving they were going to Mount Albert. Witness then went home again. - Robert Stewart, ■"«, taxi driver, Uving hi £L^P U Sfcreet Morningsije, sal lie took three passengers to Morningside on Saturday July 16, leaving Karlngahapo Road about 8.20 p.m. He took them to t about' opposite the railway station at Morningside, where he left them. At thai tone they were strangers to sum, out he now recognised Smith as the man who engaged the car on thai occasion

rS^^% ha ? d ' *««iWat 158, Great North Road, spoke of seeing Smith. Kelly, and Kidd at.Mi-. PeterVKouse it Moraingside, where he was spending the evening. These men arrived at about 8.30 or 1.35 p.m., and left with witness at about twenty minutes to twelve. Witness caught a car at 11.45 p.m., leaving the tpree men talking on the corner of Western Springs Road. Sight's Movements detailed.

To the Coroner; How far is this house from the Grey Lynn terminus?— three miles, or about;2&. miles on the shortest possible route through the gully.John Peters, carter, living ;a* Mew North Morningside, stated that' the three men, Smith, Kelly, and Kiddy spent part of the evening of July 16 at his house, arriving betwfien 7.30 and : &15 p.m., and ieavhTg^aguinljetween 11.30-and midnight. .'-*'"' :, Gregory Stephen Kelly, a.k tent and cover maker,' living- 3, Commercial Road, Grey Lynn, said he knew the deceased Jew and Thomas SfcMahon" weS. His brother left home at about ten minutes to seven en Jhe evening, of July 16, and witness went oat just after ' 7.25 p.m., going to the Great. North Road and walking toward Grey Lynn to catch a car. At s,feout 7.30 p.m. "he saw two men sitting in the doorway of Gregory's shop. It was too dark to recognise the men, but their build would tally wi£b that of Jew and MeMahon. After spending the evening in the city, witness returned hoaie at 11.55 p.m.," his brother coming in about midnight. They both then went to" bed, sleeping in tho same room. The Coroner Are you sure it was before half-past seven when you passed Gregory's —Positive. It- support of this witness said he noticed the time at a shop when he got to Pitt Street. It was then 21 minutes to eight o'clock. AS this stage the inquest was adjourned on tii 5.0 o'clock on Monday morning].