THE KERERU CASE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVX, Issue 3034, 22 January 1897, Page 4

THE KERERU CASE.

Accused Before the Court. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday William Chappie was charged with assaulting Jessie Hay (the woman whose depositions were recently taken at the Hospital, and published In full in the New Zsaeasd Times) with intent to do her bodily harm. Mr Wilford appeared for the accused and Inspector lender prosecuted. Chief-Detective O’Brien deposed that he went up to Kereru, where the assault is said to have taken place, and saw the accused. the accused’s story. Witness asked accused where ho first met Jessie Hay. Accused replied that he had first mot her in Wellington oil the 30th of December last, when she was in company With three other women. After a little conversation she agreed to go to live with the accused at Kereru. He sent her to Shannon, and followed next day, only to find her in company with some Maoris, and in a state of intoxication. He took her to a place called White's until January ibid. when he took her to his house at Kereru. About midday on Sunday, January 3rd, tbe accused stated to him (witness) that the woman began to behave strangely and exhibit symptoms of Jdirinm tremens, seeing monkeys, cats, dogs. Ac., round the house. Ho lit a flie about 4 p.m., and got tea ready, of which both partook. The fire went out shortly afterwards, and as tllo day was hot no mere ‘was put on. Later on in the evening the complainant tried to get out of the hut. He stopped her at the door and she went in amongst the ashes in the fireplace to try and get ont up the chimney. She made no complaint to him of having felt .the effects of burning. Two men named Brown and Carter oalled at the house next day and accompanied the complainant and himself to the Kereru railway station, and she had seemed to walk along without much difficulty. On arrival at the station he wont to send a telegraph message to the constable at Levin, leaving the woman with Brown and Carter. On returning, he found they had all disappeared. He did not see her again that night, and telegraphed to the constable at Levin to lookafter her, as he thought she was a lunatic. On the 15th inst. ho went to the Hospital and took her depositions. Cross-examined by Mr Wilford; Ghapple also told him (witness) that she had misbehaved witlj a Maori when sho went up to Shannon first.. ... . ■

, Dr J,; I-wart (medical superintendent of the Wellington Hospital) said Jessie Hay had boon admitted to tbe llosrutal on (,’ ue Otb January with '-.noroUs Wises’ over tno and numbering 28, but with no serious ones. The bbj too of tho loft foot Was gangrenous, add the of ajl the other, too? were iu A l*ko condition. Tho *sdft tissues cior tho heel bones wore rlco-in a liko ! condition. There was also gangrene of part of tho sole of tho right foot, and tho big too was in a similar condition. Some of the bruises on tho woman’s body seemed to have been made at a different date to others, but witness could not say when the injuries occurred with any degree of accuracy. The woman was not yet quite out of danger, but he did not anticipate any fatal results. It would be, however, two months at least before she got out of the Hospital. To Mr Wilford ! The injuries to the Woman’s feet might have been caused by *jlifeer injuries than burning, but he (witness) could not think of any other. Mortification had set in while she was dn the Hospital, and two of the woman’s toes had come off. Sho had been most hysterical and excitable since hor admission to tho Hospital. Tho Court adjourned at JO.SO a.m., and resumed at 5.30 p.m.

Joseph Brown, labourer at Kereru, remembered seeing' the accused and the woman Jessie Hay get oil the train at Kereia on the 2nd of January and go away together. He saw her several times on the following Sunday, and ehe seemed to have nothing the matter with hen Ho saw her on the Monday ulorhiug at halfpast V o'clock. , .She was kneeling down add: trembling as if in a fit. Witness noticed: her, feet bandaged- up, and there were bloody foot-marks ; on the floor. She did not speak, but Chappie told him she had hurt her. feet. At 3 o’clock that afternoon lie was working in a paddock 10 chains from the whare, and Chappie came over and asked him to help carry the woman to the railway station, and said she was mad. At 4 o’clock he went over to th'e whare and found her lying in bed. Two of his mates were with hit" Chappie was tna fabr of the whare. Witness took her to the railway station, which was only a few chains away. She Walked with his assistance! but was in frightful palm Chappie walked aboilt eight chains behind them, and witness’ mates were about three chains -in front; When witness got her to the railway station she ran a'wdy ffoai him. Sho, got through the fence aid, ran lip tile line; ChajJjilo told m«4 tp catoli liei-, but he went hom'd add did not attempt to catch her. About 6 o’clock that evening lie saw her standing on , the railway Jintf, .about 13 Chains from .the Mattdji'. .jHe trail! Vrda Codling found the curve. Witness fold hor Ip get pff the slip did. She then went o£F,up the road. Witness told her to gp to Mrs Olsen’s’. Miithess jvas going dpwu .the lin,e when ,ha, saw Chappie ccmiiig down th<? road towards the woman. Witness Went over to him and told him to leave her alone, and offered to take some of her clothes which Chappie was carrying. Witness gave her tho clothes and then wont up to tho railway station, and the woman started to Walk , Ijowards Havin'. Chappie also .Wsilt dp to the railway ntr.ticn. After this witness noticed the Woman walking up and down the road several times until about 9 o’clock, when he and another man took hor to Mrs Olsen’s. - Nest night he saw hor at Mrs Olsen’s. She wjw Unable t 8 get uji; lior feet Wol ; 6 Sp had; liilt. she Spoke Sensibly hjioUgli. On the previous evening she haq showed him, her feet; which in a frightful condition! the,skin bed gone away from, fhp _ ftoahk iSJie .raid;.>. oil thought li drfiiiS yesterday, but I was not.” She also told him that Chappie had put her in the fire, and abused him dreadfully for having done so. Witness saw no liquor about, but the woman appeared to bo either drunk or mad. To Mr Wilford : When the woman was taken to tho railway station on the first occasion she was able to walk, but appeared to bo in great pain. The road was a sawr dust road and §pft.. The jvoman walked, i:i i'.bjr stcctiug-soles and had bandages under tho stockings. To His Worship: On the way to tho station, she talked all kinds of nonsense. Sho asked him to stop tho monkeys from firing sticks at her, and said she could see devils. Sho called Chappie a devil, and asked witness to stop that devil from coming near her, meaning Chappie. Isabella Olson (a widow living at Kereru) remembered Jessie Hay beinS brought to her house on th® evening of the •Ith of January. She was wandering in her mind, but as hor feet were badly burnt witness put it down to excitement. Two days late! a dohstablo edme and removed her. Tp Mr Wilford: She spoke to herself about her brother and sister when she was wandering in her mind. She did not mention the accused, but when asked how she got her feet hurt sho said a man had put her in the fire. CONTISADICXOKT EVIDENCE.

Edwin White (called by Inspector Pender, at the request of the accused) said he was a labourer exployed at Kerern, and stated to Mr Wilford that he had eeeii Jessie itay at the Maori pah on the lllst of December. The accused and the woman had stayed that night in witness’ kitchen, and next morning she told witness that there had been a wedding on at the pah, and that there was plenty of beer there in buckets. Next day witness saw that her arms were black and blue, and she told him that the Maoris had done it. She also shewed witness her feet,which looked if they had been scalded, and had all the skin peeled off. She said she had got her feet into that state by walking. In the morning she had a fit; her face was distorted, and she screamed and yelled out. Witness had a talk with the woman, who had told him that she began taking these fits when she began drinking. She had not had them before. At this stage Mr Wardell adjourned the case until Saturday morning.