TAIHAPE TRAGEDY

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11738, 28 January 1924, Page 7

TAIHAPE TRAGEDY

MOGHAN CHARGED ACCUSED’S STATEMENTS TO POLICE AFTER ARREST. “THEY PLANNED TO KILL ME.” Per Press Association. TAIHAPE, January 26. The hearing of evidence in connection with the charge of murder against Anthony Moghan was continued Cyril Nicholls, whoso cai was engaged by the police, corroborated the evidence of Mogliau’s surrender, and his admission of having Killed Gemmell. He also stated that Gemmcll’s face was covered with wounds; there was no skin underneath the chin, the nose looked as if it was broken, and the upper part of the body was covered with marks. Moghan appeared perfectly sober, and showed no sign of having been fighting. STORY OF A QUARREL. Sergeant Matthews, stationed at Taihape, stated that on the morning of January 3rd he received a message that a man had been killed at Moghan’s farm, and with Constable Gerraghty he proceeded by motor-ear co the farm, picking up Robert Riley on the way. On his arrival the accused came from the direction of his house and said: “I give myself in charge. I killed him. , Riley had nothing to dc with it. He called me ‘A Irishbred mongrel.’ I struck him with my fist.” He held out his hands for the handcuffs and was handcuffed by Constable Gerraghty. The constable, Riley, Moghan, and witness then ivalked towards the house. He saw the body of a man lying on the grass a few yards from the verandah, near a lilac tree. He did not know' at the time whose body it was, and asked Meghan, who replied “Genimell.” The Body was clad only in trouseis and stockings, and the trousers pruduced were on the upper part of the body and the head was covered with some sacking. The witness described numerous severe' injuries which he noticed, and also bloodstains on the grass and on the verandah, which appeared es if the body had lain there. He gave instructions for a doctor to he sent for, and shortly afterwards Dr. Hay arrived. A DREADFUL SIGHT. While waiting for the doctor, he examined the house, and on the floor at the bottom of the kitchen door, found a patch of blood. On the dining-room floor, between the open fireplace and Gemmell’s room, were some blood stains which appeared to have had water thrown on them, and to have been swept towards the fireplace. lu Gemmall’s room the bed was disordered, and the bedding was bloodstained. There were splashes of blood on tw r c. of the walls, the side of the bed, and the head of the bed, and some of the blood splashes were within twelve inches of the ceiling, which was five feet above the top of the bed. On the Boor towards the door there were mote bloodstains, and there were also more bloodstains at the foot of the bedroom door. Dr. Hay arrived and made a careful examination of the body, after which the body was removed to the hospital morgue. Witness and Constable Gerraghty returned to the house and made a further examination. In Moghan’s room they found a heavy pair of working boots, which were bloodstained on the toes, soles, and heels. There was a pair of bloodstained trousers and a blood-stained Bhirt, and these articles and a tuft of human hair found, had been in his possession ever since, except when being analysed. He searched for any weapons likely to have inflicted the wounds but failed to find any. PRISONER’S STATEMENT. At the police station, Moghan said he would like to make a statement in writing, and he made the following statement: “I, Anthony Moghan, ol Raukura, farmer, wish to make the following statement: —A man named R. G. Riley, who is employed by me, informed me vesterday that the deceased Gemmell and a Mqpri 1 named John Jackson, commonly known as Maoii Jack, had planned to kill me. Gemmell was in my house at the time, and Riley and I came from the cowshed, and on entering the kitchen Gemmell called me ‘A Irishbred mongrel.’ He made this statement several times, and then rushed at me. I guarded and struck him with my fist. He struck me first, and I hit him in self-defence He hit me twice on the chest. This happened early in the afternoon. I had paid Genimell off on January Ist, 1924. He refused to leavo the place. Later in tho evening Riley and I found Gemmell lying on the ground 1 in front of my house. He was insensible, and we tried to bring him round, but he did not come round. I sent Riley to ring up for the police and the doctor. He went to Banks’s place to ring up, but he was away. He then went away, and I told him to go into Taihape and inform the ’police and the doctor.” Moghan added that he would not say any more until he had seen his solicitor, and that he (Moghan) would not bring hie wife into this. When arrested, the clothing Moghan was wearing was bloodstained, and it was 6ent for analysis. When Moghan met witness at the gate he appeared to be in a normal state. Riley was wildly excited, and apparently suffering from liquor and shock. Gemmell, who was a married man and came from Auckland, had one child. He had worked in the district for some time, formerly at the freezing works. PUT UP WITH CONSEQUENCES. Constable Gerraghty corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. When they were bringing Moghan and Riley into the lock-up, Moghan said, “I killed him. Riley had nothing to do with it. I struck him with my fiste in self-defence, didn’t I, Bob?” No one answered, and a little later he repeated the statement. Riley replied, “I cannot say whether you struck him or not. liLyou did, you will have to put up with the consequences.” WHAT THE DOCTOR FOUND. Dr H. M. Hay gave evidence as to the injuries which he found on the body when he received a telephone message from the police asking him to examine it in front of Moghan’s house. There were three wounds over the eyebrows, a wound over the root of the nose, disclosing a fractured nasal bone; and two wounds on tho right side of the upper lip; and a large area of skin was missing from tho point of the chin. There was also a deep wound in front of the right ear. Behind the left ear was a wound 4 or 44 inches long, running horizontally about two inches; above this was another wound two inches long, behind the ear, and behind this again were three small wounds, each an inch long. Tho upper jaw on the right side was fractured, and there was a fracture of the lower jaw at the left angle. There were email circular bruises over tho

front part of the arms and shoulders, and on other parts of the body. One of the bones of the right forearm was broken about an inch from the wrist. Internally there was a large radiating ] fracture of the left occipital bone of the skull. There were also other fractures which he detailed. The abdo men was bruised. In his opinion, death was due to shock from haemorrhage caused by the fracture of the skull. Some of the other injuries would have been sufficient to cause death. At this stage the court adjourned till 7.30 p.m. SOIENTTFIO INVESTIGATION. John Alexander Hurley, registeied medical practitioner, said that he was Government bacteriologist in charge of laboratory of Wellington Hospital. Ho remembered January 7th, when lie received .from Constable King, the following articles: Two soft shirts, one pair of trousers with braces attached, one blanket, a pair of socks and a pair of hoots. He also received a letter from Sergeant Matthews with a request to examine the articles for blood stains and ascertain if such hioof! was human blood. He explained to Constable King that time he wanted articles in was too short, that for a thorough examination a month would be necessary, but there was a chance of getting the same within two or three weeks. The reason for this was that it required a month to piepafe the amount of material necessary for the examination. He examined tho articles submitted for blood and found it oil all except the boots. The boots would require longer to examine. On examination of the blanket for human blood the test showed that it was present.- He had not enough material to finish the other articles. These would probably he ready to report on in a fortnight. He had tho exhibits with him. hut would require them to complete the tests. To Inspector Fouhy: It included a wisp of hair. There was no evidence to say that it was not human hair. It was not possible tc swear that it was human hair, for some dogs, even cows, had hair like human hair, hut to the best of his knowledge it was human hair. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. This concluded the case for the prosecution. Moghan was asked to stand up and make a statement if he wished, but he had nothing to say. Mr Hussey asked if Moghan would be sent to Wellington gaol to await trial, so that accused could bo near his counsel. Inspector Fouhy objected on behalf jrf the police owing to the extra " expense. Mr Hussey: I will ask the department to transfer accused to Wellington. The stipendiary magistrate agreed that this would be the best- course to adopt, so that Moghan will he sent to Wanganui gaol. It remains for tße Justice Department to decide as to whether he will remain there or be cent to Wellington. The stipendiary magistrate: Accused iis committed to the next sitting of Wanganui Supreme Court for trial on the coroner’s verdict. Mr J. P. Aldridge, coroner, who sat on the bench with Mr Watson, 8.M., said that the case was a simple one and he would make no remarks. He returned the verdict, that deceased. John Gemmell, died at Raukura, Taihape, on January 3rd, 1924. from injuries received at the hands of Anthony Moghan.