WHAT HAPPENED TO HILL.

NZ Truth, Issue 405, 29 March 1913, Page 5

WHAT HAPPENED TO HILL.

STRANGE AND SORDID STORY OF A "SCRAP." A FATAL fRACAS AT AWfUL AUCKLAND. James Evans under Arrest— Mrs. Hill Tells Her Tale— What Happened m the Backyard— Not Sober, but Knew What He was Doing— Jealous of Two Other Boarders— Evans and Mrs. Hill—" Will You Take the Book and Swear It ?"— The Medical Opinion— To be Charged with Manslaughter. -

[From "TruthV Auckland Rep.]

On March 7, James Evans was brought before Mr. E. C. Cutten. SJtf., at the Auckland Magistrate's Court, charged with ' assaulting one George Henry Hill (who was the Auckland City pound keeper) causing actual bodily harm to ' Hill. From that date till Thursday of last week, Evans had been brought up and remanded from time to time, as the condition of Hill, who had to, be taken to the hospital, was growing worse. v THE CLIMAX WAS REACHED on Thursday week, when Evans was brought up on remand. Inspector McGrath then announced that Hill was m a dying condition, and asked for a further remand ,until Friday, March 28. v r The roinand viras duly granted by Che S.M. ...■;■.-. .. On the evening.,, of the same day, the unfortunate man Hill died at the Auckland. Hospital, .and, on Saturday morning, Coro'ner.'jUreshom held an inquest.: • • . / -•< . ■ Inspector McGrath appeared for the police, but Evans, who was dnly brought along from the gaol, wo» not represented. Alice Jane l Hill, a comparatively young, woman, widow of the deceased, said that he was aged about 50 years, and had been employed as City Pound-keeper. Evans had feeen boarding with, them for about six years, off. and on. At seven o'clock on the evening of Wednesday, March* 5, witness went out with her two little boys to visit some friends m, Hajwin-streot., On the way SHE MET EVANS, who used some vile language to her. She immediately returned home and told the deceased ell about it, and he then accompanied her and the children to the friend's house. They took an out-pf-tbe-way direction to Haydn-efcreet, but Evans saw them, and, following, caught up on them •m Canada-street. Bvans then used further language to her, and wanted to fight her husband. Also, he demanded back the sum o( £a which he had deposited with her some time before. For tho timo the trouble ceased, but, on tho • following morning, Evans demanded back another £5 which he had given her to send to a party m Sydney. Also, he demanded his watch, chain, and ring, which he had given to witness for safe keeping. These things were duly handed over, and witness told Evans to clear out. Evans duly packed his box and departed, sayingXthat ho would send for 4t later. About 7.30 o'clock on tho same evening, Evans came back and walked into tho house. As the family was having dinner, witness, m a forgiving spirit, asked him to join m, but ho rudely refused, ,ond began to call her all sorts of things. Witness asked deceased if she should get m the "John" Department, and, on being answered m tho afllrmative, went down to the Fire Brigade station at the foot of Pitt-street and got. a fireman TO RING UP THE POLICE. On her roturn she found deceased and Evans "m the back yard. Her husband was lying on the ground with hia head on a chopping-Wock, and whilst she gazed upon the scene, Evans kicked him on the ribs. Sho immediately rushed over and picked deceased up, and said' to Evans, "Don't do "that, you coward !" Witness, then helped her husband into the house, and ho seemed m a bad way, as he was black m the face und could scarcely stand. Evans then came at her, and, with more Vile expressions, wanted to know if she ."wanted her — faco smashed m too." Then he bashed her twice m the face, and she thought that the result of one of the bashes would be an abscess. Witness and her husband then walked towards the King's Theatro with tho intention of ringing up tho polico there, but Evans followed 1 them later and told them that tho "John" Department had arrived. On returning, Kvans was duly handed over to the police, and witness called m Dr. Hardio Neil. This medico duly" arrived, but rccomnionded her to call m Dr. James Moir, and tho latter came along about 10.30. Deceased had m tho meantime been LYING ON TIITO VERANDAH, ami when tho doctor arrived ho complrUncd of pain m his ribs and m his hand. Deceased was tatfen into his bedroom and undressed and put to bed. Whilst witness ami tho doctor wero talking nn an adjoining room about sending deceased to tho hospital, they beard the noiso of n fall m tho next room, and, on proing m, discovered deceased on tho floor. He h«ul evidently been attempting to got up and dress himself. Deceased was then taken to tho hospital iv the ambulance. To Inspector McGrath : Witness left the children with a neighbor when Kho went for tho doctor. Evans waa a far stronger man than* deceased. In her presence, deceased did not attempt to fight with Evans. When Evans wna handed over to tho police, nho knew that his faco had been severely bashed, but dkl not know that bin ribs had boon injured. Evans was not qulto sober at the time, but ho know wlmt ho wag doing. Witness denied that she had anything to do with, or was tho ctuisc of tho fight between Evan* and tho deceased. Sho coujd not nay why, but Evana was jealous of two other hoarders tn too 'appy 'omo, and had scrapped with one of them. On this occsuilon, Evana had CLEANED UP THE (JAHDKN with the supcrfluoun boarder. Coroner Grcntuun inquired whothar EJvitns had any queattonn to oak tho witnow. Timt party aoonxd todktod to^rivo :&!»- jnecftion pf tho opnlM -*ll»i*, but

was warned by Mr. Gresbam that, iri the absence* of his counsel, he would be well to be like unto Brer Rabbit as regards statements, and to confine himself to questions. Bvans accepted the advice, and then asked the. lady whether or not she had bashed him or he had bjash-. Ed her. Witness (heatedly) : Did you have; a bruise on your 'and ? Evans (irrelevantly)-: It was you that struck me ! Witness fweepfully) :' Will you taka the book and swear it ? ■ . Evans promptly clambered towards the court Bible and reckoned he would, but was promptly restrained.; After the lady had advised Evans not to do such a thing, the Coroner, quelled the disturbance by' ruling both parties out of order, and called the next witness. He was Constable Lambert, who* holds down the job of Court Orderly ttt tho SJJ.'s Court, and, as a park of his duties,* escorts the genial "lag" ' '.•■ , TO THE COLJ), HARD, . STONE * JUG, / \ Lambert reckoned , that when he was taking Evans along to Gaoler, Ironsides's palatial establishment at Mount Eden, he (Evans) had irreverently and unromantically referred to Alice as tho **old woman," and reckoned tbaC sweet Alice had bashed him on the dial. Also, Evans reckoned that if Alice had only , hat! a Kttlo more science she could have made him take the count* Further, Evans had told witness that loud and enthusiastic crashes on the chopping-block had injured both he and deceased. _ ■ . Dr. Moir said that when he wag called m deceased^ looked vecy ill* Deceased had two of the most complete black eyes witness had ever, seen. The .left eye was completely dosed, and the right Veye cowW, only .be opened a little. Deceased 'was also dazed and stupid. His breath-, ing was short and difficult, and his pulse was quick,. Also, he spoke incoherently- and with difficulty. Deceased complained of severe pain m the left side. At the subsequent post .mortem, witness found a considerablo amount of hemruorhago on the right side of the surface of the brain, which must have resulted from a severe blow on the side of the head. .Also, ; THE FOURTH? FIFTH, AND SIXTH RIBS on the left side were broken. Death was duo to yoinous hemmorhage of the brain. ; Dr. McGuirc, Superintendent of the Auckland Hospital, gave ovidenco ns to deceased's admission at ll.sop.m. on March 6. Deceased said that ho had been kicked m the ribs by a man with whom he hnd a row. No signs of brain trouble manifested themselves until March 17, when deceased suddenly went into a stupor. Witness could thus not have his depositions taken by the police. ( Dp to that date witness did not. consider that deceased would die. Deceased continued m a stato of stupor until his death three days later. Witness considered that death was due to pressure of blood on the brain caused by the rupture of a small vein. The jury must have hod somo doubts as to the value of Mr». Hill's ovidenco as, m, reply to one of them, the Coroner stated that the mere fact of it not being corroborated did not effect ii. ■ - Tho jury thereupon brought m rf verdict that deceased had met his death by a blow inflicted by Evans. Evans was then duly carted bock to Mount Eden Gaol, and will havo to face a charge of manslaughter*