McKAY'S MISADVENTURE

NZ Truth, Issue 406, 5 April 1913, Page 6

McKAY'S MISADVENTURE

A Witness >ho Wanted to Wander. \ Flies for 'Frisco and Fails. Arrested ; oh the 'Aorarigl. ■ Just as the 'Frisco-bound steamer -Aorangi was ready to have the moorings slipped on the Wellington wharf ,on~Frlday evening of last week, several "Wellington "demons" on the whkrf were observed to be "quietly 'T excited. "Demons" don't get excited as -a rule, and the only exception tis .when, after putting m- a. lot. of toil m ■ working: up. -a case, having exadmissions and left nothing undone to find that some obstinate jury doesn't believe.; a word of the prbsecution and says; so by returning JA VERDICT OF "NOT GUILTY." However, . the . Wwontedi , activity flown otl the wharf on the afternoon m question was due to the fact that word had been received that Thomas William - McKay, a young Auckland •taxi-cab driver,' a witness bound pver to appear to give evidence against Sarah Eldza -Skellon, was i&bbut to make a hurried departure from the Dominion. Mrs. Skellon is Charged with causing., the death of Minotaur Bush, an Auckland girl, whose death is ' attributed : to an illegal operation performed, so the allegation is, by Mrs. Skellon. According to McKay's evidence, McKay was the cause of the girl's ■ unhappy cohdition-^-he- has admitted it on oath, ami, still according to McKay, he introduced the girl to Mrs. Skcllon, and, further, McKay "stooa Sam" for whatever, was done, if, oi course, any was. done, which is the question for a jury. Inr the circumstances, McKay is a very necessary witness for the Crown, and as Lawyer Lunflon at the inquest crave McKay' a ; taste pf what was ;in store for him at sub>equ6nt proceedings, it is' not unnaturai l ;t|iat McKay should want to v'aiu'sii.^, 1 .'' . McKay tried to vanish by _ the Aorangi last Friday, and he might have vanished had not information been received that McKay was MISSING FROM HIS USUAL -■' -;'• . HAUNTS. • : "Demon" Rawle' did the rest He nabbed McKay, and on Saturday morning that young man, crest- ; fallen and otherwise sorrow, -filed m j before Magistrate .Riddell, at the Wellington /S.M.'s •Cpurti charged with attempting to abscond. McKay was, remanded to appear at Auckland' on Tuesday. McKay was /duly brought before Mr. B. : C. Cutten; S;M., at the Auckland Magistraie's r Court on Tuesday morning last, and: charged with" that being a witness bound- over to appear at the Supreme Court, he did attempt to abscond from the Domi'nibn. : McKay, who seemed a very downcast party, and appeared minus his collar and tie, pleaded guilty. '■■>''■"■'[ Chief Detective McMahon said that j ■ McKay was ' ; / ; A VERY IMPORTANT .WITNESS; m the case of procuring aborWon against the woman Skellon.; He had, after the inquest, gone to Hamilton, but had left his place there and had gone to Wellington and joined the Aorangi, which was bound for America. When, he was arrested, he said that he admitted intending going to the. land of the wooden ham, but reckoned he would be able to return m time for the trial. This was 1 an impossibility. The Chief ."Dembn" asked that McKay be detained m custody till the date of the trial. "Of course," " added the Chief, "Your Worship has power, under section 188,, .0f the J.P, Act, to release him provided he gives bonds satisfactory to your Worship, but he has already made one attempt." .."'"■'■ The S.M. sent the clerk for the precious work dealing with the subject and duly perused it, and, after doing so, remarked to McKay : What have you got to' say ? Do you admit you were going away ? McKay : No ! I was going away on a boat, but I was coming back. The S;M. ; reckoned he would like to have some -formal evidence /on the whole matter; ""~ Detective^Sergeanti Cox tolrl how McKay had given evidence at the hearing m the'- lower court, and also at the inquest/ arid had been bound over to appear at the next sittings of the Supreme Court on May I*. After the inquest, McKay had come to witness and asked that he might be allowed to take A JOB OUTSIDE AUCKLAND, . ■ jßts he was such a well-known party. Also, he reckoned "he would supply witness with his address', and would not shift from his location . without informing witness, who raised no objection. Accused then went to Hamilton. A few days ago witness heard something 1 which indu^' 1 him to think that McKay intended to clear out, so a was procured for his arrest. On Monday morning witness had: spoken* to McKay, and he then said he was going to work his passage on the Aorangi and come back m time for the trial.This was an impossibility as witness had ascertained that the Aorangi would not be back m New Zealand until May 22. The S.M. (to McKay) : Have you any questions to ask the witness ? McKay: All I have to say is 1 thought the boat would only take twenty -one days, and I would be back m ttrne. . The S.M. : Is^that oil ! ,Well, I'm quite satisfied. You will have to find two sureties r , *o "each. \