GHASTLY CRIME AT GERALDINE

NZ Truth, Issue 464, 9 May 1914, Page 5

GHASTLY CRIME AT GERALDINE

Tragic Story by " Truth's " Special. Old Ploughman -Loses Life at his Lonely Camp SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES LEAD TO ARREST-QF HIS^VMTE,

For some days 'prior to last Thursday weak, residents of Geraldine, a rather important little township SO miles from Christchurch, were pexturbed by the sudden disappearance and protracted abseneo of an old man named Adam Stevenson, who had been employed as a farm laborer on Mr. Kelman's farm, a couple of miles out of Geraldine. Stevenson's camp was pitched close to the Orari bridge, and

during tho /Irst days of his disappearance it was surmised that tho old man had accidentally fallen into tho river which was then running: a banker on account of the heavy rains m that and the surrounding districts. As proof of this theory was not possible until tho flood had subsided somewhat, active search was confined to the river banks and inquiries were made m Christchurch on tho off chance of Stevenson having gone away fpr a jaunt, although this seemed Jmprobablo on account of

his having only ju.si returned from a real good holiday m tho riiy during lCaster week. Gradually, as tiuu- wore on am' no elm- as to the whereabouts cf the jnU;.sinK man presented ilwlf. the theory of lilh havlnjc met with foul piny was given grounds for eumsideratlor. by s us picio rs cmc i -\m hta noes which indicated that vUcvenm>n> body had hcvn conveyed In a ran to th« j liver bed. Uul It was not until th« latter end of Ittbt week that tho river had Ktitneiemly subside! to muke a clout • «i«jwch possible. Constable O'OmJy . und a man named W. Thomas a<«t ou'. i primarily with the intention of uncor- i tuininK ih*> point at which ih<> car: supposed 10 have had the body on board entered tho rlv« r. Tho inv<.'«tl #Ulons wen; then-fore marled at th>- ■ iocaltiy where Stevenson and v work- I mate named linrry Cripps camped. ! The vicinity of the tump wai< can-fully : ••xplored, H was nou<t>d that jiiht »t j the foot of the step* leading i<> th.- : door of the trav.-llinK kulUw <>r kiiohen attached to the camp <i «|immuy of i chaff win Ktr«wn "» thr Krouml a* v , a b.i« had bo<-n up*i?s an<l ;h<- com. in,* ! roußhly doraprd up or ariium-d. N\. j tflKnl»c.inri> was attached to vh(s. how- I over, although when .-xamlned lut.-roi, ; and the chart scraped itwny )>!.>...) I atains were clearly diaccrnlbl,- ot, ii,. BTOund. The, corn-table \>ns»M r.t» .-m-l examined a bloodstained axe whleh U;.- ; alonKride. the rlMU'l'iiu: blm-k. Hut a j U appejired thnt j MF\T HAD UKCF.NTI.Y NKKN ! <'HOI>I>KI> ' ! on the block, the fuel of there brim; j blood on tu.- !<*■' w»» not r.-KunVd n» ■i»iy eltte *" wtml tm<l h;ipp<'n«.M] Li ,Si«--vcnMin. "H'l l1 "' ''^rch. r« m-ut.- t;i-h- { way to the r»v«-r. closely .scnitiiu^lnj,- | the hedK^i* ll " (1 <*fwk« the wholo dtH. | tnnoe without, any d<-Kre«- cf ku<-i'<<*h. | I .jiir In tht 1 afternoon n ukjvv wan j mad» In <he rivertM-d ,known n:» S».- ] j:Trn''M fro^lnK to Ht<meld It w«^ j . vwient th»U »l 'hirf point thr Mood ; waletw t):id receded nearly v rhainund j a half, the K°rit<* : s l il iw 'he tiMiaJly <ir>- i lud of ih<' fUr.nfrt h-iiu: nilt.-d with ; wuj'l ;tn<l rubbljih ct*rri.-«l «lown by th.' i rUto'l. A!"»«t n riiniij fr<-iu th.- ttfii.t'h ; .•dtt<* Htrvensnn'ji bo<i>. war, f..un<t .-r ■ . itu'iv phinU.-d. >mji plainly vi«J>or to - anyone apprwichini: 5n tt^* dirr^Uon.

The actual spot where the body was found Is ! only a matter of ton or twolvo yards from the point where" tho riverbed road dips down into the river-bed on its way to the crossing:. This particular spot had during- the earlier part of the week been well covered >vlth water which It was evident had flowed over tho body of Steyenson. STATE OF THE BODY/ Tho* unfortunate old man, when found, was lying on his, back with his feet towards tho stream and his head m an opening m the denso gorse. One arm was outstretched and the other was at his sides, the backs of his hands I boing visible but almost covered with I clay and silt from the riverbed. Part of his dark suit of clothing was also visible. This also was streaked and caked with mud. The head and shoulders were covered with a bag that had been pulled well down and tightly bound with binder twine. , The lower part of the body was coveted with a rug which had been missed from the camp, and on top of this had been thrown a couple of sacks sewn together, which also previously had been missed from the camp. At the time It was thought that Stevenson hod cleared out and taken tho rug and sack covering with him. SEARCH FOR STEVENSON'S MATE Leaving the body m charge of Mr. Thomas and nnother searcher who happened along that way. Constable O'Grady sot out In search of Stevenson's mate — Harry Cripps — with a view ♦ to questioning him concerning his knowledge of the old man's movements immediately prior to his disappearance. It was learned that Cripps had driven Into tho township for some produce. Tho constable thereupon sent to Geraldlo© for a doctor and a conveyance and went to the camp and awaited Crlpps'n return. When Cripps camo back, tho policeman took him to ono side and quietly chatted with him over Stevenson's disappearance. It 1b believed that Crippa's unsatisfactory or contradictors' statements arouned Conatablo O'Qradys suspicions and ho arrested tho man without the lattor offering the least resistance, and escorted him to tho Gcraldino police station. Owing to ail the local conveyances

I'i-ing tiumKfd io bring home the reI turning cadets it was late m the eventing bt'fotv Mr. l'at«.r.s>>n could be taken out to whi-re thf body lay. Thi-re litexamined the body by lumpllght us it hiy m the gorse. Thi.' ban t'ovoring and rug appeared, on removal from ihe corp.se, to \hi SATI'RATED WITH KKROSEN'E. indleatinu that an attempt had W?n nmdn ty Inelnerat*' the body, alrhough no marks were visible to show that att attempt had actually been made to ignite the covering. On removing the binder twlmi and th<> bag which cov< r-

,-,! tfu- jj.-ii.l if wrt^ v „ cvldi-ni Jliat the old mail it:ul l»,«n tTui«lly hutch,.r'?d with jtonu- wharp itmlmmtnt «itnit;ir (" a K<ir*o-knt{V <i r lU;hl »x«-. Thero wiui on«- louk K»t«h rstt-ndinK from the b.irk >,( tho b«\'u» i,, ( |,,. foreIwiid fuul (hr< •■ tit»i,r Jh«kk«l Kiwhi^ <>n i I?if bnrK uf ih«- head uud behind Uu* i-i»r. 'IV» ;tU :\\}\»-nrniU'iH »ny f >no of th<* w<>tiftt|.« would hn.vr br-Mi r»tifl!rienf tii rat!S.< fii-.'tth. «'|iw«. to \vh<'Jt> ihr body h:id 1> •' fl dt>mp«-M|. what «<rt»«'f| t<, ).,- th.' wher.} murk* <>f a dray w«<r«> vjKi»>Jf i«ndihr«f« t'MiW h'- <mc«n| for ;« r«r(i«in uioinnrr. it; the sorsc ju> it Jurju.atiJK Unit ihv

y spot whero Oic body was"<faund .had been 'carefully chosen. On the night of Stevenson's disappearance, which was Saturday — the day before -tho-rlver wa^s flooded — there was no water over the spot where the body was found. In these circumstances it might besurmised either that the murderer had m the dark misjudged his whereabouts and planted the body farther from the crossing- where it would have-attracted the attention of passers-by m a£ few days, or that the body was secreted during the Saturday night and tipped into the water the following day and night when the river was irTnood. After the body had been medically exam* Ined it was removed to Geraldino-^o await an inquest z ACCUSED'S MOVEMENTS. From what can be gathered concerning tho accused man's movements, which Detective-Sergeant Falxey and tho local police have been investigating this week, it appears that Adaxn Stevenson was*ln charge -of-tho job -on which ho and Crlpps were employed by a farmer named Kelmaru ' Steveneon was au old hand of Kolman's, and was m the habitrof going across -to the farm and having a chat with his boss every evening. Crfpps had onljrbeon working for Kolman for about four weeks, and, from the first day ho started there, Stevenson complained about his laziness. It Is said that whlle>drlving"teams»boh.uid tho plough, Crlpps would get tired and sit down for a while. This inaction used to annoy Stevenson, who was-reckoned-as a good worker, and ho was anxious to get the job finished. It was Steveneon'a custom to leave the camp late every Saturday afternoon, and spend Sunday at hie liomo m Gemldlne, returning to the camp Mondaymorning. ACCORDINQ TO CRIPPS, Stevenson left tho camp as usual on the evening of his disappearance, -and he (Crlpps) saw hhn^olhr down; ., the road as usual. At BJO on tho •same-Saturday Toigbt, a fanner named Toser. who lives almost opposlto tho camp, is said to; have gono across to Kolman's men's* galley to borrow a bicycle pump from Cripps. Ho is believed to have found Crlpps standing alongside of a dray, with a horso m tho shafts, apparently just ready to drivo away somewhere. Mr. Tozer also noticed a bulky, dark object lying beside tho dray, but ho took this to be a heap of wood. Crtpps mentioned that- he was going out for a load of wood, and asked Toser if, whilo m tho township, ho would buy Crtpps somo sausages. Crtpps is also said to have particularly asked Tojser to leave the sausagea on tho gate post, and not to bring them into tho galley. On his return at 10.30 p.m., however, Toser saw a light m thov galley and went- In. Cripps was bustling around making his bed. He waa whistling, anil appeared to ba quite merry. I^ater m the week. Tozer ngtiiu visited Crlpps, and on that occasion also he scorned to have nothing on his mind, and talked and Joked quito merrily. On tho Wednesday night following Stevenson's disappearance, Cripps Ms said to have been In Qeraldine playing billhcrds. THE INQUEST. On Friday, at Qcraldlnc, Mr. V. CJ. Day. S.M., opened an inquest touching the death of Admn Stevenson. Sub* Inspector Crutckshanks watched tho proceedings on behalf of tho police, und tho only evidence called was of an klontlncatory nature. Alexander Kolmnn, a farmer, residing at Oeraldlnv, Rave evidence Umt tho deceased had been In his employment as head ploughman for some years. Htovtmson was lost seen alKo by witness on Friday, ApHl 24, when ho appeared to be m excellent health. Ordinarily, .Stevenson was halo nnd hearty. His ugo \va» about 69 years. Witness know of no troublo tho <looestsod had with anyone, neither did ho know of anyone having 111 -fooling towards the old man. Tho deceased's fellow-workman wns Harry Crlpps, and the two lived m the some camp, Thuy wore tho only two living there In v galley, ami had worked nnd lived together for about four weeks, Tho DECEASED HAD COMPLAINED to witness that occasionally Cripps loft his horsed and went to tho camp, staying away from hto work soraatiroca for an hour or an hour and a-balf at a time. Witness did not njm«ik to Crlppn about tho matter, but tort it all to ttiovcnnon, whom ho had told to gea .another man. At this stage tho inquest was nd« journad until Monday, May 11, CRIPPS CHARGED WITH MURDER. After the adjournment of tho Inquest, Harry Cripps was brought be-* fora tho Court and charged with tho wilful murder of Adam Stevenson. Ho ' was remanded until Friday. i THE ACCUBED. j Harry Crlpps. tho oceusod man, la ■11 years of ugft and single Hl» father ; m Mtuteil to Irovo dlod some years ago, hut his mother m still living at Win- ! ili.atirr, a tow miles from Goraldlno, ; m th« direction of Tlmoru. Cripps'H I fr<-ii<T!il nppwirance Is singularly > « ountriflod. His foaturp« arc nlrantfy [ ;<uKKCHt!vo of dojfonarnoy. and. In »v Hcnsp, bmr out the opinion of Oorn). dim- townnpcoplft that "Pripps is not : all ih<-rn." Tho acctwedl ntuui's banr- | \wk nlK'nfil' 1 "' that h>: fully realise* tlm | of his position. Hn \n m I a <'<n»«(nnt hUUo of "norvort," tu\d npi j»otir« to hiivi! oumpiAUtly Jo«t the u»o lof lilk lokm. It will Iw rfltneuilHired j ilml In tho onto of ftiddln. Lho May(\t\A ! uu» <■<!<> r< % i\ his loa» of the ua* of hl» Irpji w(M< pat down to th« action oC I i»u-> poison ho hnd taken. CHpun'ii ! intuilniiiy m *>v«m inor«* mnrkr.d than m ! Htdillo'n (vutti, whiah would nc<un to In<ti<;»tr* that the theory regarding Itutdtc wttjt innccurat<?. THE DECEASED. Thc» d^ca**^ man, Ad<v» Bicv«>n»on. wit* üboul <>!* y?#vr* of 1140. un<l m Kiihl to h.tv« hiul a wife living at Mrthv<>n. H^ h*td. howover, h««n Jlvinß ttonrt from her for nbrtut 30 ycviirw. He h;ul h<>rn rt ro*|fl<>nl of r}«*r:il«lin*-. for many y«w»rit, ttntl wan w«>t| known throughout tho tijstrirt. Slnvcnwm won htiriwl at Oorftldhm on him Momlny, and hf# funeral w*» 1.-irK^tv "Hcn'l^d, t'rippjt. fwrntlnir h\» trUI, Itt tv « u«« tody nl L.>'ll«HOfJ VukqU