NAIRN-STREET TRAGEDY

NZ Truth, Issue 580, 29 July 1916, Page 6

NAIRN-STREET TRAGEDY

Devoin Charged with Murder

New Evidence Adduced

Accused Makes a Statement

The' terrible Nairn-street tragedy was revived at the Magistrate^ Court, Wellington, on Thursday last, when Ernest Charles - Jewell Devoin was charged with the murder of the young woman, Louisa White, to whom he had. been engaged to be married a.t the time. The Bench was occupied by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., and the accused was represented by Mr. T. M. Wilford (instructed by Messrs. Perry and Linklater). Mr. V. R. Meredith, of the Crown Law Offices, prosecuted for the Crown. The" major portion of the. evidence was the same as that given when Devoin ;svas charged with manslaughter, previous to the young lady's death, which took-place on May 14. The unfortunate girl had LINGERED IN THE HOSPITAL from March 27 (the night on which the shooting took . place), and was paralysed from below the shoulders downwards. - Something of a sensation was caused when the girl's mother was being examined. Mrs. Skinner (Miss White's mother) had composed herself very well until her daughter's clothing was produced with the bullet-holes and blood stains showing. Mr. Meredith had just asked her the question, "Do you recognise this clothing as being your daughter's?" when the witness uttered a piercing shriek and had to be supported from the box as she became hysterical.

Some new evidence was given by Clara Temperley, proprietress of Cunnigham's Registry, of 102 Willis-street The witness had kept a/v office at 236 Lambton-quay. She had known Mrs. Devoin, the wife of the accused, by her calling at her office accompanied by her husband (the accused) m February, 1916. On the first occasion when Mrs. Devoin had railed she came to seek a general servant's position, but said that her husband was unwilling that she should go to service; subsequently, she brought him with her, and he agreed that bis wife should take service and that he WOULD NOT INTERFERE. Wilfred' Wulstan Cook, DeputyRegistrar for the Dominion, gave evidence and produced the. copy of the marriage certificate of the accused, who was married to Maria Bailey, 36, spinster, on October 2, 1914. Accused had given his age as 26 and his occupation as "farm-laborer." ' Constable Frederick Wood, m charge of the police department of Foxton, said that he knew accused. He had been employed as assistant cook and waiter at febss's Poplar flaxmill, Foxton.,, He knew that the accused never had' a halrdressing or tobacconist's shon, m Foxton. Eardley Buckeridge, who manages the Junction Hotel for his mother at Sanson, said that Mrs. Devoin commenced work at his hotel on March 16 and was working there and slept there on the nigbt of March 27 (the date of the tragedy). Detective Arthur Edwin Andrews gave evidence as to the weighing and marking of the bullets. He was present at the post mortem when the bullet was taken from Miss White's body. ■" IT WAS HANDED TO HIM. Sydney John Tisdale, gunsmith, also gave expert evidence as to the weight of the bullets found on the accused and the weight of the bullet taken from the deceased's body. The former were SO grains m weight and the latter was 75 grains. Five grains would be a fair amount to allow for stripping by impact The latter bullet, together with a small portion of bone was produced. On the prisoner being asked if be had anything to say he produced a short note and* read us follows: "I wrote to Mr. Wilford from the gaol telling him that I could not get proper medical treatment and, when the gaoler got my lotter he brought it back and said that he could not send it as it was critising the gaol medical surgeon." Here* Mr. Meredith protested that the matter brought by the accused had nothing to do with the .case. Mr. Riddell said that the mutter was irrelevant but if accused wished, he would hear him out Mr. Jackson, who had taken Mr. Wllford's place, contended that, no opinion could be formed until the whole of the accused's statement had been heard. Mr. Meredith contended that the whole thing was being done so as TO SECURE PUBLICATION, and was irrelevant The accused went on to say that his hearing waa. bad and that he wanted the bullet taken out of his head. (It had been given out by the doctors that the bullet with which he attempted to take his own life was still m his head, but m the "silent area," where it would do no harm.) When ho spoke his head hurt him and he could not sleep at nights. The S.M. heard him through and told the clerk to note the objection of Crown Prosecutor and bis (the magistrate's) attltudo m tho matter.

Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed to tuko his trial at tho SUDrawvn '