THE CORONER'S VERDICT.

NZ Truth, Issue 829, 1 October 1921, Page 6

THE CORONER'S VERDICT.

His Comments on "Unsatisfactory Evidence." Mr. Prendergast said 'he would like to address the Court, but his "Worship said he did not think it necessary. His Worship then summarised the evidence and said that it -was shown that just after 7.30 p.m. McMahon and Jew were left together In Gregory's doorway. After that his Worship believed they crossed the road to the section, because two men were seen there by one witness at least. The man on the section, his Worship believed, was Jew, and the man standing by the . telegraph post he believed to be McMahon. That was the last seen of Jew alive. McMahon next appears at 9.25 at the terminus and from this on he was able to establish his movements till he later went home. Some of the evidence was unsatisfactory, some witnesses showing reluctance to tell what they did knowOne witness was candid enough to admit that iha had known McMahon so long that he did not want to get McMahon into trouble. That witness "was Lupton, whose evidence Involved another man named Kelly. His Worship was quite satisfied, even after hearing Lupton's evidence, that Kelly was not there. His Worship said he must say McMahon's evidence wag . extremely unsatisfactory. The importance of making true statements had been impressed upon him the day the body was found, but m evidence he admitted the statements made were not true. He admitted giving the times merely to shield himself. His Worship was satisfied from McMahon's manner m the box that he was NOT TELLING THE TRUTH m all he said. His recollection of his movements on the night. of the murder were clearer than he said. The explanation that the statements . he gave the police were gathered from conversations with the boys was obviously inadequate and untrue. "It is only my duty* to find when,, where, and by what means the deceased came by his death," said the coroner. He then returned an open verdict by finding that Francis Edward Jew died at Grey Lynn on July 16, from fracture of the skull, with haemorrhage and"laceration of the brain caused by blows wilfully inflicted by a batten removed ifrom a fence near by the section, the blows being inflicted before midnight \and after 8.45 o'clock on the night of July IS.