"I CUT OFF HIS AND THEN HIS LEGS" EERIE NIGHT OF TRAGEDY

NZ Truth, Issue 1256, 26 December 1929, Page 2

"I CUT OFF HIS AND THEN HIS LEGS" EERIE NIGHT OF TRAGEDY

Dismembered Body Found In Bags In The Creek STORY OF GHASTLY HUT MURDER (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Representative.) Seldom has there been heard m an Australian or New Zealand court a story so gruesome, so fantastic m its very horror, aa that which was unfolded m the Narrabri (N.S.W.) Police Court, when the inquest into the death of James Smith, whose dismembered body was found in v the Narrabri Creek on Sunday, November 10, was held. Present m custody, the cynosure of all eyes, was Paul Minel, who is charged with the murder. Short and powerfully built, he sat. still and unmoving throughout the hearing. He did not leed the glances that so often wandered, fascinated, m his direction. * * - The police produced a confession alleged to have been made by Minel. This document as read out by the police, described the progress of a drinking bout at little lonely "Granny Smith's" hut on the creek bank. It told of quarrels that, allegedly, . , ended m a fatal shooting. Then, m words starkly simple, it went on to describe the hacking of the body of the dead man to pieces with an axe the placing of the trunk and the head, and the limbs m the separate bags; and of their concealment m the waters of the creek. .; . . And the man m the dock of the old-fashioned iron bars that remain from another century, sat still and looked straight, ahead; asking no questions and scarcely giving a sign that he heard.

MINEL was clad' m a serge suit, with a colored shirt and collar. Thin hair was carefully brushed across the baldness of the top, of his head. He appered to be somewhat tired and worn. Mr. Rogers, of the. Crown Law Office, appeared for the Crown. Dr. Park, Government Medical Officer, stated that at i p.m. on Sunday, November 10, he was called to a spot / on the Narrabri Creek,, where, m company with the police, he inspected a body m.a bag. The body was badly decomposed, Avith the head cut off. Both legs were cut off below the thigh. The body was clothed m a flannel shirt, cardigan jacket, and gabardine trousers. A further examination disclosed that the head had been severed with two or more blows. The legs were partly hacked and sawn. On November 15,. the doctor said, a detailed examination Avas made of the head found by the police. The head Avas badly decomposed. There Avas a fracture on the. right side of. the head, just about the ear, and a iarge one on the left side, extending across to the right at the base .of the skull. In his opinion, death was caused by a laceration of the skull and of the brain. Inspector Goodwin said that at. about 12.30 on November 10 he saw William 3oyd at the police station. Boyd told him a body had been discovered m the creek. Accompanied by Boyd and other officers the body' Avas inspected. Later the body was taken to the morgue. A close investigation was made of the locality. They visited a place called "Granny Smith's" hut, where a magazine and piece of calico having apparent bloodstains pn them were found..

Inspector Goodwin said he was at the hut when Detective Matthews and Allmond arrived with Paul Minel. Minel pointed out several places m the hut, finally showing where, he said, he had cut up Smith, and had thrown him into the creek. Later they returned to the lock-up, where Minel was shown clothing Avhich had been found on the body of Smith. Minel said they were the clothes worn by Smith. Constable McGavern, who accompanied the inspector and Constable Chalker, told of their search for the missing head and legs. While dragging a deep hole m the creek, near "Granny Smith's" hut, he felt a heavy object at the end of his hook. On pulling It to the surface he saw a cornsack, which burst when he attempted to lift It Into the boat.- He caught hold of the head and put it into the bottom of the boat. Some bricks m another bag were recovered. Detective- sergeant F. • Matthews stated that he examined papers found on Minel when he was detained at Glen Innes. On November 14 he saw Minel, who told him he would tell him everything. Questioned, Minel said" he was camped at Narrabri with a man named Jim Smith, and when asked where he was he hesitated and said he did not know. He said the .last time he saw Smith was at the hut m Narrabri. Minel was then taken into a room where a number of articles were lying, and, on request, 'he sorted out those belonging* to James Smith and to himself. After lunch Detective Matthews •aid he again questioned Minel concerning the • movements _of James Smith. Subsequently Minel said: "I did not mean to kill Jim. He attacked me first." Detective Matthews said: "Do you mean to tell me you killed Jim Smith?" Minelreplied: "Yes, I will tell you /. all about it to get it off my mind." Minel, said Detective Matthews, then made a statement whioh witness read out to the Coroner. The statement was then read by t Detective Matthews, as follows: "I am a job builder and contractor, and reside m a room next door, to the Royal Hotel at Glen Innes. '■;. I haye been known by the name bf John Booth, Jack Wilcox, and ' Jim Smith, and 1 took the name of Arthur Sorenson. That name was on the registration Avhen 1 sold the; truck to Jini Ryan, m Tamworth. "I was born m Germany., * am 50 years of age; • I "About two years ago . I went through Quambone, going to Warren, and I met a man named Jim Smith. He told me that he was a Dane, X stopped [■ ■ ■.■-.-*'.

at Quambone a couple of hours, and I had a good drink with Jim Smith. "One of the men who was with Smith was killed since. He was killed m an accident at Coonamble Bridge. His wife was also killed. "I did not see Smith again till I came to Coonamble m June this year. Smith was then drinking at the Terminus Hotel, Coonamble. I stopped at the hotel two days. Smith was also stopping there. "We Drank Heavily" '■'We left Coonamble for Narrabri early m August last. We travelled m Smith's truck to Narrabri. We camped on the bank of the Narrabri Creek for two or three days. We then shifted out to an empty house about three miles out of Narrabri, on the bank of the Narrabri Creek, and close to Mr. Bolton's place. "I had between £20 and £25 when I arrived m Narrabri. Smith topk some money out of the bank before we left Coonamble. Smith went twice to the. bank at Narrabri to get money. He had his money m the Government Savings Bank. He told me that he had £100 m the bank. "Smith and I were both drinking heavily when we were m Narrabri. Sometimes Smith drove the motor truck into Narrabri from where we were camped. Sometimes I drove home on the truck with Smith. Other times I walked home and he drove home. "We were camped at Narrabri more than' a week or ten days. Smith sold six dozen rabbit traps at Narrabri; I sold five dozen rabbit traps at the wool store on the corner m Narrabri. I got between £3 and £4 for them. I was fairly full. I don't know where Smith sold his traps. "One afternoon," the alleged statement proceeded, "when Aye were dz'inking about . Narrabri, Smith picked up with a woman and went away Avith her. I was pretty full, and stopped m town that night. I am not sure if I stopped at the bottom end or down at Tattersall's Hotel. I had a parcel containing lager, beer and rum, which I lost. We left it m the car and got it back next day. "Next day Jim Smith came m for me. I was drunk. . We drank three or four bottles of grog going home. We were stopped half an hour at each gate drinking rum and wine. We got to the hut about 11 o'clock; it might have been later. "We were drinking some more. I was sitting outside. We had an argument over some little thing. I Avas frightened of him. He rushed me with a stone or brick. I copped him and we came down on the ground together. I copped the stone m my hands. He wouldn't let go and I hit him on the head with it. "He bit me on the arm and on the leg when we were struggling. I let him get up. I remember his head was ; bleeding. I washed his head on the verandah with iodine and stuff. I , bandaged his head. I bandaged his hand at the same time. I asked him to forgive me and not to rush again. i After I had finished bandaging him he lay down m the front room. I sat outside on the verandah on a little folding : chair. I was half asleep. ■ "Then he got up. 1 could see 1 his legs moving, and that is what ' woke > me up. -He reached for the 1 rifle, which was loaded and stand- ' ing outside. He had it m his hand. . 1 1 reached and copped it too. I pulled it away from him and pulled the trigger, and he fell, back on the bed, which was on the floor. It was at the back of the bed where he fell. "It was dark, and I did not see if I had shot him or not. I walked away

from the place a bit, with the rifle m my hand. "Might Bush Me" "I was frightened he might rush me again. I looked m again m about an hour, and I could see that he was dead. I pulled him out on the stone on the ground at the front. No, it was the back I took him. I was frightened and did not know what I was doing. I cup him up with the axe which I had for chopping wood. "I cut his head off, and then the legs. I put them — the pieces of him — into bags, and put bricks m the bag. I then dragged the bags down to the tree m front of the house, and threw them into the creek. I then went straight into town to get some more drink. "I had half a bottle of rum m my pocket going to town. I started drinking. I went back to the hut. After dinner I took some more beer and a couple of bottles of mm with me. I dropped the feathers qv't of the sugar bag which he used for a pillow into a rabbit burrow, and I threw the bag into the river. I stopped about there drinking. I slept outside the hut that night. I did not sleep. I was reading and drinking what was left. "The next day, Sunday, when Mr. •and Mrs. Bolton came tp the hut, I then told Mr. Bolton that I would start work for him the next morning (Monday). I packed some of my things on the truck belonging to Jim Smith that night, and the remainder next morning. "I put all Jim Smith's things on the truck, which included the tent, the mattress, etc. The tent was m the room and Jim Smith's head was on it. It was under the pillow. "I worked for Mr, Bolton from Monday till Tuesday m the following week," went on the statement. "One day when I was working for Mr. Bolton, I got young Bolton to go up with me and tow Jim Smith's truck with the things on it down to Bolton's gate. The battery was taken off and Mr. Bolton took it into Narrabri to get it charged. When it was charged it was replaced on the truck, and I got young Bolton to show me the reverse gear, I had a Ford and there 3s a difference m the gears. "I did not go into Narrabri during the week I was working for Mr. Bolton. I slept at Bolton's wood shed that week. On the Tuesday that I finished, at Bolton's I drove Jim Smith's truck into Narrabri, where Mr. Bolton paid me £5/10/- or £5/14/-. I left Narrabri- straight away m Jim Smith's truck, for Werris Creek, leaving Narrabri about 11 a.m. "At Boggabri I bought a bottle of rum and drank It on the road. At Gunnedah I had a few drinks again, and then on to Werris Creek about 9 o'clock. I stayed at the bottom hotel for the night. On the following morning at six o'clock I left for Tamworth, arriving there about 8 or 9 o'clock. "I took Smith's truck to the bank of the creek and stopped there about two days. On the day that I arrived at Tamworth I searched Smith's belongings and got the registration for his truck, his driver's licence, his medals and other papers. I then took the name of Jim Smith. A man named Ryan gave me a job plastering, and I went to stay at a Mrs. Wawbray's. I sold Ryan Smith's truck for £40 and he paid me cash. "About September 16 last I left West Tamworth for Orange, to ace about a Ford motor-car that I left there m June. I left a suitcase at Werris Creek and continued to Orange. When I arrived there I was told that the police were looking for me, and I immediately left for Tamworth. I stopped two or three days m the Tarn■ worth Hotel. I "I got the change of address on

I Jim Smith's driver's licence transferred from Coonamble to Tarn- % worth. Ryan got the truck transferred from Sorensen to Ryan. Jim Smith had the truck registered m the name of Sorensen. "I then got a lift from Tamworth to Glen Innes m a friend's car, and brought all my things, including Jim Smith's, Avith me. I Avent to live m a room at the rear of the Royal Hotel, and took all my things and Jim Smith's into that room. I lived there up to Wednesday, November 13, when I was IntervieAved by the police, and accompanied them to the police station, "When draAving out of Narrabri on the Tuesday I sold Jim Smith's rifle that I shot him with, and my shotgun, to a man m a Avagonette for £1. I think he was a drover. He had a lot of dogs Avith him. He Avas going towards Boggabri. Since I arrived at Glen Innes I sold my medicine chest for £15. It is the medicine chest m the possession of the police, "I also gave Jim Smith's broad . axe away to a man m Glen Innes. It is now m the possession of the police. The axe now m possession of the police is the one used to chop Jim Smith up with. "Jim Smith drew money out of . the bank twice or three times at Narrabri— £lo or £20. "On the night that he was killed Jim Smith was dressed m gabardine trousers, a woollen jacket like a sweater, and a grey flannel shirt. "That Avas all that I can remember. I have heard this statement read over to me, and it is true. I have made it voluntarily and of niy OAvn free will. No promise or threat has been held out to induce me to make this statement.'' The First Row On December 4, Detective-sergeant Matthews and Detective Allmond saAA r Minel at Narrabri lock-up. He told them, said Detective Matthews, that Jim Smith did not die on the night they had the first roAV. Witness asked if he Avould like to make another statement concerning the matter. He said he Avould. He then said, declared the witness, that he did not shoot Smith the same night that they had the row. The first night he hit him Avith a brick, and Smith lay doAvn on the bed, but Minel stayed out all night. In the morning Jim asked him to go into toAvn and get some brandy. While In town he got some bandages and ointment from a chemist. When

he returned he Avashed Smith's head and bandaged it. Smith started to row again. Minel Avent outside and stayed there, although he Avas hungry. He did not want to have more rows with Smith. While sitting on the verandah he saAV Smith's legs moving, and he copped the gun before Smith and fired, but did not know Avhether he hit him or not. Detective L. F. Allmond said that he Avas Avith Detective Matthews when Minel Avas questioned concerning the discovery of a man's body, found m the Narrabri Creek. The statement produced was then made, and Minel said; "I feel much better now. I have been very worried." The head was identified by residents who had known both Smith and Minel. i "Nothing to Say" To establish the identity of the murdered; man, a photo. shoAving a group bf A.I.F. men was produced m court, besides other articles removed from the hut and m Minel's possession Avhen he was arrested. Constable Bleachmore, of Coonamble, who knew both men, pointed out Smith m the photographed group. When drunk, he said, Smith was of a quarrelsome disposition. Minel was also inclined to be of a similar nature, he said. When s asked if he desired to give evidence, Minel declined. Neither did he wish to make any 7 further statement. The Deputy-Coroner found that James Smith or James Sorenson died from the effect of blows on the skull, and that Paul Minel had feloniously and maliciously . slain James Smith. He oommitted him for trial at the Circuit Court to be held m Narrabri next April. i „ ..',-.■ 7 •■..-:, -