THE WAIRONGOMAI TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17092, 25 August 1917, Page 7

THE WAIRONGOMAI TRAGEDY

. ACCUSED BEFORE THE OOUKE. ~ COMMCTIED FOE TRTAr. * (Peb United Pbess t QISBORNE, -Angrist 24. At Waipiro Bay to-day HVa.nl- Bertram Inkster (alias Edward Clayton), aged 17£ years, appeared before Mr Florence,- S.AL, to answer a charge that at Wairongomai'"' on July 22, he did murder 01© Andersen and Harvey Bradley. Mr F. W. Nolan' i (Grown Prosecutor) presented the case tor the police, and Mr J. Graham, instructed by .Mr Burnird, appeared for accused. Inkstsc 5 "- eiitered the dock smiling and remained cool and unconcerned all day. . After medical evidence hadi been, grreo' i; that both men were killed by gun- - shot .wounds received at close range, N Michael Keogh gave evidence that he a member of the bush party,, which in-- ; eluded both the deceased and accused.- OnJuly 18 Andersen told witness he had found '' iu Clayton's tent a watch which he had 1 lost at the homestead. Andersen asked Hocused where ho got the watch. replied "From Joe Pokai ;> (a shepherd on the station). Andersen -said, " You are: - mad. You took a quid from Joe Pokai'a' pocket. I'll get someone to fix you up. w r Accused made no reply. . lie four of them •worked together for the rest of the week, Andersen and accispd not speaking to, each*'"--other. Andersen was on good terms with witness and Bradley. On Saturday, July - 21, witnes3\ went to ' the homestead. Ob Sunday, the 22nd, he met accused coming to the homestead. In rpply to witness accused'" said he had had a quarrel and that Ander l --' : sen sent him for a : packhorse, as he waa< getting out of it He did not say' what Andersen and Bradley had quarrelled, about. On Monday, at 7.30 a.m., witness left for i the camp, aocused following with the pack- • borse, but some distance behind Witness reached the camp about 0.45 p.m. and found < Bradley lying face downwards in a chtah at the back of the chimney, and Andersen lying on the floor in a corner of the tent adjoining the galley. Both were dead. A_ Winchester rifle they had m camp was lying at Andersen's side, with hb arm ov6r.'the butt, and the barrel pointing in ■ thaw direction of Bradley's _ body. Witness touched but loft immediately to report to the station, which was about eight* > miles from the camp. He met accused nd- ' ing the paokhorsa and told him what he had found. Witness rode the packhorse 'toV-t the istation, and accused followied half an hour later on witness's horse. There wia no need for Andersen, io accused for a packhorse, as there were five horses m paddock near the camp.

Inlcster reserved his defenco, and yijiif. committed for trial at Gisborne on - S6AS tember 13. ■