GREY LYNN MURDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18350, 14 September 1921, Page 5

GREY LYNN MURDER

INQUEST CONTINUED. (P»b United Pbess Association.) AUCKLAND, September 13. The inquest concerning the death of Francis Edward Jew on July 16 or 17 at Grey Lynn, was continued to-day. On resuming, Mr Meredith made a request that while each witness was being examined the other witnesses should be excluded in view of the possibility of discrepancies in statements being ,of some value. The coroner acquiesced, and for the remainder of the inquest this course was followed. 7 A newsboy named Edward Eaton described the behaviour of Jew and Tom M'Mahon outside Shearer’s shop between 6.15 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. on the Saturday. Jew said he would bet M'Mahon that he could stand straighter than M'Mahon. Jew seemed to be trying to get a bottle, but could not do so, and ho told M'Mahon to stop fooling and go homo. They went down a right-of-way and seemed to be squabbling for a little while, and then came back. At that time Jew s overcoat and fawn coloured coat were on a seat outside Shearers. Other aspects of the same incident were narrated by Win. Hayes, another newsboy, who stated that Jew bet M'Mahon he could spit further than he could. They had one try. ■ Tom M'Mahon asked a boy named Green to draw a chalk-lino to see who could stand straightest, but Jew declined. Witness thought tne two men were friendly, and did not seem to be quarrelling. M'Mahon seemed unsteady on his feet, but Jew was all right. Three other newsboys gave evidence concerning the incident. One of them stating that he saw two men eventually get on a tramcar. Francis Kevin Burns narrated how ho travelled to town from Grey Lynn early on the evening of July 16 in a tramcar in which Jew and Tom M'Mahon were seated. Leaving Shearer’s corner, M'Mahon, who appeared to have taken some liquor, said: "Let her go,” or words to that effect. Jew had asked M'Mahon where he was going, and M'Mahon said: ‘‘To the King’s Theatre.” Jew told him that ho (M'Mahon) had no business there, and should bo at home. The pair got off the tram at Ariki street, and walked back towards Grey Lynn. Jew had paid the fares. Both young men had been calling out rather loudly in the tram. Shortly before the tram started M'Mahon was leaning forward in his seat, and was told by to Jew to ‘‘sit up.” Jew got off the tram first and told M'Mahon to get off. He appeared to be looking after M'Mahon. Alexander James Pollock, who was conductor , of the 6.55 p.m. tram from Shearers, Grey Lynn, to town on the evening of July 16, '■said Jew was sober, but his companion was well intoxicated. Jew called his companion ‘‘a cow of a man” several times, added the .conductor. Among the witnesses was Frederick Louis Armitage, Government Bacteria-, legist, who said he received from the police a hat, overcoat, cent, waistcoat, and trousers for examination for human bloodstains. The hat was marked “T. M'M.” There wore no traces of blood on the hat, coat, waistcoat, or overcoat. There were bloodstains inside both the left and right hand trouser pockets. He could not give the age of the strains, 9s there was no test determining this. It was human blood in sach case. The bloodstrains must naturvlly have come from the knuckles, not from the palms, owing to their position in the pockets.