The Petone Tragedy.

Opunake Times, Volume VI, Issue 247, 19 January 1897, Page 3

The Petone Tragedy.

CHARGE AGAINST BOSIIER.

Wellington, January 17.

The hearing of the charge of murder against Bosber goes slowly on, and is likely to last all the week, or more. This morning statements made by him to various constables accounting for his movements -were put in, and are contradictory to some extent. In the Magistrate's Court Mr Leighton, a bootmaker, stated that the footprint found in the house of the Jones' was identical with a blucher boot found at Bosher's house. Constable Cruickshank said that Bosher's paddock, in which he kept a horse, had been dug up and the harbor dragged for the knife. Accused's house had also been searched but nothing was found. Witness had not looked for other footprints in Jones' house, as several people bad been over the floor. He had been unable to identify or trace two strangers alleged to have been seen on Jones' verandah on the night of the murder.

Detective Neill deposed that he visited Bosher's house concerning the murder, and had discovered that accused said he had been to Taita, but returned, knowing that the police wanted to see him. Bosher invited witness and other police officers in, and made a statement which has already been published. On resuming, Mary Ann Reece (who married Bosher in 1892, but after the murder the latter was found guilty of bigamy, and is now serving a sentence for the offence) gave evidence. In some instances she contradicted statements made by accused about the time of the murder. She detailed the incidents of Bosher's rising about daylight on the day of the murder and going to Jones' for a parcel which he was to take to Taita, but he returned in a few minutes and said he could make no one hear. He said he had called a neighbor, Mrs Atkinson who went inside and found Mr and Mrs Jones de-d. Witness had seen a large knife in a back room of their house both before and after the murder, but shortly after the murder it disappeared. She had not handled the knife, but from memory described that the front of the blade was a little rounded, but the back was nearly straight. After Shore, who was first accused of the murder, had been committed for trial, she asked Bosher what became of the knife, and he replied that he had lost it. She had heard from outsiders that the police were looking for a knife, and on a second occasion when she asked Bosher what he had done with the knife he said he had taken it away, but did not mention where to. Asked if he gave it away accused replied to witness, " No," and that he bad taken care of that, because if the police found it it might bring them down on him. Bosher said the knife was in Wellington. A-knife which accused termed " the bushmans friend " was lost by him at Taita, but was subsequently recovered from a butcher, who had found it. The knife was used for killing pigs and calves and also for general use. On the night of the Jones' murder, Bosher was wearing bluchers, and on the following morning heavy watertights. Bosher was home until seven on the night of the murder, but went out again and returned at about nine o'clock, when he went to free a horse. When returning she saw blood on one hand, which he said was occasioned by a scratch in getting through a fence into the padaook. She had not seen blood prior to his going out to feed the horse ten minutes previously.

Cross-examined, witness said accused had been very kind to her. She had two children by him, and he was a devoted father. She bore him no ill-will for what he had done to her. She had found that the statement that Bosher was seen burning clothes in the house was untrue. She had never received any communication from the proper Mrs Bosher, who resides at Akaroa, and said that if communication was sent she never received it. She could account for Bosher's movements up to 7.15 p.m., and from 9.15 p.m. on the night of the murder. On the morning after the murder accused was, as usual, at breakfast. The principal witness against Bosher was William Jones, residing at Taita. Bosher went to his place the morning after the murder, and when questioned by witness whether there were any footprints, got so agitated that he'trembled, and Mrs Jones bad to make him a cup of tea. He was too upset to drink more than half of it. Accused showed him a coat pocket, saying that he tore it getting into a cart that morning, Bosher's left hand from the wrist to the knuckles, was a streak of blood, and there was a piece torn clean out of the right hand on the second or third finger. Cross-examined witness said he did not know what to think when Shore was arrested, and limped half way to Petone on a stick to see Bosher and ask bim if he had anything to do with it before he communicated with the police.

The case was adjourned till the 25th owing to pressure of other business.