THE WEST COAST TRAGEDY

Otago Witness, Issue 3335, 13 February 1918, Page 37

THE WEST COAST TRAGEDY

EGGERS ON TRIAL. CHARGES OF MURDER AND THEFT. CASE FOR PROSECUTION OPENED. MINE MANAGER GIVING EVIDENCE. CHRISTCHURCH, February 11. The Supreme Court orimirial sessions opened before Mr Justice Chapman to-day. Seven cases were on the list. The Grand Jury, tuter a quarter of an hour's deliberation, returned true bills against William Eggers M'Mahon, otherwise Frederick William Eggers, charged with the murder of John Coulthard, near Greymouth, in November | also with the attempted murder of William Hall and Isaao James, and with the theft of £3659 16s Bd. In his charge to the grand jury, Mr Justice Chapman referred first to the West Coast highway robbery and murder, for which Frederick William Eggers was to stand his trial. Since the deed was committed a second victim had been added to the tragedy. His Honor briefly outlined the leading incidents of the tragedy and the subsequent events leading to the arrest of Eggers. The most striking point in connection with the search for the man who had stolen the money was the finding of practically the whole sum of £5659 16s 8d — the shortage being about £SO only—in a trunk belonging to the accused in a house in Gloucester street, Christohurch. Most of 'the money was in the original bundles in which it had left the bank, and the numbers agreed with the bank records. There was other evidence in regard to identification, including the revolver and bullets. Expert evidence would be called to show that the bullets extracted from the body of Coulthard and recovered from the others who *were injured fitted the revolver found in Eggers's possession, and were identical with the bullets in cartridges- also in Eggers's possession. The robbery had evidently been deliberately . planned. _ The grand jury would not experience difficulty probably in arriving "at a finding in the Mr S. G. Raymond, K.C., prosecuted on behalf of the Crown, and accused was defended bv'Mr W. J. Hunter. i The court was crowded when proceedings opened. There are about 45 witnesses to be examined, and it is anticipated that the case will last several days. The Crown Prosecutor, in opening the proceedings, said the case would be taken in two stages, the first being the establishment of the murder and the second that of fixing the guilt on accused. Mr Raymond described the history of the case up to the S resent proceedings, mentioning details that ave been already published. At the outset he stated that John Coulthard was driving with Mr Isaac Angelo James, the mine manager, next to him and Paymaster Hall was in the back seat with the money, which he had drawn from the bank for the purpose of paying the miners at Runa-nga-mine. Mr Raymond recounted the incidents of the actual hold-up. When Coulthard stepped out Mr James saw a masked man at the side of the road, which waslined with bush. The mask was like a lady's veil. The man immediately fired rapidly from two .revolvers, which he held one in each hand. Coulthard fell, and died shortly afterwards. Hall was hit in the forearm and also in the upper arm, the bullet in this case penetrating -the body and lodging in the spine. Hall died on December 21, and on the day of his death a bullet was extracted from his body. Shots were also fired at two eye-witnesses who oame on the scene, but they escaped into the bush. Evidence would be given to the effect that a man was seen decamping with a bag in which it was subsequently discovered was the money that was to be takon to the miners. Mr Raymond said an automatic pistol would play an important , part in the evidence. A revolver (produced) —a 38-calibre one—belonged to Mr Hall. The revolver did not affect the case, -as it was an old-fashioned weapon. The bullets found in the bodies, and in Mr James, were found to be all of 32-calibre, and were either of Peters or Winchester, manufacture. From Coulthard's body there was extracted one 32-calibre bullet. From Hall's body a 32-calibre bullet was taken during his illness, and at the post-mortem examination another 32-calibre bullet was extracted from the spine. A 32-calibre > bullet was .also removed from Mr James's leg. One 32-oalibre bullet was found in the frame of the car, and two 32-calibre bullets were recovered from the body of the machine. ' Altogether seven bullets of 32 calibre, of either Peters or Winchester manufacture were reeovered. Five cartridge cases were also found, one close to Coulthard's body. Mr Raymond detailed subsequent events on the Coast, and then changed the scene to Cfhristchuroh. Facts which had come out as to Eggers's association with a local barmaid were referred to, and the circumstances connected with the arrest of the accused on Thursday, November 15, were enumerated. - Eggers was seen by the two detectives in the dining room of the Empire Hotel with the barmaid. _ On coming out ho was accosted, and twice made reouests that the brief bag and two parcels which he carried should be left at tha hotel. This was refused. Eggers olung to the brief bag. and subsequently was noticed fumbling with something Inside. The detectives, noticing a revolver, made sure of things, and handcuffed the accused. In the brief bag a fully-loaded Colt's automatic revolver of 32 calibre was found. There were five 32 calibre bullets of _ Peters manufacture, and three 32's of Winchester make In the magazine. After Eggers had been searched the detectives proceeded to the house In Gloucester street where he and the woman mentioned occupied a room. There the trunk was examined, and the missing money was discovered. A suitcase (produced) was found in the room, and It contained the money In two books. There were 200 new £5 notes which, it would be proved, had been handed to the paymaster (Mr Hall) at the bank on the morning of

the tragedy. There were also a book of 10s notes and three marked half-crowns. When arrested the accused had some of the notes on his person. Mr Raymond submitted a table giving particulars of the money as it was handed to Mr Hall and aa it was afterwards found in accused's possession. There were also three £lO nofes, but these were not part of the money handed to Mr Hall, and it was assumed that they had been obtained by changing six J of the £5 notes. Pistol covers were also found and cartridges to fit a pistol of 32 calibre. It would be shown that about four years ago Eggers had made the acquaintance of a barmaid, who had come Fo Christchurch in February, 191?, and on April JO had again met Eggers and taken up residence with him in Gloucester street. The movements of the accused were traced from October 2, when he stayed in Greymouth, until October 10—through the essential period. On Ootober 12 Eggers Was reen at the Dunollie mine. He bad inquired from a Mr Pender where the State mine was, as he bad dropped some Important papers. Eggers remarked; "Has the State mifte car come along yet?" showing that he bad knowledge of the oar. On November 3 Mr Alcook, the owner of the cottage near the seen.* of the tragedy, had found a man in. a darkened, room. The man was occupying the oottage. This, man would be shown to be Eggers. Reference was made to the "purchase of articles and food and to -Eggers having been seen in the vicinity of the robbery by several persons on different occasions. Mr Saunders had seen Eggers on the Cobden bridge on several days immediately preoedjng the murder, and on the day before November 8 Mr Saunders had met him proceeding over the bridge in the direction of Runanga. The accused had a bicycle and carrier. Mr Saunders remarked: —"You seem to have a good thing this way," and Eggers replied: "Yes, there are lots of good thingson the road between here and Runanga." The movements of the accused subsequent to the tragedy were detailed, and inconsistencies in his statements were mentioned. Eggers had spoken with one witness, and in a discussion on firearms had said he had an automatic pistol, that he was a good shot with either hand, and that he could fire 36 shots in a minute. At the request of Mr Hunter, all witnesses, with the exception of medical ones and Detective Ward, were ordered out of court. The first charge taken was that of murdering John Coulthard. / Charles Henry Morrison, district surveyor. Hokitika: George Duggan, mine surveyor, Runanga.; and James Ring, photographer, Greymouth, gave evidence regarding plans and photographs produced and displayed in court. Dr Meade, of Rnnantra. deposed as to Coulthard being dead when he arrived at the scene of the tragedv. Robert Burch, accountant at the Bank of New Zealand. Greymouth. and T. G. Gallaghan. teller at the same bank, stated that the money handed to Mr Hall on November 9 totalled £3659 16s Bd. made up as follows: £2200 in £5 nnte«.£l26o in £1 notes, and £9B in ten-shilling notes, and the balarfoe in silver and copper. Gallaghan, cross-examined, said the only money he could identify as having been handed by him to Mr Hall was the two books of £5 notes. H. F. Hall, exchange olerk nt the Bank of New Zpnland. Orpvmouth. who exchanged for Mr Hall £2O worth of florins for £2O worth of half crowns, said the ton coin of each hean had an ink mark on it similar to the coins produced. Isaac Angelo -Times, mnnnger of the State mines at Runanera. described what occurred on the mornintr of the tragedy. The man who stuck up the car was dressed in an overall and dungarees, and wore a mnsk. He could not identify the man. After the shooting of rViulfbard and Hall witness found four shells and two bullets in the back seat of the car. He had been cross-examined by accused in the lower court, and accused had told him that he (witness) oould not see the car from the position he was in on the railway line. As a matter of fact he could see it. To Mr Hunter: He was not considerably excited at the time of the occurrence. He kept cool. When the car reached the obstruction on the road he opened the door and stood on the mud-guard till the car stopped. The words "Hands up!" directed his attention to a masked man. About five seconds later the first shot was fired. Two or three seconds after he heard two 6hots and saw the driver and Hall fall over. He crouched down by the side of the oar. and then ran alone the road towards Greymouth for 245 yards, till he reached the railway embankment. He did not run into the bush at the roadside, because the ground was swampy and he might have been bogged. From the embankment he. saw and heard the masked man fire three shots into the car. He knew the-Mander-sons, who approached the car shortly after the shooting, but did not recognise them. At this stage the court adjourned till 10 a.m. to-morrow.