KALGOORLIE TRAGEDY

Otago Witness, Issue 3774, 13 July 1926, Page 35

KALGOORLIE TRAGEDY

THE MURDERED DETECTIVES. PERTH, July 5. At the inquest on the murdered detectives Walsh and Pitman the manager of the Perth Tailoring Company, with a branch at Kalgoorlie, gave evidence that a pair of grey trousers produced in court corresponded ‘ with the material sent to Kalgoorlie. The trousers were made in the Perth company’s workshops on an order sent from Kalgoorlie in the name of I*. Trelfene. No other similar trousers of that material had been made by the oompany. The witness also identified the suit found at the gold-treatment plant as having been ordered in the name of Pitman. Treffene, in a statement to the police, said that lie had never been in possession of a grey suit similar to the trousers shown him. PERTH, July 6 The Government bacteriologist gave evidence that he had examined the remains found in the shaft of the mine. The tones were all either burned or very old. He coudl not say whether the remains contained shot. Dr Matthews gave evidence that lie knew Walsh and Pitman. The remains found were of men similar in build to them. The finger prints found on a bottle at the plant did not correspond with those of either Treffene or Coulter. IMPORTANT EVIDENCE. PERTH. July 7 Mrs Clarke, wife of the accused, said that on April 27 both Coulter and Treffne used her husband’s caj, but her husband was at home when the two departed for the bush. Later her husband told her that Treffene and Coulter told him that A'itman and Walsh had come upon them and that they had shot the detectives. Treffene lateT came back to the hotel. Later Clarke »aid he was going to the bush with Goulter that night and asked witness to give him a carving knife. She asked him not to go but he replied that he was going as company for Coulter. She then gave him a carving knife. Mrs Claike added that she and her husband and Treffene were partners in gold trafficking and she had seen Treffene buying gold from men employed in the mines. * DISPOSAL OF THE BODIES. PERTH, July 8 Clarke, who was called for the Crown, gave evidence that when he took over the hotel at Boulder, Treffne was barman there, and remained in that capacity until June 6. After witness benight* the hotel he began trafficking in illicit gold, Treffene being associated with him in buying and disposing of it. Witness financed Treffene and allowed him to purchase gold ore on the hotel premises. The ore was kept on the hotel premises and when sufficient had been accumulated it was taken to the bush by Treffene and Coulter in Clarke’s car. On April 27 Treffene and Coulter took a load of gold-bearing ore in the car to the bush. They had a shotgun in the car. Later they returned and called him aside and Coulter said: “Pitman ana Walsh came on us to-day and Treffene" shot Pitman before I knew what had happened. I then shot Walsh.” Treffene did not deny Coulter's statement and neither did Coulter deny Treffene’s statement that Coulter shot Walsh. Witness asked Coulter what he had done with the bodies and he replied, “They are still at the plant We tried to burn them, but they would not go into the furnace.” Coulter then said he wanted Clarke to go with him that night in order to prove an alibi for Treffene who would be working at the hotel and also to bring a knife and saw. Clarke agreed and they went in the car into the bush to the treatment plant. Witness remained in the car and Coulter went to the plant with the knife and saw. He several times returned to the car for whisky, and on one occasion he said he had the bodies in the furnace. When Coulter was at the plant witness., could hear sawing. When he finally returned he said he had burned as much of the bodies as he could. Coulter then brought several parcels to the car and drove to the abandoned shaft. He threw the parcels and tools down the shaft and they drove home. CONCLUSION OF INQUEST. PERTH. July 9 The jury returned a verdict that Walsh and Pitman were wilfully murdered by Coulter Treffne who were oommitted for trial on a charge of murder. Clarke was committed for trial on a charge of being an accessory after the fact.