THE BARRIER MURDER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4769, 21 January 1887, Page 3

THE BARRIER MURDER.

THE TRIAL ENDING Auckland, to-day. At the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon in the continuation of the trial of Caffrey and Perm for the P.arrier murder, Agnes Austin deposed to Caffrey telling her that he would not come back to Auckland again, that he was going to America, and that she would read all about him. After a number of other unimportant witnesses were examined Mr Hudson Williamson, Crown Prosecutor, announced that the ca9e for the prosecution was closed. Later. This morning Mr Palmer addressed the jury on behalf of Caffrey, denouncing the girl Graham as an untrustworthy witness actuated by hatred of CafJrey. It would be shown from the evidence to be adduced that her statement about the threats cmloyed on the night the cutter sailed were falsehoods, and she knew it because she had expressed her fear that she might got two years for perjury. Wm, Pearce, a seaman, deposed that he bad been on board the cutter the night Bhe sailod, and heard no talk of shooting or maiming and did not see a black Hag. After the prisoners were committed ho had .i ta'k with G.ace Graham who said ahe thought she would get two years for perjury. A man namad McKiuley corroborated Pearce's evidence. Argument then took place as to the order of counsel addressing the Court, Mr Napier, for Perm, claiming that as he called no witnesses he should have the last say. Mr Gover, Acting Ci'osvn Prosecutor, contended that evidence being called for one prisoner took away both counsels' right of replying, and the judge upheld him. Mr O'Meaghcr, for Cafl'roy, addressod the jury at length, pointing out numerous facts in the evidence as tending to show it was not Caffrey who fired the fatal shots.

[Previous telegrams state : — The Supreme Court officials and the police were besieged for tickets of admission afc the trial. A number of " ladies" applied for tickets. The Court was densely crowded, and there were some women and children in the gallery. During Mrs Taylor's evidence Jurlge Ward said the girl Grace Graham had better leave the Court, as he saw her making signals to prisoner Perm. The girl then left. In tho early stage of her evidence the Judge said that she gaemed to give her testimony very fairly, but in the latter stage His Honor remarked that the witness was evidently biassed in Perm's favor, as since she has been in the bjx he had seen her exchange smilas with that prisoner. Mrs Taylor said whon Perm was holding her husband in the bedroom he pointed a revolver at her with the other hand. [Here Perm smiled in a sickly manner.] When ho ran after her outside he shouted, " Don't you run any further, or I'll blow your brains out !" Saying this, he pointed a revolver at her. She said, "God have mercy upon me ! Don't shoot a poor old woman like mo !" [Witness was here deeply affected.] Perm then said, " Where are the girls ?" She said, " I don't know." He replied, " Don't tell me stories; you have them planted under the bed !" She said, " If you don't beliove me you'd better go and see !" All this time Perm was loading a revolver with things out of his pocket. When Caffrey came up he said to Perm, " Don't harm the old woman !" She aaid to Caffrey, ''Oh, Johnny, what have you done ?" He replied excitedly, " I've done it ; I've done it !" She said, " You have murdered an innocent old man." Caffrey then aaid he had not clone yet, but meant to finish the whole lot. She was sure CatFrey used the words "Tvo not dune yet," but could not say why she omitted to state so in the Lower Court. There was blood on Caffrey's wrist, and on tho revolver in his hand whon he came up to Perm and her outside. ]