MURDER CHARGE

Southland Times, Issue 21196, 24 September 1930, Page 5

MURDER CHARGE

COLERIDGE TRAGEDY COLENSO COMMITTED FOR TRIAL STATEMENT TO THE POLICE' (Per United Press Association.) "* Christchurch, September 23. Before the Magistrate, Mr Law'ry, to-day the police proceeded with the charge against Alfred James Stapley Colenso, aged 32 years, farm labourer, of murdering Robert William Cockburn at Lake Coleridge on September 3. The Court was crowded. Arthur Edward Farquharson. labourer, who had been the accused’s companion in the Coleridge district, described their movements on the day of the tragedy. He said that he and Colenso were going towards' Murchison’s Station when Cockburn, whom they had met previously, came up and complained of the theft of his lunch. Witness . opened up his swag. Cockburn then accused Colenso of having his billy and he demanded that Colenso should open his swag. Cockburn used abusive language. The men were close together and Cockburn was throwing, his arms about. Witness heard Cockburn say to the accused, “Don’t be silly.” The accused said, ‘/self-defence.” This was while witness had his back to both of them. Then he heard a shot. He could not say whether Colenso had the rifle up or not. When he looked round Cockburn had nearly died. Witness urged Colenso to accompany him to the station and give hipiself up, but Colenso decided not to. . (.

Inspector Cameron: What was said? Witness: The man who was shot, said: “You will suffer for this, old boy.”

Further examined, witness said that while the three .of them were talking Colenso was holding the rifle at his hip. Witness did not hear any threat made. Witness then proceeded to describe his movements with the accused after' the tragedy. Colin Archibald Stuart, a motor lorry driver, described how he had given Cockburn a lift on the morning of the tragedy. Witness passed two swaggers and Cockburn got out of the lorry and walked back. Witness' continued on. He looked back and saw Cockburn standing in front of the gravel pit. He was then about 300 yards from him. The time when he last saw the deceased was shortly before 2 p.m. When witness passed the spot on his return journey he saw Cockburn lying on the road. The body was on the spot where he had last seen ' Cockburn standing. Cockburn’s pipe was in one hand and matches in the. other. Details of the Arrest.-Detective-Sergeant Young gave evidence of the arrest of Colenso and Farquharson. About a mile from Cass the two men were seen approaching. They left the road and made off across country. Witness followed them and, seeing one of the men had a rifle covered with a sack, witness bailed them up until the other police arrived. Both were handcuffed and each taken in different cars to the Christchurch Police Station. Colenso said: “Yes, I shot the man. Tie called me all the ; he could lay his tongue to.” Witness warned Colenso, then asked him if he wished to make an explanation. • Colenso’s statement ran: “I was carrying my swag on the way toward Murchison’s Station with Edward Farquharson. About 12 noon I saw a man from Murchison’s plough camp on the homestead road about two miles from the station. He came up to me and called me for all the and he could lay his tongue to. I have no idea why he did this. I had never seen him before. He accused me of stealing an old milk billy and said he had sent for the police. He continued to abuse me and was going to strike’ me.. I was holding my rifle in defence to keep him off. It was loaded and the trigger was cocked. I was trembling and I was all of a shake. I had it pointing at him and it went off. It struck him on the_ right hand side.. He fell to the road, putting his hands out to save himself. My mate said ‘Run’ and I ran across country with my rifle, leaving my swag there. I did not know the man was dead. It was the sight of blood that made me run away. The old man did not take any part in the shooting. I did not take anything from the man’s camp.” Detective-Sergeant .. Young, continuing, said that when Colenso was charged with murder, Colenso replied, “Will they hang me for it ?” The accused, who did not plead, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Coroner's Verdict. Sitting as Coroner, the Magistrate gave his finding in the inquest on the death of Cockburn. He found that Cockburn died from a gunshot wound, this wound being inflicted by a rifle held by Alfred James Colenso. Arthur Edward Farquharson, aged 58 years, Colenso’s companion, was charged with being an idle and disorderly person with insufficient means of support. He was remanded and will not be called upon to appear provided he remains in the Salvation Army Home and reports daily to the police.