PUBLICAN SHOT

Southland Times, Issue 22362, 29 June 1934, Page 8

PUBLICAN SHOT

RICCARTON MYSTERY INQUEST RESUMED WIDOW’S EVIDENCE

(Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, June 28. j The inquest was resumed to-day be- , fore the Coroner, Mr Mosley, into the p death of Donald Fraser, licensee of the . Riccarton Hotel found shot in his bed- ; room at 2 a.m. on November 17 last. It is likely to last three days as there are ; 18 witnesses. Chief Detective Dunlop , represented the police and Mr C. S. • Thomas represented Mrs Fraser. ! Mr C. S. Thomas appeared for the family of the deceased and Mr M. J. Burns for the witness, A. S. Higgs, who was in the hotel at the time. Constable Kearton, police photographer, was first witness and produced photos of the hotel and body. He also produced a photo of the balcony showing the doors of the bedroom where the body was found, the doors leading to the passage and the fire escape. On the application of the police all witnesses were ordered out of Court. Mrs Fraser then gave evidence concerning her married life. She said she retired at 11.45 on the night of the tragedy. Her late husband was born in Queensland in 1892 and was 41 years of age. She married him in 1915 at Wanganui. There were two children of the marriage. In June, 1929, Fraser took over the Riccarton Racecourse Hotel. The chief detective: On the night of November 16 you retired about 11.45? Witness: It would be about 10 minutes to 12. Did anyone accompany you?—My husband was in bed before I went. After you had gone to bed did anything happen?—My husband and I were talking for a time. We had been in bed for half an hour when the door bell rang. I asked him to go down but said I would. He went down. I think he put on his trousers. And before he went down was there a light in the bedroom?—Yes, in the hall too. What happened next?—l don’t remember him coming back again. I was asleep. Before he went can you remember if he put on his pyjamas?—He did not. When the door bell rang did you hear voices?—Only very faint. A car pulled up right under the building. Are you sure a car pulled up?—l was very decided that a car pulled up. What was the next thing you heard? —A very loud explosion. After that what did you do?—I jumped out of bed and ran along to Mi- Higgs’s room screaming for him to come. I don’t remember when I put on the light in my room. Before you left the room did you see your husband?—l don’t remember. It was only when I came back and the light was on. Do you remember after hearing the explosion calling out and asking where your husband was?—l might have called out. I don’t remember now. Do you remember what you said to Higgs?—Come quick, Donald has been shot. After telling Higgs that, what was the next thing?—l went back to the bedroom. Were you still alone? —So far as I can remember, yes. After you entered the room on the second occasion, what did you do? — Higgs came along with my daughter Joyce. What happened when they came along?—l caught hold of my husband’s arm and asked him to speak, alas! That was the first occasion on which you saw your husband? —No. When was the first time?—After I heard the shot. My husband was on the floor, and before Mr Higgs came the light was on. What position was he lying in?—He was alongside the bed. I saw blood on the- sheets. After calling Higgs, was anyone else called?—There was no one else in the ' house to call. Witness added that later Higgs telephoned for doctors and Constable ' Murphy. She then noticed the bar door open and went out and called J. Wilson, the porter, who lived in a detached cottage. Who were living in the hotel that night?—Mr Fraser, myself, the two ■ children, a niece of 13, Alwyn, and Higgs. When you went to bed what was the . position of the doors?—They were wide open.

The balcony windows were open?— They were always open in summer. On the balcony there is another door at the top of the fire escape. Was it open?—l could not say. It was open the day before. Party in Hotel. Mrs Fraser next told of a party in the hotel on the night of November 16. It included Mrs Wood, Mrs Alex Thompson, Mrs Russell and Welsh. Welsh left early. In the office at nine o'clock were Mesdames Wood and Thompson, Russell and witness. Hexhusband joined them after working in the bar. The chief detective: What was his condition?—He seemed merry.

What was the condition of the rest of the party?—Mrs Thompson seemed a bit merry. Fraser had shouted her some drink for paying an account in the bar.

What time did the party break up?— We did not take any notice of the time. I cannot say exactly who was the first to leave. Mrs Wood left, next Mrs Thompson and Mrs Russell. That was about 11 o’clock.

Did any of them return for Russell; how long after he had gone?—lt might have been about 10 minutes. We were having a sandwich in the kitchen. Who were there?—Wilson, Mr Fraser and myself and Russell when he returned.

Do you remember your daughter Joyce coming down?—No, I don’t. How long did Russell remain in the kitchen?—Eight to ten minutes. It did not seem longer. By which way did he leave the premises? —I am not sure.

Was Russell the last of the party to leave?—Yes.

How long after did you go to bed?— Almost immediately. What was your husband’s condition? —He was quite merry then and not very much more than he was at eight. Which side of the bed did you occupy?—l slept next to the light switches. My husband occupied the side on the fireplace side of the room. Did you have any conversation with your husband before retiring?—He said he was too tired, and could not be bothered.

Did your husband have any serious differences with anyone during his term as licensee?—He quarrelled with so many people. They were just men’s quarrels over a few drinks. When your husband was sober was he quarrelsome?—He was very quick tempered. During your married life were there any serious differences between you?— No. We were always' very happy. Had you ever complained to him about his conduct with other women?— No.

Did you always find your husband :ruthful?—Yes.

Have you ever complained to anyone else about your husband’s conduct with

other women?—l did mention it to his mother. I was not exactly complaining. What was the nature of the complaint?—lt was not exactly about women. Uritil the time of the tragedy had you any knowledge he was intimate with other women? Have you any knowledge of him being intimate with any particular woman?—Only what you told me after the tragedy. Witness said she remembered her husband going to the North Island in October. He was away three weeks. She met her husband in Wellington later. The lunch adjournment was then taken. On the resumption Mr Bums, appearing for Higgs, asked whether Higgs’ interest in the proceedings was sufficient to allow counsel to cross-ex-amine witnesses.

The Magistrate held that as Higgs was merely a witness whose only concern was to tell the whole truth, his Worship said he could not allow Higgs to be represented, but out of courtesy he would allow Mr Burns to remain and to ask questions through him (the Magistrate). Visit to Wellington.

Chief Detective Dunlop resumed his examination of Mrs Fraser. Chief Detective Dunlop.—How long were you with your husband in Wellington ? Witness.—Six days. Were you continuously in his company?—Yes, for the first four days in the daytime. And for the last four days?—l did not know where he was. Did that create any suspicion in your mind ?—Yes.

Did you then ascertain whether he was intimate with a woman in Wellington?—No. Was there any suggestion of leaving your husband?—Never. Witness denied that there had ever been disputes between her husband and herself about the allowance he made her. Witness said it was her custom to be on a very low pillow. She did not need one at all. There were two pillows on her side of the bed on the night of the tragedy. She did not rest her head on the top pillow at all. It was true that when the bed was examined by the police in the morning after the murder there was no impress of a head on her pillow. She always lay right down in the bed below the pillow. The Chief Detective.—When you were awakened by the explosion, did you get out of bed in a hurry? Witness.—lt was too awful. I don’t remember what I did.

Did you throw the clothes back?—The first thing I thought was that I was shot in the throat.

How did you come to the conclusion your husband had been shot?—By the awful explosion and the blood on the bed. I saw him on the floor.

Apart from that, was there anything else to indicate to you that he had been shot.—No, only the bang in the room. I seemed to know then immediately. Had your husband ever mentioned fear of any person?—He never mentioned any person, but he was afraid of something or somebody. I did not know what it was. If it is said that the side of the bed occupied by you showed no signs of having been occupied, what reply would you make ? —I know it is untrue. You yourself saw the crease on the sheet where I was lying, and the mark on the pillow. The Coroner.—On the pillow? Witness.—Yes, where my head always rested on the edge of the pillow. Witness, in reply to other questions, said she knew she was the sole beneficiary under her husband’s will made in 1927. He had never mentioned the altering of the will. She had seen her husband at Trentham races with a young woman, but she had no suspicion of intimate relations between the two. She was not at all concerned when she saw them. “Sick of Life.” Witness said her only concern in Wellington was caused by the remark of her husband that he was sick of life, and the suggestion that he would commit suicide. It was because of this that she made enquiries as to his whereabouts on the last two days of his stay in Wellington. He had seemed worried, but she knew of no reason for his worry. She had held the opinion since his death that her husband was slightly mental. She had thought it strange that he should get letters from a girl and show them to customers in the bar and laugh over them. She had heard about the letters from the men themselves a fortnight after the tragedy. The Chief Detective.—Did you ever tell anyone that you thought your husband not all there? Witness.—l don’t remember.

Did you ever tell anyone that Don was queer before his death, and he was better dead than like that?—l don’t remember. I might have said that.

Witness denied that she had told Mrs Fraser sen., who was at the funeral, that the police would nevex- find the gun because it was at the bottom of the sea. Witness.—Never.

Witness was questioned about extracts from letters relating to a projected trip to Sydney. It was suggested to him that she and her daughter were going, but witness said she and her husband were going, but she knew in August that they were not going. Another of Fraser’s letters referred to a quarrel between himself and his wife which ended in an agreement to separate.

Witness said there was not a word of :ruth in it.

Mr Thomas objected to the quotation of these letters which he said were written by Frasex- to mistresses making excuses. Other extracts were read from Fraser’s letters indicating that he was unhappy with his wife; that it would soon end; that she had threatened to divorce him, concluding: “I wish you were mistress here.’ Witness said the statements were not true. She could not understand what made her husband write such trash. Her husband had not had a gun. She denied that when he went to bed on the night of the murder he was drunk. He was merely “very, very merry.” The Court adjourned with Mrs Fraser still in the box.