Inquest on Evans.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 74, 20 November 1912, Page 2

Inquest on Evans.

EVIDENCE CONTINUED. (Per Press Association.! Wailu, November 19. Arthur Doyle, continuing, said that lie (witness) was in the reading room when the firs!; shot was fired, but Evans was not. Witness followed the crowd into a paddock at the back, and eventually took refuge in Dr, Craig’s house. Witness only heard one shot, and never drew his revolver. Henry Lawrence, another striker, said that when he got inside the Hall, Doyle was pointing a revolver at the door. When witness cleared out at the back, Doyle and Evans were guarding the door. He went to lock the door of the reading room, when one of the men said to leave it open. He wont into the reading room, where the women were. They were frightened. While unlocking the door to let the women out, ho heard the first shot fired. He knew that Evans was not in the reading room when the first shot was fired. When the women rushed out he followed into the paddock at the back. Eventually he took refuge in Dr. Craig’s house. He only heard one shot. He never drew his revolver. To the coroner (Mr W. Wallnutt) :• Ho did not hear the pickets sing out. ADVICE TO EVANS.

Wm ! . Leach deposed that he had known deceased for three years, for the last three months intimately. He often had a conversation with him re the strike. He had advised him not to take so prominent a part. He talked with the deceased on the morning before the shooting. Deceased said that the “scabs” had attempted to break into the hall that morning. He said that members of the union had no right to go into the building when they went “scabbing.” If they did there would be a point waiting for them that they did not expect. Henry Lawrence, at present on strike, said that on the 12th inst. he arrived at the hall about seven o’clock. He saw the deceased with other men. Afterwards they were joined by two strikers, and the women folk were all standing outside the hall. On a suggestion to go inside, someone said; “No need, they’ll be quite safe.” He remained with the man Richards outside. The others went into the hall. Some trouble arose between Richards and an elderly man. A crowd gathered, and was commencing to pull Richards on to the road. Witness got away from the crowd and went into the hall. He tried to close the door from the inside, but failed, owing to somebody pulling from the outside. The next thing he saw was Doyle pointing a revolver at the door. Doyle was standing a yard or two from the door. Witness rushed out of the back door. He heard two or three shots. Doyle and Evans were guarding the door when he cleared and ran up the hill. He took refuge in Dr. Craig’s house.

To the coroner: Ho did not hear anybody call out. Arthur Richards, miner, said that lie arrived at the hall about half-past seven. He had a talk with the deceased. Witness remained outside the hall. A worker, passing, said: “Sa% ‘scab’ now.” Witries replied: “Come out on the road. I’ll talk ‘scab’.” He had a bit of a scrimmage and then ran off. He never board anyone call “scab.” He would not deny that “scab” or similar words were used to the procession of workers passing. He did not call out “scab.” Ho did not know the object the strikers and the women in assembling at the ball.

AX ARBITRATION I,ST’S V MR Si OX. Harry Rostock deposed that lie wa; a miner employed at the Waihi mine. On the morning of the 12th lie joined a procession of workers. He came ir a brake, and then proceeded on fool to the mine. His portion of the procession marched upon tiio Miners’ Union side of the street. As he came up to the Union Hall, Richards called “Yon ‘.scab’!” He was quite certain, as he asked him to say it again. Richards replied ; “Como out on to the road.” Richards was pulled out on tc the road, and a light commenced.

■ Ricnards broke away, and .-an down I Sodcion street. Witness then went to the Union Hall and saw Doyle in the doorway with a revolver in his hand. One half of the door was opened about a foot. A shot was then fired, and the door immediately closed. At this juncture, Harvey, a worker, I ran at the door and hanged it open, j Constable Wade and Harvey went in, | witness following. Before they got to the reading room ho heard another shot, fired. He did not know who fired it.* Ho then passed through the back of the building, and afterwards saw Constable Wade being carried away. He was a financial member of the Waihi Miners’ Union, but he had not drawn strike pay. THE CONSTABLE AND EVANS.

Walter Evans Harvey deposed that ho was a fireman employed by the Waihi Company. He was one of the workers in the procession which passed the Miners’ Hall. When ho got to the hall he saw some strikers there. He heard someone call “scab” and “mongrel.” He heard the expressions quite distinctly. Some stood outside the door, while others, when the procession, as a. result of the offensive terms called out, stopped, went inside and the party closed the door. A re- • volvcr shot was fired. Witness rushed to the door, which was slight!;, opened, and another shot was fired. Th's shot* hit Johnson. Ho then got inside and passed through the building up the incline at the back, when he overtook four women. Evans war running in advance of the women Constable Wade was a little ahead of witness. Meanwhile Wade hustled through the women, and witness followed. Two shots were then fired one at witness, and the second at Con stable Wade. Witness saw the eon stable put his hand to his stomach Next moment Constable Wade closed on Evans- and struck- him with bis baton. Evans fell on bis face, anil the; turned over on Ins back, holding : revolver in his hand and pointing i upwards. Witness seized the weapon at the same time catching Evans b; the throat. The police then cairn up. Meanwhile, with other workers lie assisted Evans to h's feet. Thf crowd were very angry, -hut the pobci kept them away. Witness saw in act of violence done to Evans. 1 Constable Wade had not used liif baton he-quite believed that somebod* else would have been shot. Constabl Wade had every reason to believe tin; when he used his baton his life was ii danger. Had witness been in Con stable Wade’s place be would have taken the same action. If it Im/ not been for the language used by th< strikers in front of the Union Hal there would have been no trouble. To the coroner: He was of the opm ion that Evans had fired the first shot. Ho had no doubt in his mind whatevei that Evans fired and shot Constable Wade. THE REVOLVER FIRING. Albert Ritchie, a worker in the pro cession, said that ho saw Evanf through the open door actually discharge his revolver. The • bill let pans ed between Harvey and himself. Immediately after Evans fired, Doyk fired two shots.

Thomas Henry Johnson, who limped into the witness-box, sa d that he was with the procession of workers whr passed the Union Hall. When he got opposite the hall, he heard one of thf strikers say, “Go on, you scabs.” This occasioned some words between tin strikers and the workers. Some strikers wont into the hall and closed it. Ho heard a report, but could not. tell whether it was a revolver shot m not. Harvey, a worker, tried to get through the door; It was opened from within, and witness saw' four or five men inside, three of whom had revolvers pointing outwards at different angles. Directly he saw the revolvers ho stopped, and called out, “Look out I” at the same time jumping or one shle. While in the act of jumping he was struck in the leg with a bullet. He was under the impression that three shots were fired almost simultaneously, but he could not say positively that more than one shot was fired. Tin workers had not the slightest intention of interfering with anybody at the Hall. They wore going to work. There had been no organised move tr rush the hall.

James Alfred Delaney said that he was a contractor working for the Waihi Company. He* was a member of the procession proceeding to work. He was at its head. He lead passed the hall about twenty paces when he heard some altercation going on opposite the hall. He at once went back, and saw some scuffling. The Union Hal] do a: was shut for a few seconds, hv.t 'afierwards, the left hand leaf of the dom was opened by about a foot, and at the same time a shot was fired from within. At the same time ho saw Evans standing inside with a revolver in his hand. Directly the shot was fired the door was shimmed. He then saw Constable Wade endeavouring to

; open the door ,and a second shot wasj ! fired. The constable then got into the j passage-way of the building; follow-j Ird by witness. At this stage a third j 1 shot was fired. Witness then, along| with the constable, went, through the I .building, making their exit into the. ' ),ack yard. He -saw Constable Wade ! following Evans, and he (witness) followed a UttJe distance behind. THE CONSTABLE SHOT FIRST. He saw Evans, when Constable Wade was rapidly overtaking him, half turn round and fire. Wade was then about- five paces- behind Evans. I Wade then overtook him and struck j him with Ids baton. He saw Evans j i fall to the ground, but did not see him j again, as his attention was taken up with Constable Wade. The latter j half stumbled and said, “I’m done; j I’m shot.” Witness caught hold of | the constable. Jas. Scott gave corroborative evidence as to the incidents opposite the Miners’ Flail at the rear of the build-

ing. He saw Doyle and Evans g«-i----1 ting through the fence. They were I followed by Constable Wade, and De- | laney was some little distance behind the constable. When he (witness) * got on the fence he heard a shot and i saw Evans pointing a revolver. When I he got over the fence he saw Constable | Wade stagger. Meanwhile Evans was i lying on the ground, and Harvey was ! wresting a revolver from him. j Sidney J. Foster gave similar evidence to the previous- witness regarding the,scene at the front and trie back of the Union Hall. When Evans tired witness was only half a dozen yards behind the constable. Directly Hie shot .was fired the constable bent forward, and while covering the few yards between himself and Evans he drew his baton. He also saw Evans receive a blow on the bead and fail. •Witness had every reason to believe that, if the constable had not used his baton Evans would have shot at him again, or at somebody else. Agnes Manning said that the tael: of her house commanded a view of the paddock at the back of the hall. She saw men running up the paddock and a constable closely following the n an in the lead, when the latter put his hand behind him, the action being followed by a report. She saw a Hash and smoko from a revolver. She then saw the constable bond forward, catch up to the man who had hied, and, drawing his- baton from his clothing behind, strike him on the back of the head once or twice. AN IMPORTANT POINT. To a juror; It was after the man had fired to at the constable drew his baton. Dr. Hyde, nodical suporimendont at Waihi H - ■ ..u. seated oat when admitted to the hospital on the 12th , mr;t., the deceased Evans was in ,i very serious' condition. Die a.-.s suf-

fering Horn concussion and. laceration of the brain. F-te right upper eyelid ■aas discoloured, and there wore- slight abrasions behind the ear. post mortem examination disclosed a discoloration of both oyelide, a displa • •nimit of the cartilage of the nose, and post mortem discoloration of the back ami shoulders, and upon removal of the skull cap effusion of blood was found on the membrane, with laceration oi the brain on the back and right sides, the other organs were found to be in a healthy state, and, in the opinion ol the witness, the laceration of ;i. t brain, combined with concussion at Counted tor death. The condition of deceased could have been accounted for b\ a blow from a baton. A verv severe blow would have caused a fracture of the skull, but iu this case there war no fracture. When deceased was admitted to-the hospital the only visible wounds word''those described—the -liscoloration of the eye and two abrasions, and they were slight. The (post mortem discoloration to t-he back and shoulders was such as usually follows after death. DECEASED NOT KICKED. ... I; 1 Deceased’s condition was not consistent with the statement that lie had been kicked and knocked about by a frenzied crowd., Witness know Constable Wade, who was admitted to the hospital suffering from a wound on the right, k’de of the 'abdomen. The constable’s condition was serious, and hq. was not yet entirely out of danger. He also knew the man Johnston, who had been shot in the right leg. The bullet produced in court was that extracted from the wound.

Dr. Craig corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. W. H. Hazard, a gunsmith of 27 years’ experience of firearms and ammunition of all kinds, gave techn'cal evidence. He had examined the revolver produced. It was of Belgium make of low power. Four of the chambers had been recently fired. The bullet which had been extracted from Johnston’s leg and produced, -witness said, had markings on it that corresponded with the rilling of the revolver. Another bullet found iu the passage of the Union bankings was similar to the bullets already described, and its flattened appearance was consistent with it having struck the lock of a

door. A second revolver produced wasj described by witness as being of American make. If one of the bullets produced, which had been taken from j the uncharged weapon in possession of j Doyle, struck anybody at -short range, it would make a hole large enough to I put a hand iu. The bullet, in question had been oriss-cmss-Hl by a sharp instrument,. a practice prohibited in civilised war. A THE INQUEST ADJOURNED. The court was abour to adjourn till l to-morrow, when .Mr H. E. Holland, | a prominent .socialist, applied, on be-l half of a relative, for an adjournment! to permit the Federat'.on to obtain a I legal representative and witnesses. I It wa-s ultimately decided to take the police evidence to-morrow, and after that to adjourn till December 4, when it was hoped that Constable Wade would be sufficiently recovered to give evidence.