MURDER TRIAL

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 564, 30 November 1915, Page 11

MURDER TRIAL

THE RAMARAMA TRAGEDY. SUPREME COURT PROCEEDINGS ! EXPERTEVIDENCE AND A GUARDED WITNESS. Press Association. AUCKLAND, November 30. The trial of Amelia Perry, on a charge of the murder of her husband, was continued to-day. Colonel Hazard, who said he had had 15 years' experience as a gunmaker, deposed that he had made experiments in the room where the tragedy occurred, and he concluded Jthat the gun must have been fired downwards at Perry's head while he lay on the bed. He did not consider that the fatal shot could have been fired through the window. Replying to the Judge, he said he was assuming that the window was open only at the bottom for two inches, and it would have required a'very tall man to make the wound he saw. Witness produced a sheet of card board, at which he had fired from a gun in Perry's house"; at various distances. He said he considered that the mark made when the muzzle of the gun was two feet from the card corresponded best with the serrated edge of the wound in Perry's head, though a mark made at a distance of three feet was much similar. He believed a gun had ■ been found in the house, had b;een fir&d from 12 to 18 hours* before he inspected it on September 25. 'Gordon McDowell, a labourer, showed a reluctance to answer questions in regard to his relations with Perry and his wife. 'The. Crown Prosecutor suggested that McDowell might be treated as a hostile witness. J T is Honour ssid that the witness was in \i peculiar i.wsition, and was entitled-to claim the privilege of a man,, in : that position. Witness continued to answer questions in a guarded way. McDowell , declined to answer questions as to whether he cohabited with Mrs Perry, and as to whether accused had,spoken to him about one of her children. Witness .said that on the night before the murder he was working on Sutton's farm. He went to bed betweeli 9 and 10, and slept in the same room as Sutton. He did not leave the house all night. Cross-examined, he said that ace> cused had never had anything to hope from him. in the way of marriage if she were fi£e. -William Sutton corroborated 1 McDowell's evidence. Chief-Detective McMahoft;said that accused?was arrested, after, she had told a;-number of lies /about McDowell. The Superintendent pi Police was present, and they were satisfied beyond doubt that-McDow-ell haoV nothing to do with the murder. ;- •""'•■■■■• •'■"• '"' -•■■"'<•■' ;The case for the Crown has concluded. ; '■'• '■■ _ [A report of the. proceedings in the Supreme Court yesterday will be. found on % page 2 of this issue.] . ;