THE RUNANGA TRAGEDY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1917, Page 4

THE RUNANGA TRAGEDY.

ACCUSED BEFORE THE .COURT.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Nov. 20. The hearing of the charge" of murder against William Frederick ,Eggers, alia* M'Mahon, in connection with the Bailanna tragedy commenced to-day before Mr. Hutchinson, K.M; ;

Considerable interest was displayed in the case. Prisoner in the box appeared composed and took a keen interest in tb* proceedings. He was not represefattd ]■# counsel, but was supplied with paper til pencil and took notes of the evidence.

M, Hannan, for the prosecution, referred to the fact that prisoner WM not legally represented and aaiasd if the Magistrate desired to clear Ce-ujrt of witnesses. , * : '

On the question beirtfif'put to prisoner the latter replied "it does not jnjrtter." Over forty witnesses have bofn subpoened and it is expected the bearing will last three days, ~. -i' ' The first witnesses pujt jn plans and; photographs of the locality. The bank officials-idenirßcd' two books of .-C5 notes amounting;/to : £IOOO as Bank of New Zealand nopks" lot previously issued. Other SIj»JUV of the MM odd stolen corresponded 1 witK the pay made up on November 8. Halfcrowns placed on the topjifn bundles of sixteen each and marked r with jpk were sworn to as identical with the coins marked in the bank and included in the pay, and exhibited as <|Mwti6n of the money found in Greymoutb, Lait Night. The mine manager, Mr. Jajjjes, one of the occupants of the- car, gate 1 evidence as to an obstruction on the toad, and that a man rushed out" calling, "Hands up!"' James' left hand Wa# waged, fait he did not hear the shot, .liinost immediately he heard.three «nd Coulthnrd and Hall awooned'antf groaned. Witness took two nten'in\ji;lie distance to be confederates, an. they, made for the direction of the cairijfr tie f|w a nickled revolver in the Hgnt'hand of the masked man. Subsequently;.on tbo enr that was bailed tip reaching the'hospital, witnesa found softie empty :iartridge shellß and bullets,' ~'. • * Prisoner questioned;, witness At; length, stating it was impossible for the empty cartridges that Were found to in the car if he fired an automatic pistol. Witness maintained it was «t nickeled revolver, but did not say it was an automatic.

Prisoner repeated that an automatic pistol would n,ot eject cartridges; -He put several,other questions relating to' James' evidence as to the firing of the shots, endeavoring to show jt impossible for witness, after running eC distaneo of four to six chains, to sea threp shots fired at HaVJ. i Witness stated tlia masked.man fol-t lowed him through the cutting, and later, he saw the masked man's actions, which h<> interpreted as firing three sjipti at( Hall, and also heard the repqrtsv'll Dr. McKay, gave evidence regJWding .Tamea' wound. Peter Manderson stated he had seen an obstacle on the road, and tho cm approaching until it crashed into staele. A man jumped out arid shouted': "Hands up!" Manderson and his'son then doubled back and. went, into the bush. They heard shots in quick suceession. Afterwards they saV a man standing on the railway line,Vith Hags, He entered a cutting, but did,not emerge; at the other end. Manderam's son corroborated hja fa* ther's evidence. ' «r Hugh Steel stated: lie came, onv thd scene of the tragedy, in-a Coulthnrd lying Ave yards L.ifoera i the car with a bullet under hjswtoih slmi« lar to the one exhibited He Was,-cross* questioned by accused as to the distance of the body from thd car. • ,V ! " Dr. Meale, of Runanga, gave- evidence' of the post mortem on Coulthard,'4" bullet being extracted similar to'-,s|e> onef exhibited. ' ; '■;'■' \: Inspector Gruickshank could not aweai} to the make of the bullets and cartridges handed to him. by Mr. James; because he had. not a strong enough glass. lij was decided to call him again, tio-morrow, as the Crown prosecutor stated his evidence waß most important, a* the ffchjb* its will correspond with .the eSMpitsj found in the trunk at, Christchurch. The court adjourned till to-ntorrow. There was a great crowd in (jh'e court nil day, many womon being present, _ t&5 streets being also lined. Accused,*in a very deliberate manner, carried ont hie cross-questioning. . '.'"■';.