MURDER IN RECREATION GROUNDS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8758, 21 April 1890, Page 2

MURDER IN RECREATION GROUNDS.

THE INQUEST. \Continued' from column 5.\

Leonard Bnttsrworth, a boy nine years of age, was the next witness, and after some questions by the Coroner as to the nature of an oath he was sworn. He said : — My grandmother's name is Mrs Carnelli My age is 9 yeirs. My grandmother and grandfather live near the racecourse. I was up there last Friday week. 1 knew Stephen Maloney. I knew where he lived. It was up in the " Roe." I went to Maloney's nouse about half-past 12 o'clock on Friday to see if he was home. I had my dinner about ten minutes before I went. Maloney was not at home. I wont to the door of 'the house. The door was wide open. I went inside. I called out for Maloney. I neither saw or heard him. I went back then and told my grandmother. There was nothing I noticed in the house except a cup, with the handle off, and a saucer which were on the table. I wont to JJMulonoy's again at 5 o'clock. Jlra C/'arnell told uw to go over, I

went over to Maloney's house. I went to the door, but I did not go inside this time. I looked in, and saw the inside, I only noticed the ci^) and saucer, which appeared the same. I did not call out this time. I saw nothing of him, and I went br-k to my grand mother's and told her that Maloney was not there. By Mr Samuel :— I had been to Maloney's house before but not often. I had not been there before that week. I had been inside the house before. I never saw the door shut to. I never noticed if the door would shut or not. I noticed a fastening on the door the week before when I was there. The door was open then. There was no padlock on the door. There was a place, a staple, for a padlock. This was what I mean by a fastening. Maloney was not there the week before when I was over ; he was away from t ie place. The door was wide open ; then with a board in front of it. The- board was up on its side. It I stood about 20 inches from the floor. You | could step over it. The board was not thero on the Friday when I went over. I went to my grandmother's about 11 o'clock on Friday morning. I came from town. I went along the roadway. I did not go through the Recreation Grounds. I stayed at my grandmother's until evening. I [ stopped iv tho house during the day. My j grandfather and grandmother were in the house between 11 o'clock and when we had dinner. My grandfather came in while I was there. It was abtut half-an-hour after I arrived that he came in. That was about an hour before dinner. After coming in he went out again to cut trees before dinner. My grandfather was about 10 minutes in the house. He did notcome in again till called for dinner. My uncle George was also there ; ke was cutting ! trees when I arrived. George came in when he was called to dinner, but not before. He was cutting the trees with a hook and handsaw. After dinner my grandfather and uncle George went out cutting trees again. I did not see any strange person about that day. I never saw the young Maori (Mahi Kai) about the place that day or any other day. There were no other boys to play with.

By the 'foreman : 1 went across the Poverty Flat, and then up Gover-street to my grandfather's.

John Claffey stated : I live near the grandstand, on the racecourse, of which I am caretaker. I knew Stephen Maloney well for the last ten years. The last time I saw him alive was on Friday morning, April 11. I saw him in the street opposite Carnell's. That was about 7 o'clock. I asked him how he was after we bade each other good morning, and he said he was as " right as ninepence." He then told me he was looking for some hen's nests. Carnell's son came down while we were talking, and said the hen had not come down out of the trees where she was roosting. I then said as he was all right I would go and have my tea, meaning breakfast. I went home, and did not see him again till I saw his dead body on Saturday when I helped to put the body in an express.

By Mr Samuel : Maloney was a particular old friend of his. I did not expect to see him ill. I was serving Mrs Carnell with milk. At that time he had no coat on, but I am not sure about the waistcoat. I had noticed him twice with new boots on. It was before Easter Sunday when I noticed them. I could give a good idea of them if I saw them. They were elastic side boots, with tips on the heels instead of plates. I have not seen them since. Maloney showed them to me after he bought them, and he told me where he bought them. He said he bought them at the Co-operative Store. It might have been three weeks or a little more <hat he bought them before his death. Tho heel tips were semi-circular, with a groove for nails. They were ready-made boots. I never noticed the toe plates. I used to take milk to Maloney, not every day, but occasionally, Sometimes I might not have visited his place once a fortnight. He used to come to see me occasionally. After the fire in the Recreation Grounds, a month or so before his death, Maloney asked me to do up his table, l>ed, and door. I did the bed and table, but had not time to do the door then. The door was hanging, as one of the lunges had given way. The door would have to be lifted up to shut and open it. 1 believe that Maloney left it open pretty often when he went oat. I don't remember ever seeing it shut since the tire. I was never there of an evening since the fire. I don't know if he shut it at night. I did not notice any strange people about the racecourse or grounds that day. I never saw the Maori about the grounds that day. I never saw him about at any time. I never knew Maloney to quarrel; he was a very peaceful man. He told me he got 4s per week from the Charitable Aid Board. He preferred me some money on two or three occasions. It was on march 14, 1889 a year ago, that he offered me money. I fix that day as it was on account of Mr Thompson, Collector of Customs, going away. He never spoke to me about money after that. He ottered to lend me £3 or £4 because he knew that I was going to buy a cow. I did not take the money. I borrowed the money from someone else — from Mr Stand isb. He offered me money twice before that occasion, stating that if I wrnted £1 or £2 he would let me have it. These are my only reasons for thinking he had any money. By Mr Standish: Maloney'H purse was a black leather one, and used to lap up. It was an old one. It was similar to the one produced. If Maloney went to town for an hour or two he would be sure to close his door. It would not be an uncommon thing to see anyone crossing the Recreation Grounds to the Avenue Road.

By Mr Samuel : I remember seeing him close his door before the fire.

The inquest was finally adjourned to Monday fortnight, May 5.