PONSONBY MURDER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16748, 25 May 1920, Page 3

PONSONBY MURDER.

TRIAL OP GUNN. CASE FOR PROSECUTION. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 24

In the trial of Dennis Gunn, charged with the murder of Augustus Braithwaite, postmaster at Ponsonby, which began in the Supremo Court to-day, Mr. Martin, for the Crown, continuing his opening speech, proceeded to say that the case did not entirely rely on the finger print evidence. There was some additional evidence which ho did not think he would have been entitled to ask the jury to decide on alone, but coupled with the finger prints, ho thought it should be given great weight. Coming to the movements of Gunn, counsel explained that on the day of the crime Gunn was scon standing about in the neighbourhood of the Post Office, and on the other side, of tho road, hut that was not a matter of undue importance in an ordinary way, as the locality was a natural one for people, to put in time standing about. But it was. important to know that Gunn was there, because if he was there he could not be anywhere else. When the police arrested him in his own house Gunn said, in answer to inquiries as to his movements, that ho was at home all Saturday afternoon. After some hesitation ho corrected himself, and said that ho was with his brother Toni. He said that they went down to Wirth’s Circus, and seeing a big crowd there did not go in, and lie wont on to explain in detail his movements up to 6 o'clock, when lie said he left his brother in Karangahapo Road. He had no difficulty in giving a detailed account about his movements in the afternoon to a detective. His memory was absolutely clear and distinct. Then the detective said be was not so much concerned with what Gunn was doing in the afternoon as between the hours of 7 and 9 in the evening. Then Gunn thought, and said he went to tho pictures, but it was after tho 8 o’clock session. There was no word whoro lie was during the time from 7 to about a quarter past eight o’clock. This was extraordinary in view of the fact that the accused was able to account for bis every movement during the earlier part of the day, and for tho later part of the evening.

“He stops and leaves a gap just at the critical hour, and picks up bis movements again just after tho critical stage,” remarked Mr. Martin, adding that, Taken in conjunction with all the other circumstances, this was important. The first witness was Annie Braithwaite. the widow of the murdered man, who described her movements on Match 13. and her discovery of her husband lying on tho kitchen floor when she returned home about 9 p.m. She said that before ringing up a doctor she found that her husband’s hip pocket had been turned out, and his keys removed. He was in the habit of putting his keys under his pillow, and she accordingly searched there,, but failed to find them. She identified the keys produced as the ones in question. Her husband was a quiet man, and, as far as she knew, he had no quarrel with anyone. There was no cause whatever for suspicion that he might take his cwn life. Fireaims were kept ill the house. Several witnesses living in the vicinity of Braithwaite’s house testified to hearing what are now known to have been revolver shots, followed by a scream. A woman living next to the Post Office beard a smashing sound from the direction of the. Post Office on tho night of tho murder. She was ill at the time, and although she attempted *to investigate sho collapsed. Tho case is expected to last a week. ' TO-DAY’S HEARING. AUCKLAND, May 25. The trial of Denis Gunn was continued to-day. David Hyauiason, locksmith, ’ gave evidence that he examined the lock of the strong-room at Ponsonby Post Office after tho tragedy. The lock had been opened with a Yale key. Owen Hughes gave evidence ,that ho had seen accused in the vicinity of Ponsonby Post Office at 2.30 and 3 p.m. on the day of the murder. On the second occasion accused was in company with a man whom witness had since identified as Charles Gunn. Witness went home, returning about 4 p.m.,, and saw the same two men in the same locality. He saw them again there about 5.30. About 6.35 he saw accused alone standing about the corner.