MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5860, 30 April 1897, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY.

At the close of the coroner's inquest the Magisterial inquiry was commenced, before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M. Hugh Fraser, alias William Sheehan, was charged, on the information of Police Constable Maurice Roche, with the wilful murder of Agnes Lawcock on Wednesday, April 28. Inspector Broham conducted the prosecution, and called Hilda Jane Lawcock, mother of deceased, William Frew and Chai'lotte Crampton, whose evidence was materially the same as that given in the coroner's inquiry. James William Crampton, brother of the . last witness, stated that he saw accused near Mrs Lawcock's house on the morning of Wednesday, and he went in the direction of Mr Parson's place. Rosina Harris, servant in the employ o£ Mrs Parsons, stated that she recollected accused calling at her mistress's place just' before eleven o'clock. He asked witness to oblige him with some sugar, and witness gave it to him. He was laughing at witness through the window of the room where she was getting the sugar. He left after : after getting the sugar. Identified coat, trousers and neckerchief produced, as those accused was wearing. Helen Sutherland Parsons repeated the evidence she gave to the Coroner. Recognised the coat as the one worn by accused when he came to her place. Thomas Dwan stated that he saw accused in the Kowai river-bed, at the Amberley end of the footbridge, about twenty chains from the plantation. The time was between half-past eleven and twelve o'clock. He came to where witness was burning gorse, and throwing his ■ swag down sat on it. He asked witness if he was on the right road to the I Waipara. Told him that he was, and directed him through the township. Ac- ; cused then asked him what the stations were like. The length of the plantation was about halt a mile, and the width half a chain. It was fenced on the roadside with stakes and wire. The inside fence was of sod with gorse about 6ft high. The fence had been lately cut, and the trimmings were in the plantation. Persons in the plantation could be seen from the roadway. . • There is an open pathway ■ running through the plantation, and i people generally use it in preference to the road. The plantation is of pines. On the same night witness assisted Constable Roche to arrest the accused. 1 John Crampton repeated the evidence i previously given. Frank Lewis Adams, tinsmith, Amberley, gave evidence that he saw accused at 11.45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 28, opposite the Railway Hotel He said, "Is this 1 the main road to Waikari, mate ? " Wit- ' ness replied " Yes," and he walked on. James Howard, labourer, stated that he travelled with accused for one day, and left him on Tuesday evening last, April 27, about two miles from Mr Ensor's. Ac- ' cused said he was going there. The accused had no scratches on his face at the l tinie he left witness. . Detective Marsack stated that he was at Mrs Lawcock's yesterday morning. Com- ' pared her clock with his watch, and found s the clock was twelve minutes fast. Also ' saw the clock at Mr Crampton's, and found i it was eighteen minutes fast. [ ' Constable Roche, in addition to evidence given at the inquest, said when the body was found there was a stick (produced) ! lying over the top of the gorse. There was • a little basket (produced) hanging on the L left arm of the corpse. Did not interfere with the body in any way till Dr Fitzhenry saw it. This was at about twentyfive minutes past five o'clock. When he " found accused at Waikari in an outhouse at r the Star and Garter Hotel he was undressed s and lying down, covered with . some sacks i- and a tent. Asked him where ,he came \ from, and he said Ensor's. Witness told him that he was a constable, and wanted 5 to know what he had done through the 5 day. Said he came through the next town I but could not think of the name of it. i Witness suggested that it was Amberley and he said yes. Accused said he went I into a house and got some sugar. Witness ' told him that he would arrest him " .for the murder of a woman in 1 Parson's, bush, near Amberley that day. r He said ".You are making: a mistake, sir, in I arresting me for murdering a Avoman." Witness told him her name was Agnes Lawcock. The clothes produced were on 1 the floor, and ho said they were his. Found the knife produced in the trousers' pocket. I Brought accused to Amberley. At this stage the Cotirt adjourned for an hour. ' • [The evidence had not been concluded at 5 the time of our going to press. The re--3 mainder will appear in to-morrow's issue.] ) .. [Per Press Association.! REEFTON, April 30. So far as can be ascertained there is no assurance that Fraser, arrested at Amber--1 ley, for the murder of Miss Lawcock, was a . resident here, though several are almost . certain that a man answering the description was in the district about a year ago. If he is a native of Reefton the name Green is almost certainly fictitious. The 1 police are inquiring. ■