CHINESE ROBBED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12080, 8 August 1917, Page 5

CHINESE ROBBED.

GREYMOUTH MAN ON TRIAL. TO-DAY.S PROCEEDINGS. At the Supreme Court criminal .sessions to-day, before his Honor Mr Justice Dennistoii, the trial was continued of William Hrary Dunphy (Mr Joyce., with him Mr Sargent), who was charged with breaking and entering, theft and assault and robbery at Grey mouth on October 7 lasc-. The case had been previously heard at the Greymouth sessions, where the accused had pleaded not guilty, hut t-he jury disagreed, and a clmngo of venue for the rc-hcaring was granted. Mr" Ravmond. K.C.. who was

the Crovn Prosecutor, explained in his or>-riir!£ address yesterday that ih" 1 accused eha'-s:ed with entering the. house of a. Chiuese storekeeper named Chow Hinsz. a. merchant, v.dio acted as backer tor a"~"iai';v number of Chinese in Greymouth, and with assaulting Hing and another Chinese named Harry Ah Long, who lived on the premisFS. It was alleged further that the accused stole the sum of £430 belonsino; to Hins. from a saff in the latter's office.

Several Chinese gave evidence for the Crown yesterday. To-day's proceedings commenced with the. crossexamination bv Mr Joyce, of Chow liing. Jessie Blair said that in October last, she was employed as a housemaid in the Albion Hotel, Greymouth. where the accii>ed boarded. She attended to his room. sleeve-link produced was similar lo those she had seen in accused's room. The black-plaited tie. produced was similar to one in th<- aeon sod's rconi. 'When making the accused's bod on the day following tho robbery she. noticed blood stains en the top sheer. There was a fresh counterpane: put on the. bod, but not by her. Sho was responsible for ths- changing of the linen. After her breakfast she went, r.o the accused's room again to sweep it out, but found it locked. Aiiastasia Kieiy, employed at the hotel. ...iid ihat accused was in 1 lie, dining-room hoi ween 7 and 8 on October 7. About '.'.45 p.m. she was in her room which wa.s opposite the accused's, when she hoard somebody rush up the back stairs, and mid-way down the corridor. Witness came out. and tried the handle of accused's room door, but fourd it locked. She wont downstairs, reluming in a few minutes. She saw the accused in the passage near iho back stairs. H e had no coat nor waistcoat, and wore brown irousers. He told her that ho had been in bod sine" he had tea and had just awoke boon use somebody tried the handle of his door. Ho added thai, he, was drunk, and started to stagger. Witness did not. think he was drunk. Me wore a navy blue suit when hehad tea that evening. The trousers (produced"! were like the brown trousers accused wore later. Isabella Robinson, waitress at the. Cafe Boyal, said that accused came to tlie Cafe on the evening of the assault between £.l. r ' p.m. and 8.30 p.m. H» asked her about- a tie-pin. Ho wearing a. black tie. similar to the one produced He told her he was leaving Greymouth. Ho was sober hut seemed queer and shaky. He was wearing brown trousers, rest and grey sports coat, similar to those produced. The sworn disposition of the wife of William O. Kellar, licensee, Kellar's Hotel. Hokitika, was read, in which it was stated that the accused had stayed at the hotel on October b, 8 and fl. W. G. Keller gave evidence that accused arrived at the hotel on October bv motor-car and asked to have the same room as he had occupied on October 6. He carried a s'mall handbag, similar to the one produced. The bag was subsequently found in a drawer of a "duchess" in the room, and contained a large quantity of silver, mostly half-crowns. The accused was arrested before the room was searched. Thomas Noel Usher, medical sunerinfendont of tin* Greymouth Hospital, gave evidence of the injuries sustained bv Chow Hing when admitted to tho hospital. The nature of the injuries would be such as to follow punches from a clenched fist. Hino; was too fecblo to mark any young man who assailed him. Witness subsequently examined the clot bin re (produced) and found several bloodstains. Chew Tun, miner, also gave evidence.

.John Baty, farmer, cave evidence ihat he motored the accused to Hokitika, to Keller's Hotel. Accused took a small handbag. Sergeant E. Egan cave evidence describing the scenes at Chow Ring's store after the assault

Continuing, the witness said that the following Tuesday he searched the accused's room and found the paper (produced I, bloodstained and with Chinese characters, rolled in a, little ball. Under the washstand was n piece of paper similar to that around the money in Chow Ming's safe. The counterpane, with bloodstains on it. was found in a box which the. accused later claimed as his.

Constable G. M'Roberts corroborated Egari's evidence. He added that he was at the Post Office Hotel very early on Sunday morning, and saw .accused and other men. Somebody mentioned the assault on the Chinese, and accused said :-■-" It served them right, anyhow. They always keep a lot of money there. I've seen it myself when I've gone for change." Accused next said he was going to enlist, to which one of the men said, " It will do von good; it will take some of Ihe fat off you." Accused replied: "Yes, I am getting fat. look at my hands." Witness, saw that the hands were swollen. On the. Monday, witness went to Hokitika to arrest accused, who returned to the hotel at ."i.<lo p.m. Witness subsequently arrested him. Accused denied being near the Chinese place. When about to bo searched at. the police station, accensed said. "I suppose von want the money/' at the same time pulling out a roll of notes from his hip pocket Witness said. "Yes. how much have vou got " Accused replied. "About £32 0r"£33." Witness went back to Keller's hotel and searched the room used hy accused. He lound ft handbag containing silver Iving loose on a silk handkerchief. There was £2O 5s in half-crowns, £22 18s in 2s pieces. 'Proceeding.)