NEWLANDS MURDER CHARGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16986, 9 March 1923, Page 8

NEWLANDS MURDER CHARGE.

HUGO LUFFS EVIDENCE. CHILD BORN IN NOVEMBER. (Special to the “Star.”) WELLINGTON, March 9. Further evidence for the prosecution in the murder charge against Daniel Richard Cooper and hi* wife. Margaret Elizabeth Cooper, was heard before Mr E. Page. S.M.. this morning. There was a preliminary discussion on procedure, and it was deckled to complete the evidence relevant to the murder charge and then ileal separately with other charges. LUPI AND MISS LESTER. The first witness called was an Island Bay fisherman. Hugo Lupi. who said that in December. 1921, the girl L«s----i ter entered his employment at Dun- ; vdiu. Both eventually came to Wellington. He had known both of the accused for a number of years. As „ oon fjs he became aware of Miss Lester’s condition be approached Cooper as a friend and told him he was in a hole and could not keep the girl in , In*a house with bus wife and children. Cooper replied ‘ That can easily be fixed up. Let the girl Lester come up to nn place, where she will be out of the way and out of sight.” •* He said bo would arrange for her confinement.” added the witness, “and that he had two particular friends in Ualrncrston North who would adopt u child. One of them in particular was after a baby boy. They would adopt the child from birth. The other party would adopt a child whether ;t was a boy or a girl, and Cooper said if i had any luck and the child was a boy I would have no trouble what- | The accused, continued the witness, I had said that a certain sum of money : would bo required for the -adoption. ! y.nd he had hinted at between £SO and I £OO. Mr Macasscy: When did you first know that the child was born? Witness: Some time in November Cooper told me. He said it was a bi" baby boy. “ Did .you ever arrange with Cooper to meet him at night and take the baby from him? “ No. the people who were going to adopt the child were friends of his, and not mine.” “ Do you deny that you were at Newlands on November 23 and took the child away?” •• Yes. T never saw the child. I did not even know where it was horn ’until the case came on.” “ Did anyone ever tell you that the child had been adopted ?” “ No. a few days after the child was Iwrn we were all mixed up in this case.” The witness Lupi was subjected to lengthy cross examination by Mr ’Jreadwell in regard to his movements since arriving ia New Zealand in 1911. Re examined by Mr Macasscy. Lupi stated that lie hud never signed adoption papers for the child. * Jn answer 1o a question from the Bench, Lupi said he had never made a payment lo the accused in connection with the matter. Evidence was given by another Italian fisherman, Salvador Greco, that or* November 23 he spent the evening I at Lupi’s place, arriving there at 8 p.m. and remaining until 11. Mr and Mrs Lupi and their children were present. Vincent Barnao. carrier, of Island Buy. testified t.(. carting roofing iron for Lupi on November 2). On November 28. he said, he saw Lupi working on the roof of his house between 7 and 8 p.m. Minnie King, a married woman, at whose place the girl Lester was confined, gave evidence on similar lines to her testimony on Thursday. She added that when the baby was some days old she had it photographed. Cooper said he would guarantee £8 and possibly £lO. She had received £4 or £5 fiom him in dribs and drabs A few days after the child had left she asked Cooper at his office how the babv was progressing. He replied “ Doing line. I would not Know it now ” Later the accused had declared that the person would not row take the child because !he birth had been notified. Tin Magistrate: Did lie say what had become of it? “ No.” Air Macasscy: Did you make any arrangement with Cooper or anyone else m reference to the lemoval of the child ? “ No/’ A young waitress named Effie Muriel Adams told the Court she had visited Mrs King’s place in company with Cooper. Slu» was given charge of the child, and with Lily Lester took the train to Jolinsonvilte, while Cooper proceeded there on his motor cycle. They were met at the overhead bridge at •Johnsomnlle. Mr Macasscy : "What did you do with the baby? ■ I handed it over to Mrs Cooper. I then went back to the station and caught the train to Wellington.” The witness added that Cooper suggested that Lily Lester should ride back on the cycle to Newlands and that he would walk back to meet Mrs Cooper. Cooper had told witness that someone was waiting at Newlands that evening to take the baby away. Mr Macasscy: Was that the last von saw ol' it? M itness : ) os. She added that she saw the accused in tlie street a week later, and upon inquiring how Miss . Lester was after parting with the child . .she was informed that she was all , right and was in town that dav . Cooper had paid witness’* expenses. ' ' Dr Smythe deposed to attending the , Lester on November 15 under the iiame of Mrs Smith, She bad given lorth to a Hue healthy, full-time ohilrl " c // Il 'P aeeomit to Cooper, Imt the latter had not replied. A young widow. Ethel Tu.-kry, who had been employed hy Cooper in ,-onoeet'O" with a health bus,ness, said that JU discussing Mis s Lester’s child I CVrr - Df '”‘ mbe '" Cno T*'r told ■ 1 nas 111 a good home. I (Pf,i> Dress Association-. 1 » . Detective M’Lennan gave details of > ir, tervipws with the male accused who. when asked where the r-hild was. re- > pbed •’ f do not know where the child e J have nothing to do with it ” j hurther questioned by the detective > ) t'•? maln accused admitted meetine > Miss Lester and another woman on Johnsonville- railway station, and saiH T took IMiss LeMer home to my home at Newlands on the back of my motor bike, leaving the woman with the babv , at the station. I had no idea whose the babv was. T had never see,, ii before. T think this woman must havf returned to Wellington with the babv „ I have never seen this woman with Mk - 1;lh - v since.” Tn renlv to n furthei l ouest i.on the accused had told hirr , OI Lennan) that he had nothing mow to say about the matter. 1 M .