PUKEKAWA MURDER.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8396, 18 October 1920, Page 3

PUKEKAWA MURDER.

BOY’S- EVIDENCE. (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, Saturday. Philip Sydney Eyre, sixteen years of age, giving evidence at the Pukekawa murder trial, said he had often been out shooting with Thorn, who was a good shot, and always fired left-handed. He had frequently seen accused go into his mother’s bedroom when she was ill in 1918. Accused slept in the same room as witness, and witness at times heard accused go out of the room after they had got into bed at night, and go along the passage, after which he heard him talking with his mother. On such occasions accused usually stayed about half an hour before coming back to bed. This would happen about twice a week. At other times accused used to say at about 8 o’clock, “Come on, boys, get to bed,” and after they went they would hear the blind of the dining-room being pulled down when his mother and accused were left there. When witness’ father was not present accused called his mother ‘ ‘ Milly. ’ ’ Once witness peeped on them, and he saw improper conduct. He heard accused talking to his mother one day about his father. Accused said he would “murder” him or “kill him,” hut witness was not sure exactly what the phrase was. After accused had left the farm he called back one Sunday and complained to witness’ mother that witness’ father was talking about him, a statement she denied, and accused retorted, “Every dog has his day.” Continuing ’ his evidence, Philip Eyre said that while his father was away things were very happy in the household. Thorn and Mrs Eyre were on the best of terms, as were also the children and Thorn. William Henry Hazard, gumunker, of Auckland, gave evidence in regard to the two guns he had examined, One had not been fired for at least a month, wfiile the other gun (produced) had been fired recently, the left barrel jnore recently than the right. In Ins opinion, the gun which was fired at deceased was fired by a left-handed person, who stood on a cross-piece from the steps, holding oif with his right hand t o the window sill.