TOKARIMA MURDER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18018, 5 November 1920, Page 5

TOKARIMA MURDER

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (Per Press Association.) TAUMARUNUI, Nov. 4. Andrew Fleming,, a farmer of Roto, described how the accused knocked at the door at eleven o’clock on t'he night of October 16. A man named John Hanley was with witness, and both were armed. The accused called out: “I don't want to do you fellows any harm. 1 am cold, wet and hungry.” Hanley covered the accused as he entered the door. The accused carried a boot in each hand and was searched for shooting irons. He sat by the fire and was given food. Accused said : “ I am as sorry as any of you at the death of Telfer. He shot himself; he pulled the rifle into him and on to my trigger linger. Of course I am the cause of his death, but 1 meant to shoot Jim Loft.” The accused was in no way excited. Lindsay Mackay, farm labourer, of Ohura, gave evidence that the accused came to ills father’s place on October 14, asking for Loft’s rifle, which was given him, with six cartridges. The accused was quite normal. Constable J. Fleming, of Matieri, detailed a conversation with accused on the morning after the arrest. The accused asked to go outside, and when there said : "1 want to draw your attention to a skin mark on my finger." It was on the right forefinger. Pointing to this, the accused said that it happened when Teller was shot, but he did not say how. He also said that he did not want to shoot witness; he was fair, but would shoot him or anyone else if he was cornered. The accused slept well and was quite normal. Robert Craig, in his evidence, described the taking of the rifle from the Hindus. Thomas Henry Grant deposed that the accused called at his place on October 15th without a rifle, and was given food and four cartridges. He offered to pay for his breakfast. Nagina Singh gave evidence how accused came to the Hindu camp for food on October 16th, when a Hindu secured his rifle. Dalip Singh corroborated this evidence. Constable McNamara deposed to arresting Anderson and charging him with the murder. Accused said “So far as the young fellow is concerned, it was an accident.” When searched, accused had £5l. Sergeant Miller, who had charge of the search for the accused, detailed the same. On being escorted to Taumarunui. accused pointed out where his overcoat was hidden in the scrub. At the gaol, when the information was read, accused said "Thank you.” and called attention to a bruise on his right forefinger. Accused said, "I want you to take a note of this for my defence. It was done by the trigger guard when Teller was trying to pull the rifle from me.” There was no truth in accused’s alleged statement that prior to the tragedy the police were after him. Accused said he had served two weeks at Gallipoli and received a piece of shell in the head, which caused him trouble. Detective Cooney deposed that while under escort to Taumarunui accused asked him to see a chemist about a parcel of medicine Jim Loft got for him under an assumed name. It was important for his defence. Accused said "1 had no intention of killing Telfer. We were the best of friends. He tried to wrench the rifle and in the struggle it went off, otherwise Telfer would not have been shot.” Accused called attention to a sore finger with a dry scab, which, he said, was done by the trigger guard. He also said he would have been satisfied to swing if he had shot Loft, and it would have been a good thing tor Loft’s wife and family if he had done so. Loft tried to do him all the harm he could. He did not want him to draw his money. "When I was riding across the bridge at a gallop, Loft rushed out in the dark with his hands up and the horse threw mo on my head. If I had got. Jim Loft and the two Harlands I would ha'e been satisfied. The Harlands drugged me and are drugging others.” Constable Ebbett deposed that while under escort accused said to him "I put the wind up Jim Loft. That cur is not fit to live. I shot at him as he jumped the fence. I don’t know how I missed. I am a fairly good shot. It must have been the bad light, or the hand of Providence turned the bullet aside. Perhaps you will live to regret the day I missed him. I would like to have him for a few minutes, but he won’t stand up to a man.” Near Taumarunui, accused asked if Loft was ;n Taumarunui yet, and when told he was, accused said "How about taking the handcuffs off and letting me have a rifle for a while.” A chemist gave evidence that Loft had not purchased medicine. Harland brothers, contractors for the Ohura County Council, denied that they had doped or drugged accused, or quarrelled with him at any time. Accused reserved his defence and was committed for trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court at Hamilton.