MURDER CHARGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 112, 14 May 1931, Page 7

MURDER CHARGE

THE KAIPAKI KILLING RICKARDS BEFORE COURT TRAGIC POLICE DISCOVERY I Per Press Association. 1 HAMILTON. May 13. Gruesome evidence relating to the death Mt his home at Kaipaki, on April 10, of Arthur Rossiter, aged 83, was produced in the Magistrate’s Court ’Oday. when Reginald Thomas Norman Rickards, aged 35, painter, was charged with murdering Rossiter. Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., was on tho bench. The Crown case was presented by Mr H. T. Gillies, and the prisoner was represented by Mr J. J. Sullivan, of Auckland. Prisoner presented a vastly different appearance from his first appearance in Court on the day following his arrest. On being placed in the dock prisonei asked if he could sit down. His Worship (to Air Sullivan): Tn anything physically wrong with the prisoner! The prisoner said he had been in bed for a fortnight. Permission was granted. Constable Naylor, official police photographer. produced a number of photographs taken immediately after the discovery of the tragedy. Daughter’s Evidence. Olive May Rossiter, aged 29, daughter of the deceased, said she resided with her father at Kaipara for 27 years. She first met prisoner two years ago when he was painting a house in tho district. They became friendly. Later she consented to marry him. He bought her an engagement ring, but she broke off the engagement as he made no effort to get a home together. .She remained friendly with him in the interim. In March this year £l3 was stolen from her father’s house. A few days after the loss of the money accused came to stay with witness. While Rickards was there she heard her father accuse him of stealing the money. He said he was staying in Hamilton when it was taken. A few days later, witness, her father, and Rickards drove to the police station at Hamilton. Her father and Rickards entered, while she remained outside. On March 16 she left for a holiday at Tauranga. When tho train was at Hamilton Rickards entered the carriage where she was travelling and went with her to Tauranga. Both stayed there with Mrs Pearcey, Rickards occupying a tent. While nt Tauranga accused hit her over the head with a spanner. She was in a room at the time. The police wore informed and the accused was subsequently arrested. Cross-examined, Miss Rossiter said that the prisoner and she were quite friendly up to the moment ho attacked her. Hq had exhibited no queer symptoms during their two years’ acquaintance. Constable W. A. Moore said he had Rickard in custody at Tauranga. While exercising in the yard the prisoner entered the room where witness was, and showing him a piece of metal in a handkerchief, ho said he had just blown his nose and the metal had come away from the nose. He had said he had previously been wounded in the neck in Flanders. The following evening Rickards escaped from custody. During the ten days he was in custody, apart from moodiness, there was nothing unusual in his conduct. Recapture of Prisoner Constable Forsythe said that on tho afternoon before Rossiter’s death, ho called at Rossiter’s house looking for the prisoner, who *.ad escaped. The following morning he called again in company with Constable Rimmer. They broke in through a window to which a blanket had been fixed inside. Witness later met Constable Rimmer at tho back door with Rickards. Constable Rimmer said. “He has killed the old man.” Entering tho bedroom they found deceased lying on his face alongside a bod and covered with blankets. In the kitchen grate they found an empty cartridge case. i Dr A. G. Waddell described the con- | dition of the body. Death had been ( caused through a shot wound at tho ; back of the head. Constable Rimmer said that while standing near tho back door, accused camo out. Witness rushed him remarking. “You are under arrest for escaping from custody.” Rickards replied, “I am under arrest for more than that.” Witness asked, “AVhat do you mean?’’ Ho replied, “T have just slot old Rossiter.” Later accused said he had soon witness at tho front window and had drawn a gun, but witness had moved away. To thif witness remarked. “Surely you woulc not have shot me?” He said. “T don’ 1 know. I have been seeing red lately.’ Statement. By Accused. Detective-Sergeant .T Thompson said that in company with other police officials. ho visited Rossiter’s house on tho morning of tho tragedy. He described tho position of the body in the sitting room. lie discovered a single-barrel shot gun with a live cartridge in tho breech. Accused, questioned, said to witness. “I have been seeing rod lately. I have the lust to kill.” Invited to give a statement. Rickards freely wrote: “Rossiter, some months ago. had some money stolen from tho house. He blamed mo for tho theft, and although. I cleared myself with tho police he still believed me tho thief. It pr< yed upon my mind. I saw rod. I had the lust to kill. All T wanted I was to kill. I got into the house. Rossiter camo in soon after. T asked him whore my clothes were We had a row. 1 had a gun in my hand and I shot him in the back of tho head.” The detective described in detail tho condition of the house, and said it was apparent that the old man had been shot as he was sitting down to breakfast. art untouched meal being on the table and a pot of hot tea standing on the hearth. A partially burned bundle of clothes was found in t-he embers of tho fire. Accused, who reserved his defence, v»ns committed for trial. i His Worship, who also sat as coroner, returned a verdict that deceased met his death at his home at Kaipaki on April 10, and that the cause of death was a gun shot wound then and thcra inflicted by Reginald Thomas Rickards. Mr Sullivan intimated that ho had an application to make on behalf of accused. His Worship decided to hear this-in chambers. ’ |