TOKORIMA TRAGEDY

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160799, 5 November 1920, Page 3

TOKORIMA TRAGEDY

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR' .TRIAL. (Per United Press Association.) ■ TAUMARUNUI, Nov;, A. Naglna Singh gave evidence how'" accused came to the Hindu camp for fbbd on October 16th, when a Hindu secured his rifle. Dalip Singh corroborated this evr dence. Constable McNamara deposed _to ar resting Anderson and charging him with the murder. Accused said, “So far ai the young fellow is concerned it was an accident.” When searched, accused had <£sl. Sergeant Miller, who had charge ot the search for the accpsed, detailed the same. On being escorted to Taumaru' nui, 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 fore 1 finger. Accused said, “I want ,you to take a rote of this for my defence. It ws done by the trigger guard when Telfer was trying to pull the rifle from me.” There W:ts no truth in accused’s alleged statement that prior to the tragedy the police'were after him. Ac* cused/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 fof him under an assumed name. It was important for his defence. Accused said: T 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 ha would have bean satisfied to swing if he had shot Loft, and it would have been a good thing for Loft's wife and family if fie‘had done so.. Loft tried to do him all the harm he could. Ho did not want him to draw his money. “When I was riding across the bridge at a gallop, Loft rushed out iu tho dark with his hands up and the horse threw me on my head. If I had got Jim Loft and the two Harlands I would have been satisfied. The Harlands) drugged me and are drugging others.” Constable Bbbett 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 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'- ho won’t stand up to a man.” Near Taumarunui accused asked if Loft was in 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 hod 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.