TIMARU MURDER

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160812, 20 November 1920, Page 6

TIMARU MURDER

MATTHEWS COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

(Per United Press Association.) TIMABU, Nov. 19. Following is a continuation of the evidence given in the Timaru murder case on Thursday. Robert Parr and Mrs Parr gave evidence concerning the trespass by accused in their unoccupied house. Ho did not stay all night. He was cooking something, and was told to "get” when he had done that. He left half an hour later carrying a brown paper parcel. Constable Smith, who bad been given duty in plain’clothes in Waiiti Road, because of complaints of women being molested, testified that the accused came along the street, and witness, after some conversation, in which accused said his name was Irving, challenged him to go to the house where the girls who had complained lived, and accused then bolted- Witness gave chase. But lost him. H. Scott, owner of the house referred to, gave corroborative evidence about accused bolting. Clifford Wilson Knapp, deceased’s com- ’ j»mou, gave evidence, as at the inquest, about seeing a crouching man moving about Jhe house about 11 p.m.; of. the two young men endeavouring to catch him; and of the man turning at a corner of the house and firing at them —one shot. Then he moved on a few paces, turned, and fired two more shots. After the third shot deceased staggered and fell. He man jumped over a fence, and witness followed through the gate, went after him some distance, and then returned on hearing deceased’s cries. Deceased’s parents and sisters were then attending to him. - A doctor arrived, and then Constable Palmer, who found a slip of paper about where the second and third shots were fired. It was a counterfoil of a parcel post receipt. Witness jfdid not identify tne accused at the gaol on November 3rd: Henry Wagstaff, father of the deceased, said his son was 19 years of age. At about 11 p.m. on October 27th he heard the noise as of a person running round the house. He went out and found his son lying on the path. He saw a man leap over a fence. Saw him crossing the lawn to the fence, and saw a revolver in his hand. The man appeared to fire three times, but witness heard ng report, and thought the weapon was unloaded. The man seemed to take deliberate aim. - ■'Dr Gibson gave evidence of the treatment and subsequent death of the deceased at 12.15 a.m. At a post mortem . next day he found a bullet wound beside ’’•’the breast bone. The bullet passed through the inonimatc vein and gullet. Deceased died of hemmorrhage. The bullet was extracted and handed to the

police. A statement by the dying man before removal to the hospital was put in by Constable Calmer as follows: “Clifford woke me up and said someone was trying to get into the house. Then we chased him, and he shot me.” Witness searched about and found a folded parcel post counterfoil (above about ten feet from where the body was lying. (This was described in the opening.) Kpapp was present, and said no one of that name, was in the house. About 4.15 a.m. next day witness picked •<n a cartridge case near the same spot, found another next day. / Detective Abbott gave details of the various other discoveries in Timaru concerning stamped papers and comparisons of impressions of several papers found, and concerning the contents of accused's dress basket, as mentioned by the Crown Prosecutor. " The Court adioufned till Id a.m. TIMARU, Nov. 19. Evidence in the murder case this aftemon was given concerning the accused’s belongings, "and his visits to Philipson’s, at Sydenham. He told them that he was going to Timaru, On his return on October 28th he told them ho had been thei«. The murder was mentioned to him, and he said he did not take any interest in that sort of thing. He had heard of and read something about it, adding that they would have to prove it on a man before they could convict him. He had visited Phillipson’s several times, and Mrs Phillipson had altered some of his clothing, so that she easily identified them. They were found in accused’s suit case, as also was a copy of the Timaru Herald, of October 28th, containing an account of the murder, and a box of rubber type from which the stamp previously mentioned had been made up. To the Phillipson’s—mother ahd daughter— accused had always seemed normal and cheerful, and he romped .with the children after his return from Timaru. One of the girls said he was known as Reginald Irving. Constable Templeton, who assisted in the arrest at Lyttelton, said the accnSbd did not turn and fire when running from the police. He fired when witness was holding him down, and the bullet penetrated his right knee above the cap. Constables Bain" and Packer, and Detective Eade, were present when the shot was * fired. Constable Hislop said he was present at the arrest. He examined accused’s pistol. It contained four cartridges in the magazine and one in the chamber. Accused did not fire any shots after witness caught hold of the pistol, and witness did 1 not sec accused fire any shots’ during the evening, but heard two or three shots fired that night. Detective Sheehan said he went to cabin B on the Maori with Detective Lesnr, and found a dress basket with a label “E. R. Irvin,” standing ort the floor, and a suit case on the berth. Witness looked towards the door and saw accused standing in the doorway. Witness stepped towards the accused, who drew an automatic pistol and said, “I’ll shoot yen, you -—Witness drew a revolver and chased accused along the upper deck. The accused threatened to snoot several times, then clambered down the side to the lower deck and ran down the gangway. Detective Bickerdike fired twice at accused. Detective Bade said he saw the accused collide with a truck and fall. There was a crowd around at the time of the arrest, and someone called out “Choke him!” The pistol was of 25 calibre, and there were cartridges in the chamber, which were discharged on being secured. JFhe sum of .£l4 16s was found on accused, and 34 cartridges in a small box,