A MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14242, 17 December 1919, Page 5

A MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY

—♦- LICENSEE OF HOTEL DIES. AS RESULT OF INJURIES. i TWO MEN ARRESTED. Frank Brasier, licensee of the Clarendon Hotel, Auckland, died in the Auckland Hospital yesterday morning, l as the result, it is stated, of injuries received in a struggle during the night with two guests —Harold P. A. Stapleton (agen 31) and Alexander Coppell ! (.mu • ! The account given by the young men indicates that Brazier’s injury was the result of a struggle in the dark in one of the rooms of the hotel. It was getting on towards one o’clock in the morning when a constable on duty outside the hotel in Upper Queen Street was informed that there was trouble in the hotel, and on going there he found Brazier lying unconscious in a passage, with a wound on his head. In reply to his inquiries, the young men stated they had gone to their bedrooms late, and that Stapleton, after a time, was awakened by hearing somebody in his room. lie got to grips with the in(ruder, but was getting the worse or the encounter, when he called to his mate for help, and Coppell rushed to the rescue. The result was'that the other man was knocked out, and was found to be the licensee of the hotel. The voung men came betore Mr .1. E. Wilson, S.M., it ihe Police Court, Auckland, yesterday, on_a charge of having assaulted the licensee so as to cause him grievous bodily harm, and were remanded till next Tuesday, bail being allowed in •ne s ii v ‘y of £SO xn each case.

CHARGE OF MURDER-

BAIL REFUSED. . (Bv Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Wednesday. In the Police Court, Harold Stapleton (20 years) and Alexander Capped (21 rears) were charged with the murder of Frank Brazier, licensee of tfie Clarendon Hotel. Mr Singer, for the accused, asked tor bail. He said that Brazier was interfering with one of the accused men in the bedroom. The man called to his mate for assistance, and there was a struggle in the dark, with the result that Brazier was'knocked down. The injury which caused: his death ■ was caused by him falling. , , . The Magistrate said he had ordered a post mortem to get evidence on this point. Meanwhile he would not allow bail.’ .