THE PUKEKAWA MURDER

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14493, 16 October 1920, Page 7

THE PUKEKAWA MURDER

THORN BEFORE THE COURT. CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION. EVIDENCE OF DECEASED'S SON. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, Friday. The preliminary trial of Samuel John Thorn, charged with the murder ot Sydney Seymour Eyre, at Pukekawa, on Aligns! 2i. was continued al Pukekohe to-day, before Mr Poynton, S-M. Giving the Alarm. Frederick 11. Brook, farm labourer a) 11. G i's farm, situated ah,ail half a mile from Eyre's farm, testified to having been awakened by Philip and John Eyre about midniglil. August 2i, and staled thai the two of llmm knocked Mr Good up. They could not pel anv reply through a telephone ring, and walked on to the Pukekawa Post Office, from which the Pukekohe police were notified of Mr Eyre's death. H was a moonlight night, but a bit cloudy. That night he was awakened by Ihe dogs harking just before Philip Eyre called him. Eldest Boy's Story. Philip Sydney Eyre said he was 10 years of age. Me bad often been out shooting with Thorn, who was a good shot and always fired left-handed, lie bad frequently seen accused go into his mother's bedroom when she was ill in 10 18. Accused slept in the same room as witness, and witness al times beard accused go out of the room after they had got into bed al night and go along .he passage, after which he heard him talking with his mother. Dn such occasions accused usually stayed about half-an-liour before coming back to bed. This would happen about twice a week. At oilier times accused used to say about R o'clock, "Come on, boys, gel In bed." and after they went they would hear Ihe blind of Ihe dining-room being pulled down when his mother and accused were left there. When witness- rather wis not present accused called his mother Milly. Once witness peeped on them and he -aw improper conduct. lie heard accused talking to his mother one day about bis father. Accused said he would "murder him" or "kill him." bill was not sin xactly what the phrase was. \f|er Ihe accused bad left the farm he called back one Sunday and cuinptained to witness' mother dial witness' fattier was talking about him. a statement she denied, and accused retorted ; "Every dog; has his day." Hazard, gunmaker, Auckland, said that in his opinion die sriin fired al Ih > deceased was used by a |ef|-handed person, who stood on Ihe cross-piece, holding' on with his right hand to die window sill.