17

H.—33

Hawkings was on a stretcher in Dimock's yard. Dr. Cahill was there, and Charles Bowles was there, and Messrs. Dimock. I asked doctor if he was dead. He said "Yes." I went up to Mrs. Hawkings's with Dr. Cahill. Charles Bowles remained with body. I saw pool of blood as I went up. I pointed out to surveyor where pool of blood and a stone put on bank as spot. I think Mr. Bowles put stone there. Surveyor put a peg. I was not there at time. I remember a little stick being driven in at a bend on right-hand side of road after inquest. When I went up with Dr. Cahill I inspected cart — some parcels of groceries. I did not take much notice of them. I looked for blood-stains on wheels. I heard doctor speak to Mrs. Hawkings. I returned down hill with doctor. Webb then had body in express. I went to town with it. I took body to morgue. I searched it when I got there. I found pockethandkerchief, a memorandum book—not a pooket-book. I found no pocket-book. Saw scraps of paper with memos. on it, and part of blade of pocket-knife in left vest-pocket; also a letter addressed to Mr. Hawkings from Messrs. Bannatyne and Co.; 9s. 6d. in silver in right trousers-pocket. No cheque-book; also some string. I did not take off clothes that night. I returned to station. Next morning I went out to Hawkings's with Constable Healey. I started at six. We went up hill together. Charles Bowles was standing some distance above pool of blood; not so far as a hundred yards, above. I got there quarter to seven. It was light then— not broad daylight, but light. I began searching about from spot where pool of blood was. We found nothing there. While there no one came up road. After being at pool of blood we went up to Mrs. Hawkings's house. We examined cart again and horse. Bowles was with us. We found marks of blood on one of felloes of wheel. It did not seem recent. No marks on horse. We came down hill again. Bowles did not come down. We returned to spot where pool of blood was. We there found [No. 1 parcel produced by Carroll, containing handkerchief]. We there found stone eighteeon yards further down than pool, and eight yards off the road on left side going up. There is a drop into a valley there. This found in valley. Blood was fresh. Also Constable Healey found two smaller stones stained. On same side, about eight yards opposite where pool was constable also picked up this button (coat) near blood. It corresponds with missing button on Hawkings's coat. Where pool of blood was were stones like these. William Dimock also picked up these two small buttons further up. After we picked up two stones. No one else there. Dimock's came up immediately after. Three Dimock's. They stopped and spoke to us. We were about pool of blood at that time. Two McCallum's came up after they passed us. The little boys called out, and then we went up. Wo stepped it. We made it from forty-five to fifty yards. Dimock picked up two buttons. Before that there was some paper picked up. Peg put in where paper was found. First things picked up were small pieces of paper, on right-hand side of road, and cloth. All picked up on right, off road. To right, land is level with road, and gorse on bank on left. Also picked up a portion of a pocket-knife on right. Also two buttons picked up by William. I picked up some of the pieces of paper. Constable Healey picked up some. William Dimock picked up some. What Healey and Dimock picked up they gave to me. This was about eight in the morning. All in my possession at eight. Small pieces of paper. They were about Sin. square. They had the appearance of being blackened and crumpled up. We continued to search about. We found nothing else. I and Healey picked up nothing on left-hand side of road at this spot, nor William Dimock. I and Healey returned to town. We arrived in town at twenty past nine. I had put pieces of paper in right-hand coat-pocket. Nothing else in pocket when I put it in. I think there were ten or twelve pieces of paper. There was cloth and pieces of paper lying about on road together. I showed them, when I got in, to Sergeant-Major Morice. I then took them to morgue to see if tweed corresponded with Hawkings's coat. I got to the morgue between eleven and twelve that morning. Before I went to the morgue I wrapped paper in brown paper, and locked it in my house at May Street. I did not leave it at the station. It was never out of my charge till sth June. I took it to Mr. Skey on sth June. I received same paper back from Mr. Skey. I had shown it to Inspector Thomson on sth June. He told me to take it to Mr. Skey. He never touched it. On 6th I received back what I supposed to be same paper; and on 6th I took paper to Mr. Tasker. I delivered it into his hands. I helped to take off clothes of deceased. Mr. Tasker returned me cloth on 12th June. I gave Mr. Tasker paper wrapped in half-sheet of foolscap. The pieces of cloth were similar to coat. I only gave one parcel of paper to Mr. Skey and one to Mr. Tasker. I delivered no other parcel to Mr. Skey or Mr. Tasker. 122. Mr. Bunny.'] Norman went up with me as well as the doctor. Cart was in shed in yard. A mark on felloes of blood as large as width of four fingers. It did not seem recent. It seemed greasy. Pool of blood was about one to one and a half feet square. There were not marks for several feet just there. I noticed one piece of paper particularly as blackened. There were some shreds of cloth left on ground. I saw one piece of paper in gorse-bush on left. I only saw one piece. I did not think it of any importance. It was about as large as my hand. I took paper and cloth to morgue. They were mixed together. 123. The Court.] I did not unfold pieces of paper. I could not identify them. 124. Mr. Bunny.] I kept them locked up till I was instructed about this on sth June. I never looked at them again till sth after locking them up at home. At morgue I held them in my hand. Dr. Cahill not there when I went between eleven and twelve. At morgue Constable Gleeson there. Body had not been disturbed. Post mortem had not commenced. I saw hare by side of road. I left it there. I just looked at it. I was present at post mortem. I received the message from Benjamin as to instrument. Benjamin there before post mortem commenced. He wanted to know what instruments. First answer sent out was stabbed with a sharp instrument. Dr. Cahill had been there only a short time a| that time. He had not observed gunshot-wound. Afterwards Dr. Cahill sent out message that it was stab and gunshot. I told Benjamin of the signs that there had been shooting on the ground. Before Cahill came to morgue I saw vest and coat torn. For all 1 knew there might have been a wound. I told Benjamin I thought paper had been fired out of a gun. I spoke to doctor after he came in about shot-marks. He had not clothes off body then. Message 3—H. 33.