Private David Eaktord of the ist Battalion, he Seaforth Highlanders, who Ts charged with the murder Exmee-Corporal Jame Davies, is port commander. at" Bloekhowse Sri" the night of November 4 heard further evidence offered by witnesses forthe proeestion in HEM Police Court "yentrday when the prelim pany nearing of the charge was con. fled before tx. C, H. Haines, HM, Registrar. Among those to be cated Were Tid J, M Marshall of the Seaforth ighlandera and Detective: Sergeant G. A. Day of the Shanghai Munlpat Police, ie. P. Walkin Wit Homo eppenved forthe proweeulfon wile as iE, Newman Fepresented Tint fo give evidence was Detective sereant George Athelstone Day ihe"Shanghat Munteipal Police. Int. Day. marked an identitied photo: raphe of the scene at "E post. Te Ste that hho received Roveroier and gga roault of the one communication, at 10: pum on
proceeded: to. North "Thibet Ron dnd Kaifont. Road, eppoalte Post Upon avrval ho photographed that tone, ""Warious" enlargements snd units of photogenpha, he told the fourt, wore made under "his super Private Peter Hughes, aged 20, of the" Seaforth: Highlanders, who. the driver of the patrol vehicle, was nest ented to we evWlence Hated that ut 040 pum. on November she. wa driving the' pated sound th the duty tuck t0 "post, North Thibet Moat, "Me parol ili the terek onsisted. of Lance-Corporat. Rabert= font Privates Richards, Davidson snd nek, He remained ie" Port for three mingles and saw " Lance: Corporal Robertson ta to. Tance-Gorporat Davies. Hie reversed far and went back to Sector Head: SGuarters, the" same. men returning lith him dri the truck He remained into tek when, he retwened to neaduarters hile Lance-Corporal Roberson tathed with Sergeant ac-Donald. "After about to minutes he ent bate withthe truck £0 "E™ post When T arrived back at the pos, tne Witness stated, "Ist Lanee-Corporal 'Davies lying on the ground, fist to the north of the sentry. box vas going out of the ear when first say Lance-Corporal. Davies." 1 went aver to look at him, Y heard Private Belford say, "I shot him Serjeant. He's dead' Sergeant MacDonald then told Private Bek: ford to fo and get into the truck, continued the witness. "I jumped in the car and started it and drove back to Sector Headquarters. Sergeant MacDonald, Privates Paton, Richards, Bekford and myself were in the truck. Privates Paton and Richards sat on each side of Private Eckford. On the way back we met Lieutenant Marshall at about 200 yards from "E" post, Lieutenant Marshall signalled me to slow down and stop.
"in compliance I stopped the truck and Sergeant MacDonald reported to the Liculenant," said the witness "He said that one of the men had shot his post commander, Lieutenant Marshall. asked who it was. "Sergeant MacDonald said it was Private Eck ford. I heard Private Eckford s9y. "It was me, Sir." Lieutenant Marshati then told Sergeant MacDonald to go. back {o Sector Headquarters. 1 then relumed, About five minutes afterwards T relumed to "E" post. T and. Private Garrity took the equipment of Lance-Corporal Davies and Private Garrity put it in the truck. 1 re~ tumed to Scetor Headquarters about 15 minutes afterwards with the truck. Lieutenant Marshall, Mr. Shields and Private Richards went back in the car with mo,"
Mr, Newman: When you saw Private Eckford at "B" post was he quite calm and coltected?—Yes.
Next called to testify was Private william Steward Paton, 23 years old. He told the court that at about 945, pam, on the night of November 4 he was" on patrol with Serjeant Btac-Donald, "Tre "BE post with Sergeant MacDonald, Private! Hughes, the driver, and Private Richards, second driver, in, the duty truck. When I arrived at "E* post T saw Lance-Coprora! Davies lying on the ground, two or three yards away from the sentry box. I jumped out of the truck and went to look at Lance-Corporal Davies and found hho was dead, I heard Private Eckford say to the Sergeant that it was no use looking at Davies as he was dead and that he had. shot him. Sergeant MacDonald then ordered him to enter the truck. Sergeant MacDonald, Privates Richard and myself escorted Private Eckford back to headquarters. On the way back." said the witness, "we were stopped bby Lieutenant Marshall, the officer in charge of "B" Sector, Lieutenant Marshall was accompanied by his servant, Private Garrity. When the fear stopped, a conversation took lage, I could not hear what was said.
At about 930 pam, I hod just visited One post with Lance-Corporal Robert. Son trid Private Davidson as a patrol on my first visit. Private Hughes rove the lorry. When I arrived 3 conversation took place between Nance-Corporal Davies and Robert fon. We were three or four minutes ere then proceeded. back to. head. Garters, "I went back to "E! post Seain about 20 minutes after T had Drought Private Bekford back to see-For headguiarters. I took over Private Ecktora's duty as relict N.C.O, Lance Corporal Robertson was then charge ofthe post after Lance-Corporat Davies.
checked up on the ammunition and found that of Lance-Corporal Robertson correct with 25 rounds. Tvchecked up on the rest of the nen and my own and found all correct. There' was another set of equipment tying on the ground. was Private Eekford's. 1 concluded that, {t must have been Private Eek-ford's since the rest of the men had {heir equipment on, © When he was cicorted back to. headquarters he wasn't wearing equipment. The equip-tment was Tying next to the machine fun rent near the blockhouse. sally had. our ammunition, 25 Fourds each man found 20 rounds of ammunition. in Private Ecktord's {cquipment, -T examined all pouches {nthe equipment but found no more extracted the 20 rounds 1 found, 1 Toft them on the table in the: blockhouse."
Private Thomas Hunter of the Seaforth Highlanders was the next witness called," was on might duty About B30 pam. on the might November 4, 1030," he said, "at the telephone room in" Sector Hteadquarters, I received a telephone call {rom E" post. 1 reported to Sergeant Macdonald asa result. of this. call find returned to the telephone room. 'AL about 048 p.m., 1 received another telephone call rom "E post. The Wolge T heard 1 recognized to be that of Private Beckford, 'AL this stage of the evidence Newman' raised 'a strong objection, "Please wai, that should not be given evidence tinder any circumstances," said Mr, Newman. "fe ts giving evience of what he only believes to be Somebody. it is only the view of fecelver of the message he is talking tA" or "Bt My contention is that purely' conjecture on the part of the receiver" Mfr. Watkin Wil-Tiams stated that it was simply a question of identification by his ears fs by his eyes," Mr. Newman added lat he objected to nny evidence over the telephone, even ifthe witness recognized the voice. The objection war overruled by the court Ta continuing Private Hunter stated, "The voice said, "T want te Speak'to the offer." 1 replied "Ser-meant MacDonald is on his way down to "BE" post" The voice. then said, "Tk i too ate, mediately rang up to the officer in charge, Lieutenant Marshall Mr. Newman—Did you recognize person who telephoned on. the: first occasion?—It was Lance-Corporal Davies, Mr. Newman—Except for these! two telephone calls, were there other calls received at that time?—No. None between 9:30 and 945 pin.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.