BAYLY TRIAL

Evening Star, Issue 21745, 13 June 1934, Page 8

BAYLY TRIAL

20TH DAY OF HEARING THE EXHIBIT EVIDENCE CONTINUED EXAMINATION OF FALSE TEETH [Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 13. The cross-examination of K. M. Griffin, Government analyst, was continued when the hearing of the Ruawaro murder charges was resumed in the Supreme Court this morning. Tho rear of the court and the gallery were again filled as soon as the public were admitted.

In reply to Mr Leary, Griffin said that had he not known the history of the portions of the oildrum, he could not have inferred that the top portion had been subjected to such great heat.

During further questioning, witness produced molten lead obtained from the drum at the first burning test. Lead had been recovered from both test drums. Of the clothing fibre- fragments comprising one exhibit, three had been only heated, six charred, and two not charred or heated. Whenever witness had said there was bone or bone dust in the exhibits, he had tested and proved they were there. Witness made analyses which were quantitative as well as qualitative.

Requested by His Honour, Griffin detailed his method of examination and testing the bone fragments, both microscopically and chemically. In reply to Mr Leary, witness said he could not say the percentage of calcium phosphate in the bone exhibited. A different method of testing suggested by counsel, was not a good way, as tlie superphosphate might give reaction. Witness considered the microscopic examination the chief part of the test as other phosphate bearing material might give chemical reaction. •

I must see that when witness is giving answers in cross-examination he is not interrupted, said His Honour to Mr Leary. Griffin said the _ proportion of calcium phosphate in a burnt bone might be as high as 90 per cent., as the animal matter was driven out by heat. Witness said he considered the marks on the tinsnips could have been caused by cutting parts of a watch.

Counsel, remarking that the watchmaker was of the opinion that the watch had been cut with a movement in the case, asked Griffin if he thought the watch had been cut in the case like that’.—No, I should think it had been cut by an axe, replied Griffin, who said he had made experiments since the lower court hearing.

To Mr Meredith Griffin said the parts of the watch could have been cut with snips. Witness considered the bone test for calcium phosphate was open to grave objection, as tho exhibits might include matter from phosphatio manure. Ho therefore used other methods

Gordon Walter Stace, assistant to tho Government analyst, detailed the handling of exhibits and described the tests at which he was present. Frederick Winston Craddock, lecturer on dentistry at tho Auckland University College, gave results of his examination of six_ false teeth, included in the exhibits which he considered had been attached to a vulcanite plate. All the teeth were from an upper denture. The edges had been ground and polished by tho use of teeth of an uncommon type, which had not been used in recent years. In reply to Mr Northcroft witness said it was probable that five of the sixth teeth were made in England. Witness agreed that tho teeth were of a type usually used in gold work, but they applied to vulcanite in certain circumstances. A tooth found in the drawer of Lakey’s house was of a type used primarily in vulcanite work. Mr Northcroft asked Craddock his opinion how the fracture of the dental plato exhibited occurred.—lt was obviously due to violence. I should say it happened outside the month, replied the witness.

If the lower jaw with natural' teeth was put in a fire with the artificial upper teeth, I am told the lower jawbone would go first, said Mr Northcroft.—l don’t think 1 could express an opinion on that, replied witness. Harry Miller, textile designer of the Onehunga Woollen Mills, dealt with the fragments of burnt clotn and fibre exhibited, identifying certain fibres as woollen jute. John Waddell, a retired engineer, stated that he had-examined both portions of Bayly’s oildrum. Both parts had contained considerable fire round the opening of the drum. There had been a temperature, probably as high as a wood fire would generate with a full draught through a total drum forge, the scale present on the lower portion of the drum indicating that the iron had been heated to a red state of over 700 deg centigrade. The formation of the scale would take from 1$ to 4 hours according to the fluctuations of the fire. If a fire was kept burning furiously it would _ take a shorter time, mentioned the witness. He had no doubt that the drum was cut after the fire.

To Mr Northcroft witness said that if the two pieces of iron had been heated less than red hot, and had then rusted by the atmosphere, it would be difficult to tell they had been heated. The iron required to be heated red hot to produce scale. The time required to form the scale by furious stoking could not be estimated closely. Witness had undertaken no experiments with the drums to ascertain tho time. His evidence was based on his experience, and not on practical tests. The lower part of the drum had been subjected to more heat than, the upper part. Henry William Scott, an employee of the Auckland Electric Power Board, said he had had twenty-five years’ experience in handwriting. He had examined tho letter written by Bayly to his wife, also the statement made by tho accused. “I am absolutely certain they were both written by the same individual,” concluded Scott.