MURDER CHARGE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 22 November 1927, Page 5

MURDER CHARGE

TRIAL OF C. W. BOAKES THE BOY MUGFORD'S EVIDENCE FINDING OF THE BODY. (P«r Frets Association). Christchurch, Nov. 22. The trial of Charles William Boakes on a charge of having murdered Ellen Gwendoline Isobel Scarff, at Burwood, was continued in the Supreme Court to-day. The public galleries were again crowded. Eric Horace Mugford gave evidence as to the finding of the body. To Mr. Thomas: After he saw the body he first saw Mrs. Delamain, a storekeeper, who told him to go to the Bev. Tobin.

Mr. Thomas: Did you find some one else at the body!—Yes, at the head. You toid Mr. Tobin about this man!—Yes.

What was the man doing!—He was kneeling at her head. , You told Mr. Tobin the man had hie back to you!—Yes.

As you came in and made a noise this man jumped to his feet and rushed off into the 'broom!—Yes. You did not see his face! —No. He was a smaller man than Boakes! —Yes.

Mr. Thomas: Did the man dash into the broom! —Yes. Right into the solid broom.

You never saw him again!—No. Would this man be about my build, but shorter !—Yes.

.You realise the tremendous import r/your evidence!—Yes. ( And what you have told the jury is true!—Yes, sir.

And you told Mr. Tobin within a few minutes of finding the body!— Yes.

And you told the police about this man!—Yes.

Mr. Thomas asked the boy to tell • him how fat he was from the man, and paced backwards across the courtroom until the boy told him to stop. The boy stopped Mr. Thomas when he had gone about 10 or 11 feet. To Mr. Donnelly he said he told Detective-Sergeant Young what he saw, and showed him where the man went through the scrub. The Rev. Cecil A. Tobin gave evidence of Mugford going to him and of his returning with Mugford to where the body'was. The body looked as if it had been moved. EXAMINATION OF MILITARY OVEBCOATS. George Hunter McCann, StaffSergeant Major in the Defence Department, said that he had examined two military overcoats (produced). They were the ordinary issue of overcoats. To Mr. Thomas:-The size and numbers of the coats are not distinguishable. They are approximately the same size. To Mr. Donnelly: The important difference between the coats is that of length—one being about four inches longer than the other. Leslie George * Mcßeth, a’ taxi „ driver, said that he had seen Miss Scarf! on the taxi stand on one occasion when she was looking for Boakes. He had on several occasions taken telephone messages for Boakes on the stand to ring up the house where Miss Scarff was employed. Mr. Thomas: Why, in the Lower Court, did you say you took telephone messages twice or three times. It was more than that. You realise that this man is on trial for his life! —

yes. Then why do you do this! Have you any explanation!—No, I have not. SEEMED TO BE A KINDLY , MAN.

George Lewis, a fruiterer and formerly a 'bus proprietor, said that Oou December 24. 1925, to October 16. 1926, Boakes drove one of his 'buses'. Witness saw the girl Scarff in a 'bus on occasion. To Mr Thomas: Boakes was ten months in witness' employ. He was not a hot-tempered man. Witness had never seen Boakes lose his temper. He seemed to be a kindly man.