THE WANGANUI MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1923, Page 4

THE WANGANUI MURDER

INQUEST ON AIRS OATES. FFRTHER evidence. [by TELEGKAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Xovemho, il. Oates, < (iii Linning -aid that lie '(I up the shop and rode hi.- bicycle* hone about SMS. IL alighted from nix !,i< jdo at his gate. uTii.h was closed, lie place! the bicycle with the bag nil t'.to handle* bais outside the wall of til. w ,i~li-li(i([-e. lie went to e; cn the Linden door with his left: ham! and pot il, he opened it he received a 1>!«..wli'i. 1 : glanced over his shoulder, k'loclving his hat elf. lie tln-n received a nlf.v on the ligli arm. knocking him down oil the. kitchen linin' when he got ; i other blow on the top of his head. ■!,.* then smothered with both lends, at •he* same lime nicking at his assailant who followed him into the kitt lien and ... ho continue i to rain blow.- on him. id ■ said that he had a faint remlaa unit of hearing the do*u' Loin." s'mu. II ■ was blinded by blood and v iued his i'u., with a liiin Ikerciiiel. He 0, 011-1-1 Hu kitchen door and saw that ticbag with the uionev was gone. He ■!irn called his wife, hut looking mbi tin hall and striking a match he -aw •o to- neighbours, jumping dr- dividing teuc'... His neighbour. Dol.ihins e-!.cd him iu~ide and willies- rang up Ids partner. He and D'd'bius then imuiiiod to his kou-o. Dobbins rem; rked that bis wife wa- bleat ait;.:. M:- I. late- w.is cxpei ling llcr motiaM and this void.! account. lor lw b iliLi'e. !. .un;.: tli.stuidu ii. ’I lie tenier th-g was 111 the ..a iae ro'.iu as his wile. I ’ 1 1 use wa, lot tan ticked. Lc far ala- knew liis wife's iilc was not insured. He had made hi- will entirely ill |d.s wife’s favour. The money and nwilierv in the house was union, lu-d. Oates said lie calk'd out dtiri;the time lie was iii tin* kitchen ttnilei assault. and kicki'tl liis a.-sa'dant Svdncv |)ohhi.n gave evidence a- .0 Oates going to liis house on the night m question. Oates was in a very shaky condition, with blond till ovei his lace and stating that he had been knocked out and robbed, and ill' poor go I muiUcivd. Alter ringing, the police wilness aceompanied Dales hark lo the hoil.-e and found Mi • Oates lying in the -pare loom. She was bleu thing and her right hand was moving. \ towel was lolded ruiiml hei tics.. and month, (nit wtis iinfnsloned. Witness went out the back wav to look round but saw nobody.

'POLICE EVIDENT E. WAXGANCI, Nov. 22 j Constable E. Sim' said h" aeeom- | pauied Hodges n. Oates’ place in a mo- j tor ear. V hen ling got lucre lie saw Mr Oates who said : "Mv God. it U cruel! My wife ha-, been murdered, | slid he lias got away!” Dales w.mj bleeding and witness to: !; possession of I a loaded double I arrelicd gnu «hum j I laics had. Wit m-ss then inspected the j inside oi tile hoti-e. It wa-, n idem that Mrs Dai", had been bragged over j a mutter into one oi the r .onis. \tit-| i-.e.-.s at one;* • curdled the home, and | tic mounds. tun wiihoui liuding anyl„.i|y. IL took a gun wile. him. and was Well pis .pared. Thci e wa- in evi- | deuce timi the ium-e had been ran- j .sacked, a- he >aw momy ami valtmble- I in the lioiisi.. lie saw blood with loll" j hair in it in the pantry. DOBBIN'S STOISY. Sydney Dobbin-, slock agent, said lad lived next door to A!i <talcs' house. : On the night ol Oelcdiei 2iith Lc ar rived home ahntit !» p.m. Mr Dales j came to the house about I). IN p.ni. and j said : ' Oh .Mr Dobbin, l'\v been knock- i c<| out and robbed, and I am sure my; poor girl has heen murdered.” Oaie j wa- very shalyv, and had hleod all over; hi- i; ■i : . Witness immediatidv rang up! for th* noli; e. and Hr Hudson and Dr j Wil 00. H it!!-. a comnanied Mr ■ Dan . t.aei to ihe V.u* * , hoil-e. On |

eiicn .lii-l chair knocked nvei . Da '' found .Mrs (biles sfretched out oil the j tloor. She was brealliiug and Iter rigid 1 hand was moving. A towel was loHed aboul her inoalli and ..nose. Ii was Dml.eil in, but not fastened. Willie-,, and Mr Hatty bad a look round fluho!!-:'. Til..' latter got a loaded -bet gun. Witness carried a -iid;. DETECTIN'IT- VERSION. Detective Sergi. D. Caineron said lie proi ik .! in Air* laics' lion ~* wii b Other members of ill" police foree imlatilia 1 elv l:e was advised uf file iraged.v. lie examined the l.eii-e, am! J fouinl ii as dc-cnbcd by (Joiiilable Sims, ’ike coal Dial .Mrs Oate-- Wore ilia! night was oun-.d in tbe drawer oi i a dm li,'--, chest. lie found a mark on j the side and back of the lint Mr Dates had been Wearing. On the following morning, other police office! =: reached Wanganui, and a careful .search was eomiiii'Mced. During the previous night various inquiries were made. Tbe distance from the *lion to the house is ■tot chains. The light nfc the cornel' c. ,: Eield Rlrecl was approximaielv v vriiiv yards from .Mr Odes’ house, and equalled about 7DO candle power. If

gave a radius of about TOO feet of dear light. Since the murder, Chief detectives Cummings and Kemp, Witness, Detective Sergt. Quirke, Detectives Waist). -McLennan, and Gourlny, a finger print expert, and a number oi constable- have been constantly engaged on tin' case, and inquiries were still being made. THE EJXDJXG. The Coroner found:—'The deceased. Margaret Emily Dates, was murdered by some person unknown, her actual death following it fracture of the skull and lacerations of the brain." MftGaaKXti&bßxam&xa&ia&^tß