THE MOUAT CASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 April 1925, Page 3

THE MOUAT CASE.

AFTERNOON SITTING. [bt tkleußArn—run press association CHRISTCHURCH, April 16. In the Mouat case, on the Court resuming alter lunch. Dr. (.lowland described the hones in class three. They were, he said, consistent with being human bones. Witness produced n piece of skull bone, which, in his opinion, was tlitti

of a human being. He said that No 2 of this exhibit - was a portion of a. humerus, and No i 3 was one lower cud of one of the left ■ humerus. Number four of the bones i: Class 3 was the head of a fifth met- ■ atar.sa! bone. No 3 consisted of two • specimens of the oiirvica! vertebrae. which "ns the vertebrae of the neck. ■ No (> consisted of six pieces of skull 1 hone. Everything about- the hones, said Dr. (lowland, was consistent with their having come from a human female aged only twenty. Replying to the Magistrate, Dr. (lowland said: “f cannot say whether the bones luid been there for a few weeks or a few months, or anything of that kind. My opinion is that they are not fossil bones. fu the Mount ease. Dr. John Cairney said that lie was the only person in New Zealand, who held the Degree of Anatomy at the present time. He, had keen .Senior Assistant to Professor (lowland in tlie Department of Anatomy at the Otago University for U past four years. He was also a I’ockleller Fellow of Anatomical Research in America. Throughout Professor (lowland's investigation, witness was with him. lie certified tha-t the list of bones was prepare:! jointly by Professor (lowland and witness. The bones in Class I were certainly human hones. In his opinion, the Ixnies in Class 2 were hones which, by comparing the n with a large number of bones wiibli he had seen, lie would lliink they were human bones, Mr Donnelly: Why have yon put them, in Class 2P Witness; I would lie prepared to exhibit them before a Society such as the Anatomical .Society, r.s human bones; but certain ol them are incomplete or damaged. Regarding the bone:; in Class 3, Dr. Cairney said lie certainly would not •iv they were human, but he could only rely on tlie specimen--; vlih-li bad been produced, which showed that they were ('insistent with human bones. He concurred in the- opinion that the collar bone "as that of a female. After experiment!: ((inducted by Dr. Lowland anil himself he considered that the bom's were fresh and were net Man: i i r fossil tones. Portions of old bones were burnt in lirex of dilieront intensity and it was found impossible to prodme a definite black slain. By using a coke lire, however and carefully turning the bane Iragmeiit I roll) time to time, it was found to prodig e a black -stain, but it was extreme!v short. Class 3 comprised fragments,

the appearance of which was consistent with their being human. The hones could not he idculincJ as belonging to any particular individual. The appearances were quite consistent that they had come from the same individual. There were no duplicates among them. They were smaller (han the average size and in three instances the parts artiiu

fated together. Tlie Magistrate: Are there any in stances where they might articulate and do not ? - No. Mr Donnelly: Can you express any opinion as to whether tlie fumes came from a female or male-

They arc consistent with these o a female

11ml you Keen supplied with ) arti<n:lars of the general build o! Airs Mount p 1 was shown a photograph. Were you sit] plied a it!i any other particulars ! I was informed tint .-lie v. as a .small '.(.man. of .xlighl build, ai.d that she Are those he;,, i (insistent uilh lolling came* from a jer.vm oi that de.-'erip-tion ?—Yes. Can you give any upiniou a.s to U time the individual died, or when the hones uere burned !■ - None,whatever. There are mi big hones in this col--1( ...tion I- Tlie.e are in (onipleto long 'Mines. Referring to the other holies which had been handed hack to the polo Dr Cairney said that, among the collection there were hones which were clearly animal, hut they were not re: m-.-nisalile as either. Dr. Cairney, in roiil.v tu Air Th.nmns, said that he canid not give any idea t.V the age of the lunc he had burnt -for the l.urfic.ses of a comparison with one of tne exhibits. It was burnt over a

Bunsen burner. Mr Thomas: That wouid he a very .-uni cut rated lifal?-- Yes.

How long was this piece of hone exposed tu the heat of the Bunsen burner > About five minutes. How does the heat <>l a Bunsen burner compare with the heat of an ordinary coal lire. I hat 1 couldu t nay. I)r. P. S. Foster, Internal Examiner in Anatomy for the I niver.sity of New Zealand, .-aid lie had examined the hones included in the list as Class I. He identified these hones as human hones. He stated that the collar hone could not lie mistaken for anythin i4.se, and judging by its size and shape it was a female collar-bone. Mr Donnelly: Can you express any opinion ahout tile average size of the hones ! They arc aj parentlv on the small side.

l')r. Foster also identified the hones classified in (lass 2. i'e thought these bones were definitely human hones, in Class 3 the hones "'ere badly burnt, and it v, as very difficult to identic them as human hones. He would definitely say that No 2 was a portion of the lower end of the humerus. Dr. Eester said that the bones in Class were all ((insistent with the idea that thov were human bones. He would not like to say anything about the age of the hones.

Detcrtivc Robert MeU'an. of Duiiedin, said that on March 3, he went to Uui'akanui. where Mount s mother lived. He obtained a hag lettered “E.L.AL”. from the accused's mother's place there. It contained a lady's overcoat. with a pair of gloves. In H pocket was a blue and white lady s dress, a pair of lady's shoes, a numb keys, a comb, a tooth brush, a pack of cards, a string of red heads, a du cap, sundry pieces of ribbon, and cloth, three garters, a bottle opener, throe pencils, a crochet needle, a pair of small scissors, three hairpins, buttons, safety pins etc., and two envelopes containing accounts. The hag was sent to Christchurch. \t 5 p.m. the Court was adjoinnc .: until 10 a.m. to-morrow. The Crown lias thirty-two witliessos to call. •Hv? case is expected to ln-t all day to-morrow

TO-DAY'S EVIDENCE. CHRISTCHURCH, April 17. AA'kon the Mount case was resumed, the first witness was Ernest, l-ried-lander, a pawnbroker, who stated: On February 20th. a man who gave his name as F. Mouat came to his shop and sold a gold wristlet watch and a gold hieotli. He pledged a diamond tiepin. AY it ness handed the articles to Detective-Sergeant Connolly. Witness had other dealings with Mouat in Novetriber when lie pledged a watch and chain.

Detective Knudson said that on March 4th.. in accused’s house, he ■packed a quantity of ladies clothing in large trunks and two boxes (produced). They contained all the ladies clothing lie could find in the house. On the same day he found the false teeth on the mantlepioce in a front room.

George Merrett, father of -Mrs Mount, said the last time he saw her was about February loth, tit hi.s house. Had not seen hi.s daughter since, but saw Mount on February 23n1., the Monday after she was supposed to be missing. Mouat sat down on a chair. Witness said: “What's nil with Nellie?” Mouat replied : “She went away on Friday morning.” "Witness said it- was a funny thing her going away like that. Mouat said they had been talking of going down to his mother's place. Witness asked Mouat- if he had money and accused replied that he had a little.

.Tames Hceuey. harman, said lie had known Mount and Mrs Mount for 13 months. Since the Mounts lived In Beckford Road he had visited them on several occasions and stayed at the house several times. Witness last visited tlie Mounts’ house on the night of Thursday. February 19th. After tea they went to Pro--,ser’s together. He left Prosser’s at 10 minutes to 10 to go hack to town. The Mounts were there when he loft. Hceuey. continuing, said that evening the accused and his wife seemed to he on the best of terms. Mouat was always joking and full of fun. Next week, at the hotel. Mouat told witness his wife had gone south. Another day he said he was going to Mor-rct-t’s to see if Nell was there. The Mounts got on alright as far :s witness could see. .Mouat was a temperate

Thomas Pheloung, a drainage contractor, evidenced that lie paid .Mouat £3 on February 13th. as wages. Mouat said he was going to Oamaru. John Warlow, carpenter, said that Mouat bought Number ten, Beckford St., for £1220 on terms. The cheque which Mrs Mouat tendered for rent was dishonored. While the house was being built there were no lives on th section, except the ordinary plumber's fire.

Lucy Prosser, married, residing at 31 Beckford Street, said she knew the Mounts. They visited tlie house on occasions. the last being February 19th. The .Mounts left about a quarter to ten. Next day she was at a plate next door to Mounts and while there, Mouat got over the fence. Ho said Mrs Mount had gone to her brother’s, lie said lm was going to meet Her there next day. and go to Dunedin on the Friday. She saw a sheet and blanket on the line at Mount's. She asked him if he had heen washing and lie -said that Mrs Mount washed them before she went awav. On March 21. witness and her husband wore in the front garden and their attention was attracted liv smoke coining out of Mount’s breakfast room chimney. Witness asked Mouat what he had a lire i'or. and he said lie was heating water for a. hath. On the day before she had seen smoke from a small (ice on Mount's se: tuiu. On the last occasion witness saw Mrs Mount, she was wearing a cream dress with a black stripe. Witness identified the dress an.! shoes .Mrs Mount- wute the night >f the 19th.

Mrs Prosser, continuing, said that mi Friday. February 27th., alter .Mrs Mount's disappearance she went through the clothes in the house. No frocks or dresses that witness knew of were missing. 3 here was no top sheet on the bed. Mcrrett found a sheet in the cupboard in the break last room. There was a brown slain on the short, wlnVli \v;is not. quite* flt'v*. David Prosser gave evidence that lie siw blue, grey smoke 'oining Inin Mount's chimney on February 21 it. L iter Mount said lie hadn't s> o-.i Nell Mis IV;re. who resides next dour aw Mount near the fence on February 20th. There was a lire on tiro section and Mouat asked if she smelt anytime'. as he was burning old potatoes, ■phere was a smell of rubbish smouldering.