AN INQUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 10 January 1929, Page 5

AN INQUEST

ELSIE AY ALK EH TRAGEDY. By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND. .lan. 10. Owing to the great public interest spend arrangements were made by the polite to cope with the crowd at lending an inquest which opened tlii. morning into the cause of the death uf Els'e Walker, of Papa men. Bay of Plenty, whose hotly was found in the scrub at TamaUi on October bth. four days alter her disappearance-. The inquiry will probably last two days. AUCKLAND, Jan. 10. At the inquest on Elsie Walker aged seventeen, Doctor Murray, police surgeon said lie examined the body on October Gill, about 72 hours alter death. He found no exterior marks of violence except for some skin missing from the jaw evidently the result ol rodents. There was no sign of strangulation. There was a fracture ol the skull and the brain was very congested and no sign of criminal offences having been committed. It was possible fur concussion to result from a blow which would produce very little bruising but it was usual to find traces of haemorrhage. Death was not due to poison or exposure, tbe probable cause being a blow on the bead. His conclusion .was reached by the process of elimination, and a blow on the head had something to do with the cause of death. The absence of abrasion would indicate tile blow was caused by a blunt instrument. Replying to Coroner Hunt, the doctor said a blow may have been given bv a list. Further examined. Dr Murray said he was not,called to see the body before it was moved. The Coroner: Why was that? Mr Aleredith' (Crown Prosecutor) replied that lie was not responsible. 'The Coroner: There’s a definite rule and there’s I teen a- distinct breach committed. Mr No rthcrofl (Counsel for the dead girl’s aunt and unde), agreed wikli the Coroner, saying there are many people on whom suspicion would not have fallen had the matter been properlycarried out. The Coroner: I propose to make the tidiest investigation. E. W. Armibage. bacteriologist, said lie examined the girl’s clothing. .He received the first garment seventeen days after death, and the last on Nov. 21st,. The Coroner: Dear me, (on four separate occasions). Mr Armitage said there were traces of blood and other stains on the girl’s underclothing. He was definite tha‘ the girl had had,.a. male companion. K. ,\I.. Griffin, Government analyst, said he received; the contents of the stomach on October Bth, but found no traces of poison. At the luncheon adjournment, Frank llnyley, of Papamoa, the girl’s uncle, was giving evidence. On October Ist, his wife, himself, and five children besides iiis niece, Elsie Walker, went home. He kept two dogs tied up at the hack of the house. All had dinner at night hut did not remember seeing the girl again. J 1 is son Trevor went o a social evening.