AN INQUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1929, Page 5

AN INQUEST

ELSIE WALKER TRAGEDY

By Telegraph—Pei Press Association )

Continuing liis evidence, Frank ’Bayly said, of his family, his son Bill, could drive a car, Mrs Bayly could, Geoffrey could, and Trevor could. A?, far as he knew, deceased never drove it. The key missing with the car was Air Bayly’s. Witness said when his son Bill came back in September lie was married, but witness and Airs Bavly were not aware of the marriage, and witness then described a visit he made te Auckland, during which he went to see bis son Bill at Henderson, where he was working. “I bad a conversation with tic; boy,” said witness. “ I asked him if In 1 knew of tlie trouble by reading Ur newspaper, but said he had not hoard anything about if. Ho had only got ottt of there on the Wednesday before.”

Air .Meredith : Did you ask him what lie had been doing?

“No, I asked him about the key mill he said he hail left it at home.” Did you say anything about Hu A| ()lu lay ?—Not Unit I can remember Or the .Monday night?—No, well.

Air Bayly, .Monday night was a night fraught with some tragedy, and surely you discussed that night with him ?—l remember asking Bill where lie was on A!outlay night. I put it to you, you asked him at Henderson whore he was on the Afon(lay?__lt is a long time ago; I can’t remember. I would not swear I had not mentioned it.

But von did talk of it with him in tlie hoarding house when you saw him Inter? Yes. T asked him then where he was on .Monday.

Witness said Bill told him lie had been with his wife on the day of the tragedy.

According to Godlrey Bayly. he passed through the washhouse at < .3d ,ui the night tlie car disappeared, on Ids w:i'' to his room. Although he did not remember seeing the girl, he thought she was in the kitchen. TTe switched the light on in a portion ol the sleeping porch, where she slept, but slie was not there. Next morning at 0.30 witness saw from his bedroom that tlie car was gone. Witness told his father. , The Coroner: Did lie say, “Perhaps Bill has taken it”? Witness: No..

Witness said he had never seen Elsie drivt 1 the car, nor had she any opportunity t’o Earn to drive, as tar as he knew. She had never asked him to lei her have a try at driving. Mr Meredith: In fact, you would not suggest slu 1 could drive. Witness: No, she could not, as far as' I know. ' i _ The hcaring-was adjourned till tomorrow. FURTHER EVIDENCE. AUCKLAND. Jan. 11. The Elsie Walker inquest was resumed at 10 o’clock before a crowded Court. F. W. Armitage (bacteriologist) recalled. said it was impossible from a miseroseopie examination to tell the age of the stains found on the girl’s underclothing. * Trevor Bayly. aged 19, said that on the evening of the girl’st disappearance he went to a social in Tepuke in a friend’s ear. Asked if anybody else was in the car lie said he did not lemeiiibcr. On his return home to Papnmoa at 1.30 a.m. on Octolier 2nd. he noticed the family’s car was gone and asked his brother Godlrey it anyone had gone for a doctor or gone out. Godfrey replied in the negative.

Trevor did nothing more. At noon, Bill Bayly, eldest son of the family, entered the box.

Wiiliam Alfred Bayly, 22, married, said when he went back to the family home at Papamoa on September 3rd. his wife stayed in Auckland, the family not knowing he was married. When he brought his wife to Auckland on 29th. he had about £l4. He paid the marriage expenses and had no lurther money from his father than £lO, the latter, had given him (included in the £l4 above). When bo came back to Auckland from Papamoa on September 13th. he stayed two or three, nights in Epsom. He then went to Papakura and lived there near Karaka; also at Hold. He had gone from Kohi to Karaka by horse-hack, but not by ear. He came hack to the city from Papakura and stayed at a hoarding house until October 3rd.

You came in to see your wife also?

Yes, and did a little shopping. He did not go to the races and eventually got a job at Henderson at £2 Tier week with an unfurnished house. On the Sunday before Elsie’s body was found lie was at an Auckland boarding bouse, spending the day and evening with friends, returning to sleep at the hoarding house. On Monday, October Ist. lie went to see a- place at Henderson without his wife. He was there less than half an hour and saw nobody except some children wlm directed him. Ho didn’t look over the property. He could not produce anybody who saw him roundabouts, except the children.