MURDER CHARGE

Hokitika Guardian, 17 August 1931, Page 3

MURDER CHARGE

FINDING OF BODY DESCRIBED.

(By Telegraph—Per Pres* A ssociation)

WELLINGTON, August 14

Detective Frank Hayhurst said that on the afternoon of July 7, while making a search of: the plantation and reserve between Ruahirie Street arid the tip at the new recreation ground lie had'found the " shovel produced in Court. It was concealed underneath the branches of a fir tree seventy five feet frorn where the body was subsequently found! He described* tlie ’digging operation and -tlie discovery of the body. He identified the sack produced as that covering the body. The' spot 1 where the body was found was the lowest part of the gully. The body was buried under fourteen or sixteen feet-of soft clay; On the morning of July 14 witness and Detective Murray interviewed Coats in gaol, and told •him the girl’s body had been found. They told him then that medical opinion was that the girl had been murdered and that lie •would probably be charged with her murder. Coats was told that the police had been" informed that he had dug a hole at the relief works early in Jiitie, arid that lie had said it was for shelter and to bury a dog.

WHAT COATS WAS TOLD. “We told him,” said witness, “that De Maine had told us that Phyllis had agreed that he should kill her, and that early in June he and Phyllis had gone' over to the relief works and that he had hit her with a pie.ee of pipe arid stunned her. He was told he had said to De Maine that aftfer he had done it lie did not feel like doing it arid felt sorry for her. Coats was also told that De Maine had said that on Thursday, June 26, he had left De Mhine, telling him that he was going to Hataitai to ask a cobber to leave a shovel out for him. We also told him' that we had been informed that he had tried to borrow a shovel. Accused was asked if he had anything to say or any explanation to make. Accused replied, w ‘Np.; .Nothing to say.’ ” l Mr Macassey: During That-interview how did accused ;,apprar,?.y>’;V)ii; Witness; Ho seemed. quite*-cahn arid listened seriously-'to -what I.Was said. On the morning of July 16, witli Detective Murray, • witness. •' was present when accused wfis' charged with the murder of the 'girl. He was cautioned in the usual way, bptyriiacj^;.no reply. Detective Nelson William s lßaylis said that oil July 12.h0 wasf'ViGij.Detectivc Hayhurst, Acting-Detective, Hall and a police party' under Sub’"lnspector Ward at Hataitai when ,the body was.found. A line of stones appeared to have been placed there to hold the earth. :or prevent the -bodv from rolling down. A STATEMENT BY COATS.

Detective William Robert Murray said, that with Constable Smith, he interviewed Coats on the morning of July 6. That was in reference to a complaint made by .MK._SymQns in respect of a girl upon whom it was alleged that an attempt to perform an illegal operation had been made. Coats made a statement. ‘

Detective Murray was about to read tlie statement when Mr Treadwell interrupted and asked that he should he allowed to read the, statement first. It' had been made some. 'time ' before Coats was charged witK|'jaiurder. Mr Treadwell r %as" permitted to examine the statement. He then crossexamined witness as to the circumstances under which the statement had been made. Detective Murray said that a statement of eight pages hnd liken made between" 9.30 a.m. and 11/30 a.m., before which Coats had been questioned for perhaps fifteen niinutes. Detective Murray was the only one who took an active part in the interview. Pages 9 to 12 of the statement were taken in the latter part oif the afternoon, between four and five o'clock, or possibly<,between 4.30 and' p. 30. It took . about an hour. The. last two pages were, taken (between .11.15 p.m. and midnight. ;

Mr Treadwell: Well, according to my instructions he was called from his bed at eight ' o’clock 'and didn’t get back to his cell until a quarter to two the next morning, and that he was. questioned almost continuously all that time? Witness: 'That’s ridiculous;

Mr Treadwell: Well, we’ll see how ridicuous. How I ’long after making the statement did lie go to bed? ! Witness: I can only say that T charged him in the watch house at half--past one a.m. and left him.