An Innocent Girl

NZ Truth, Issue 1196, 1 November 1928, Page 7

An Innocent Girl

Walker' was an innocent girl— and an innocent girl she died!

m fact, her very innocence and her Honorable : intention to remain so _ can be said to Have been the cause, of her death. . , ' , .'.'..' ■■■.'.

For this will be\ proved— that' she was the victim of a man who h?id foully tried to assault her, and her very determination to retain her chastity led to her murder.

Audrey Bayly, cousin of tl c murdered girl, was the la*st person, so far as is known up to now, to see her alive: That was about 8 p.m., on the evening of October 1. '

That fateful evening, when the last meal of the clay was over, most of the members of the Bayly home at Papamoa retired to the spacious billiardroom,' where a bright fire glowed from the big, open fireplace.

This billiard-room is on the '" north side of. the house and practically apart, but it is linked up with the dining-room and living-rooms by a wide verandah, facing east. Next to the billiard-room is the bedroom of Mr. and Mrs. Bayly; then, m the recess between that room and another room, is a curtained-off space of approximately, twelve feet by fourteen, where Elsie slept r - the door of her uncle and aunt's room being within easy reach of her curtain, but naturally outside.

The night of October 1 was fine and calm, and .the billiard-room door was open, but — peculiarly enough — from tea-time onwards, Elsie seems to have departed from her usual custom.

She not only stayed away from the rest of the household, but kept the door at the other end of the verandah, which led into the living portion of the house arid the culinary department, closed.

It seems also that she made some point of saying that she was emptying the ash-bucket, when her restless movements were commented upon.

But she kept that further door closed, Why?

Discussing this peculiar conduct, her uncle, Frank Bayly, told "Truth's" representatives that • there were other things which he had noticed, but which he preferred not to mention.