Some More Mysterious Circumstances About Elsie Walker's Death "Don't Say Too Much; Leave It To Me; I'll Fix It."

NZ Truth, Issue 1208, 24 January 1929, Page 7

Some More Mysterious Circumstances About Elsie Walker's Death

"Don't Say Too Much; Leave It To Me; I'll Fix It."

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MYSTERY WOMAN ON ROAD

f{«TILLIAM BAYLY," called, the Wy Court clerk. At the mention of the name Of the young man who had undergone Buch a lengthy examination, every eye. turned towards the door, and followed him to the witness-box, where he was further questioned. „ ,The four .days m the city seemed to (have bleached some of the outdoor bronze from' the young man's face and he ..carried himself with perfect eelf assurance. ..-.■' V . "Some sort of suggestion has been made," commenced Lawyer North - croft, "that . you threatened your brother Trevor not to say you were" at the Bay of Plenty about the time of plsie Walker's death?" "It is absolutely unfounded," vras Bayly's rejoinder. "Mr. Bayly, I want to get a specifio answer to this: Had. you at any time ibeen on friendly or intimate terms with Elsie Walker?" -■. „.: ■.■: .-. • "It is absolutely, unfounded," was. the reply. 1 ' Bayly 'went 'on to say that he had at no time been on any kind of friendly terms with Elsie Walker-. He did not know that ■ she had contemplated leaving home; had not heard from her verbally, or m wrltin'g or on the telephone, while he had been away, and had not seen her oh October 1, or after he had left home September 13. Neith'eif .had lie.^any knowledge direct or indirect of her leaving home. " The' 'Coroner: "You were not near your: ;.boardihgrhbuse from the time you left it on Tuesday morning until you returned that night?" ... Bayly:, "No." : : Bayly was re.-examined .by Mr. .^teredith about , the watch he had m his possession. . . . • Hereplied that he had bought it between November 13 and 16. "Before ..that .1 had a wristlet watch, it was more convenient, but it, is not going now. It was not reliable." ' ■. "Has it been repaired recently?" "No, .Sir. It will go, but it is -not reliable. I have <no,t been wearing it m the last six months." ■ It was the only- watch he had till he purchased the one he now had. The . transcript, of Bayly's evidence was .handed to Mr. Hunt. - Before he commenced to read it he said to the witness, "Stop me, Mr. Bayly, if this 'is m any way Wrong." Referring' to the part of the statement i-elating to: Bayly's movements on ..Tuesday, October .2, Magistrate Hunt asked, "You were not near your boarding-house - from the time you .left it ori; Tuesday morning until you returned that night?" . "No." replied the 'witness. After, reading the reference m: the statement to the key, the coroner asked Bayly tp make . it quite clear. 7 '.'My father .said ,the police had a .Key of mine, and he asked me what, they meant," said the witness. He was requested to say when he received the £26 from his wife. He rep"cd that his wife had given .it to J-. before they were married— at >"t £13 before they were marri^;., and .£l2/5/0 after, the latter sum being money she had. received from the Education Department. The evidence of Mrs. Jordan, of Tauranga was to the effect that Elsie Walker had stayed with her for several days m Consta'npe Ivy Bayly,' wife of Frank Bayly, and aunt of the dead girl, was the next witness. '■■ '\ '■"'.. She said that Elsie, had come to the Bayly home m October, 1927, and her position was that .of companion and help, as her own daughter [ had married. Elsie had paid them one previous visit m Easter of 1927. The girl was paid 12/6 per week, and •ahe assisted, m the house. In May of 1928 she had gone home for about five or six weeks. Her only other spell away was when she stayed with Mrs. Jordan at Tauranga. After that Elsie did not spend . a night away from the house. . • ■On the fateful Monday night", .said Mrs. Bayly/Audrey Bayly arrived. Elsie had the evening meal with the family, ah.d was dressed for

that In the dress she was wearing when she was^found. She put on , the apron after the meal, for the washing-up, which she did with her cousin Tom. "How did you spend the evening?" asked Mr. Meredith. • "As far as- I can remember, we went straight to the billiard room. I know that Audrey; Mr. Bayly and Godfrey were there. Trevor came m dressed to go out. He stood and talked for a little while.- I couldn't be sure what time he went out, but it , was quite early." '.'Elsie did not come, in?" • ■ "No.- -The': last time I saw her was m the kitchen," answered witness. "What time did you all go to bed?" "I think I Avent to bed about ten thirty or eleven." . • . / "What time did the others So?" "Mr. Bayly, Audi-ey, and myself retired about the same jtime." Mrs. Bayly said she had not made any enquiry as to where Elsie was'during the evening. -She did not go to see if the girl. was m bed. "Did she spend her evenings with the family?" MV, Meredith wanted to know. ■ i "Yes," was the reply. ' "Would it be unusual for her not to make her appearance all the evening?" "Yes." . ' ■ : ' ' •■ . \ "•.."'• -.1 . "And nobddy asked where she was?" "No." ,': The next morning, continued witness, while she was still m bed she was told that the car had gone. One of the boys came, into the bedroom. Her first impression was that it was. Trevor at the door. He said, "Someone has pinched the car." "I didn't take it very seriously. Ithought he might bo \iqking. I asked him to call Elsie. They told me right away that Elsie was not there." Mrs. Bayly , said she ; communicated with the constable at Te Puke, when she got up, over the 'phone. Shetold the constable that both Elsie and the car had gone. The car was a comparatively new Whippet, and its number was 27847. There were two keys to the car and it had been the habit at first for witness to hold, one and Mr. Bayly the other, but sometimes he gave the other key to her son Bill, and up to the time of leaving Bill had the key. When -the latter went away his mother drove m with him, and brought the car back. "The key came back?" asked Mr. Meredith. "Oh, yes, naturally.** Considerable interest centred around the button which witness said'was attached to , her key. It was a biggish, flat, dark, pearl button, such as is used on women's, coats.. ■ "Did you, change that button later?" Mrs. Bayly was asked. "I can't say," she replied. "I have an idea I did." "Was this the button on' your key?" asked .Mr. Meredith walking up to the witness-box and displaying a key. with a button such' as the one described. Mrs. Bayly answered: "I am puzzled. I have a recollection of the first button

coming off and putting a button of that type on the key." ' Mr. Meredith held up the button for closer inspection :md ;isked, "Is it like the button on your key?" "No, not m the first place," said Mrs. Bayly. "On the second occasion it was a button like that." "So you're not actually certain that you did put that button on?" "No, I'm not; but. there are ones like it m the house." "After Bill went away who mostly drove?" \ "Godfrey, and L** | Describing, the practice of keeping the keys, witness explained that when Bill left she put his key m her bonnet drawer and kept her own m a little red box on her 'chest of drawers m her bedroom. She had always kept her. key there, and was m the habit of locking the car. up, but most members of the household knew where the key was kept. " . "On the morning after Elsie's disappearance the key had gone from the little red box, and the button, too, l^ said the witness. The day: when Elsie vanished had been washing day. Mrs. Bayly said she had done the washing herself. Bed Not Made After the midday meal she had gone to lie down, the washing-up being disposed of, and left Charlie (the little boy) and Elsie to amused themselves. . After Elsie's disappearance was discovered a search was made, and certain money was missing — £3 15s. of Mr. Frank 'Bayly's, and £8 belonging to Audrey Bayly, the visitor. An Ingersoll watch was also missing, but there was no food' missing that witness knew of, though she had a look. •So far as she knew, Elsie was not taking light -food, 'but just ordinary diet. There were no indications that the missing girl had taken any of her clothes away, and she had a lot of nice ones. The girl had also a. wrist watch, and that was left behind. Elsie had two or three purses, and Mrs. Bayly could not say if any of them had gone, but there was money m one of them left behind— some silver. ■-.■.- '..■■'• ' •■' Nothing else of Elsie's was missing. Elsie's- health witness described as being good generally. The only thing she 'said she had noticed was that the girl was a little breathless at times, but she was m her usual health on October 1. • Nothing had happened to upset her. ('"•'• Replying to further questions, ..Mrs. Bayly said that Elsie's habits were not the, same on Monday,* October 1. She had not made her bed before midday; she usually made it directly after breakfast. "I spoke to her about it," said the witness. "I told her to go and make it, as if anyone called it could be seen, and would look odd. She went away to make the bed, but did not do it. The bed looked as if it had been made, but it was just draped with a rug over it, and when I saw it I assumed that it

Startling Evidence Regarding Discovery of Body of Elsie Walker, Who Told Woman That She Could Drive A Car

DID DEATH DESCEND FROM THE TRAIN?

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative)

No grounds for conjecture can be left to the public of New Zealand as to the reason why the man who was last seen m the company of Elsie Walker, and who may have been responsible for her death, has not been brought to book, for the evidence at the inquest, given by certain members of the detective and uniform branches of the force, has disclosed that many things that should have been done were not done, and that the manner m which investigations were made, and possible clues pursued, displayed an amazing lack of imagination and initiative, . ; Two observations made by the coroner are significant — that he was "prepared to let the public judge for themselves," and "nothing seems to be produced. I have to drag information but myself." At the resumption of the inquest, after the last issue of "N.Z. Truth" had gone to press, some sensational evidence was given.

was made," said Mrs. Bayly. When witness examined the bed next morning it was smoothed over, but the clean sheets she had given Elsie were folded just as they had. been given to the girl. ■-• < Elsie's only other peculiar action, as related by her aunt, was that the latter foundher during the afternoon standing- at the china cupboard on a chair. When questioned, she said she thought she would tidy the cupboard. "Was she tidying it?" asked Mr. Meredith. "I don't think so," 'was the* reply. "I can't say. I was very upset next day, and can't say if she did do anything to it.". ■■"■■■. ■ ; ;■■; ;. Mrs. Bayly said she was annoyed with Elsie Cor doing this as she wanted the washing brought .m. "I said, 'You're a funny little girl. Go and bring it in'." Whenever witness drove she made a habit of taking Elsie with her on practically every occasion. Her niece wasi very interested m the car. "I remember asking her once, 'Do you think you could dri.ve a car? 1 She answered, M think I could.' My

impression was that, she couldn't. I never offered to teach her, or let her drive." Whether Elsie h;id ever .changed a tyre or seen one changed was enquired into by Mr. Meredith. Mrs. Bayly said she once had a puncture on her way to some social gathering witii a Mrs. Morton. Elsie offered to help with the puncture, said the witness, adding, "She was a very willing child." "Did you ever hear from any member of the family that Elsie could drive a' car?" asked Mr. Meredith. ■ . , "Not previous to 1 her disappearance," was the answer. "Later I heard from Charles,, my small son (aged 4). I had said to Constable Jackson, who asked me if Elsie could drive a car; 'not to my knowledge.' ''Charles, who was sitting on mf knee, said, 'Her can drive; her drove it when you were down at the station.' "I said, 'Can she; Charlie?' and he said, 'Her backed it out of the shed to the water tap.' (The distance was given* as about fifty feet.) , ■'; ' ' "What for?" Mr. Meredith wanted to know. , "I can't say the boy said what she did. I fancy he said she washed it, and put it back again." Benzine . was • last i taken m on, Sep-' tember"27- when Mrs. Bayly drove 'the car to Te Puke, and three gallons were put m the tank at. Grainger's garage. Nobody drove the car, unless surreptitiously, from Thursday night to Sunday night when Mrs. Bayly drove to church at Te Puke. Elsie 1 Walker did not draw her allowance regularly, and she had £10 flue to her. She made no request for money just prior to October 1. When she went to Tauranga she was' given 30/- and gave £1 back to her aunt when she came home. ■■" < , "I ' think she was happy," said the witness, "but I do 1 not think she was contented. I think she was happy with everything to make her so, but I think she was always waiting for big things to happen." Mr. Hunt: "Visions of youth, eh?" "Exactly," agreed Mrs. Bayly". When they went to Rotorua witness* son Bill drove, and they went by Paengaroa and to the- right. Elsie had often said she wanted to go to Auckland but there w,as nobody for her to go with, said her aunt. She had no male friends that witness knew of and she had rio sweetheart— Mrs. Bayly was quite convinced of that. She did not know of Elsie getting any letters from anyone but her own family, with the exception of a wellknown name m Opotiki. "She wrote to a young fellow there, but there was nothing secretive about it," said witness. "Do you remember her telling you she had injured her head?" Mr. Meredith asked. . The witness remembered the occasion. Elsie had told her she had bumped her head on the billiard room window, but witness did not think it was a serious m jury ,■ and the girl was not ill over it. She .carried, .oh her duties as usual on the following Saturday and Sunday. '- Mxv Northcroft announced that as there had been some sort of suggestion that Elsie was left to sleep out on the

verandah, he intended to clear that matter up. Mrs. Bayly explained that the place- which was curtained oft: for the 'girl was a real sleeping porch and that guests had slept- there. "I think," said the witness, "that it is* the nicest part of the house." Elsie's principal companions m her youth had been Maoris, explained witness, as her home was m a very remote part of the country, and the idea of her coming to Papamoa was to get her into a better environment. She was with them essentially as a member of the'family.

Mrs. Bayly said that Elsie had : had

many opportunities of observing the mechanism of the car. Referring to the girl's mental development she remarked: "She was a child, Mr. Northcroft." After Elsie's disappearance, when the family were having a look around the house, Godfrey found a letter to her sister Anne; m which she had said that the day before was her birthday. This letter, which Mrs. Bayly described as a happy little one, was dated about ten days before the girl disappeared. Mrs; Bayly told how enthralled Elsie was at Audrey's conversation about Auckland, and about having, seen Kingsfprd Smith. Stoicism ■ was one\pf the girl's characteristics; her .aunt said she had never seen' her shed a tear. Evidence was given by the witness regarding a. biunp which Elsie had sustained from the open window of the billiard-room on the Saturday prior to the ' fateful. Monday. Mrs. Bayly said she had bumped her head m the same way,- but she did not remember it breaking the skin of her -head. . Mrs. Bayly was shown two articles of clothing, said to have belonged to Elsie Walker. The witness said she did not i*ecognize either of them. She was- positive that one of the garments had not belonged to the , dead girl. "No garments m that condition left my house; I'm sure of that," declared Mrs. Bayly. In regard to Elsie's character, Mrs. Bayly described her as a tidy, clean and. honest girl. "There's nothing you can tell me to help me?" asked the coroner. "No, Mr. Hunt, it's a mystery to me," replied witness. "Any inquiry you wish to have made, I'll make," continued Mr. Hunt. "You can suggest nothing?" "No." ' ■ " While giving evidence, Audrey Bayly lent a touch of color to the, courtroom. She wore a summer frock and a pretty hat. She gave her address as Upland Road, Remuera. Before her arrival at Pat>amoa. she said, 4 she was ten days, at Brent's, Rotorua, and had gone to Papamoa by service car, leaving the thermal centre at one o'clock on October 1. On reaching the farm she went straight 1 to her room, and placed her handbag on a sewing machine m her room. There was £7 os. l%d. m, it. Before the evening meal she went into

the kitchen with her aunt, to be introduced to Elsie, but the girls had no conversation then or at dinner. • After dinner, witness said, she went into the kitchen to get a drink of water. "Elsie followed me into the kitchen through the door I now know to be the wash-house. I told hei 1 I wanted a drink of water and she handed me a glass. The first thing she said to me was that she had been emptying si bucket, but she had 'ho bucket with her. I didn't go into the wash-house myself. "Elsie took the empty glass and said she would dry it .herself, and I went back' to the billiard-room." Audrey Bayly did not see her cousin again. She went to bed about 9.30 p.m. and her aunt and uncle went at the same time. . While m the billiardroom she heard nothing to attract her att'entiqn. .. .;• . The next morning, related witness, she was asked if she had missed any of her money, and she then found that she had lost every penny she had with her— seven one-pound notes and the penny

Dead Girl's Character Very Good

r and halfpenny. A key m the centre compartment of the purse had been taken out and put into another compartment. ,■•'.. ; . Except that Elsie was exceptionally quiet, did not speak, and had a slight giggle, there was nothing peculiar m Elsie's manner, replied. the witness to .Lawyer Mowbray. Nobody commented -on the girl's absence from the billiard-room. "They were all really interested m what I was saying," said the witness. "We were talking family matters, and nobody noticed her absence." Asked by the coroner what she had seen of Trevor, Audrey replied: "He

came m for a little while and went to a dance." ■Mrs. Bayly, who- had been m an ante-rooni- .examining, the articles of clothing which she had not recognized as having belonged to the dead girl, returned to. the wi,tness-box. . - ,' ','Can you recognize the garment now?" Mr. Hunt asked her. : 'Mrs.'. Bayly:. "No. I have never seen it before. I cannot recognize it as being among Elsie's clothes. One garment found on her looks too old for sflk bought m August." '• (Elsie had had some silk bought for her m that month to make some underclothes.) . There was a sewing-machine m the house, Mrs. Bayly said, but the girl did not use it. ■ "Godfrey went- back. -He saw the light on m the kitchen and J went back with him." said Thomas Bayly, the boy of 11, giving evidence. When lie had helped Elsie to Avash up. after reading a little time m the billiard-room, he weTit to bed about 8.30 p.m. "I don't think Godfrey put the light out m the kitchen. I never went into the kitchen, and, I didn't look into Elsie's room." ' • ' . The boy said he thought Elsie was a bit angry while they were washing up together, and she was quieter than usual. Whether the girl was m her sleeping quarters or not later, he could not say, and Godfrey did not call out to her, or turn her light on, as far as he could remember, or say if she was there or not. He had never seen Elsie drive a car. He neither saw : nor heard anyone about that night. The chief feature of Mrs. Dorothy V. Teague's evidence was her statement that at Mrs. Morton's, about three weeks before Elsie died, she had confided m the wit-^ ness that she could drive a car. |l Some of those present were Mrsst Morton, Mrs; Burquest, Mrs. Mason* arid a son and daughter of Mrs. Mor-; ton's. . "• ;. ' ' "Elsie asked me how I had got there. I said I had ridden m a car. She grabbed me by the arm and said that she could drive a car. She made the remark very quietly, and no one else was close to us. I just tookfit as natural, as so many girls can drive." Mr. Hunt: Who brought you into this case? ' Witness: Detective Kelly. • Charles De Renzy Walker, father of

the dead girl, said that m August, 1927, he had arranged for her to go to her aunt's, at Papamoa. He thought the change would do her good. His family consisted of three boys and three girls, and his home is m the remote district of Cape Runaway, at Ruakakura. The tone of Elsie's letters was quite all right while she was at- Papamoa. He had received a letter from his girl dated September 5, m which she ex- 1 pressed the intention of going home foi* Christmas, and she hoped she would see her father at Te Puke m October. ..." In this letter Elsie had mentioned that Bill was being married to a very nice girl. , • No boys were connected with Elsie's life so far as her father knew. Their, home was a lonely place,: and 'While there she never knew anyone outside some friends of his own. If she could drive a. car she must have learnt singe she had left her home. He had last seen her m May at Te Kaha, and she had; made no. complaints. ■.— .■ ■ "She was quite content: and happy,

and she said she had plenty of money. I gave her £3 and she again said she had plenty, and she had not drawn any from her aunt." "There was no suggestion of rancour or bitterness m her mention of Bill's marriage?" the Bayly lawyer inquired. Walker replied there was no such suggestion. The only person who noticed the runaway car standing m Station Road. Papatoetoe Road, on the morning of October 1 seems to have been Mrs. Christina Anderson, who said she saw it first about 9.50 a.m. She did not remember looking m that direction before that particular morning, and she could not say how lpng it had been there when she noticed it. It remained -there , all day Tuesday and was taken away on Wednesday morning by Constable Maloney. . The car was headed towards . Great South Road, and was on its proper side. She had never seen anyone near it, and she got interested when she saw the police taking it away. •- t ■ •"Constable Maloney told the court

that with Butler m it he .had driven the car to Butler's garage on the Wednesday morning. ' "'I examined it and found a spare tyre lying up against th.n back seat. It had the rim attached and was punctured. There was a .jack on the floor, but I noticed no other tools or the handle which screws the nuts off. "All the curtains were up and it appeared to have travelled. The ; curtains on the driver's seat were | attached to the doors. There didn't ■ appear to be anything wrong and ?• I didn't examine it minutely. I \ had no notice to then of the I, car being missing." Mr. Hunt: "When did you first hear of the car being missing?" "When I rang up the head station," was the answer. There was enough petrol m it to take it to the station — about a quarter of a gallon. "They- told me a car of that number was reported missing by the Hamilton police," said the constable. ■■■''. , Mr. Hunt: "Did they by chance i tell you that a girl was missing?" | Witness: "No, sir." \ f Mr. Meredith: "When did you |f first know that a girl was miss- $' ing?" I "I don't think I got the notice %; ■ until the girl's body was found on . October 6," was the astounding reply. ' At that time the car was still m the garage, and it was then he understood that the car came from the same place as the girl. - "Did you have a look at the car?" After a long pause the constable replied: "I met Mr. Butler and he told me that the detectives were coming out. 1 didn't examine it myself." The witness could not say when the detectives examined the car. Mr. Meredith produced a "police circular dated October 8 which gave some scanty details of the girl's disappearance and the finding of the body at Panmure. The circular suggested that she might have driven the car herself. >. Constable Maloney said he might have got the circular abbut the 10th, but the sergeant at Otahuhu may nave rung him up on October 8. Dr. E. P. Spencer, of the Auckland Hospital, told the court that he had happened to be at the morgue, with Dr. Noakes, when he saw the nude body of the dead girl., ' ; .; . :■■ '■•-: ' "All I remember," said the doctor, "as the result of a casual glance, were marks on the left cheek and the right jaw, which looked like bites. I observed no injury likely to cause death." Michael Butler, garage . proprietor of Papatoetoe, acting under instructions from the police, ;took the car to his garage on the morning of Wednesday, October 3, he told the court." He made no very careful examination of the car, and only looked to see if there was any benzine. In his own wjordsV "There; was a fair good drop," .The car was m good running 1 order. There' were ho' marks of a collision on it. ■:■ ;' ' - ■ •-■ .■■■v. ■■•.■ ". : : ■-■■ /'■. •"-. .-■- In reply to Mr. North croft, witness could. not give an 1 opinion whether the puncture m the spare tyre found m the back compartment was new or Old./ ' ' ■"■■ • ■ . ■■ ''. ' ,:'■'. ■ .-: .■ ;■ It was some days afterwards when j he was first asked, about the . car by

the police. He thought he was asked about it by Detective Kelly.

"I was. looking for a bunny's nest, and I went to see if they; were; big enough to take away,*' was the opening statement of an Intelligent little boy of eleven years, James Maurice Thompson, who found the body. .With him at the time was Dick. Pye; "What did you see?"asked Mr. Meredith. "■'■'■,' "I saw a girl's legs sticking out of the bushes. I thought she was asleep, and I went an.d, told my uncle." . Stephen Carter, laborer, of Panmure, said that the boy Thompson had gone to his sister's house about 7 p.m. and told what he had seen. "I thought it was strange," Carter said, "that a little girl should be lying m the scoria, asleep". I had some trouble m finding the place, and we got there about twenty minutes past seven." "All I ' could see," said Carter, describing his arrival at the spot,, "were her shoes and about six inches of her two legs sticking out of the bush. I called to her. I got up closer and struck a match. ... : "Then I saw there was no movement. I did not touch the body; I went for a constable. "Her two feet were together," witness went, on. "Her knees were bent up. She was on her stomach, and leaning a bit towards the west, slightly on her left side; her 'left arm thrown out m front, and her right down beside, her." # The coroner' ,' asked Carter to pose -the boy Thompson on the floor of 4 the court m the position m which the body of the girl was found. The boy lay on the floor, and Carter arranged his limbs, while the court craned to see this dramatic tableau. The boy's knees being bent toward the east, ' Carter took the boy's head and turned his face • half downwards m the opposite direction to the west. It was. then, seen that the position, m which the girl's body was found was not' natural to a person m repose. ' ; . "Just like that," Carter said, "as „ if she had been thrown iri." ; ; "A very good illustration," remarked Mr. Meredith. /••' -1.. .' "The scrub over and around r the body," Carter continued, "waslnot broken down or pulled over the body. It was close to her, and there was no open place, as if .; there had been a struggle there. : X . • "You'd never have seen her if her, feet had been m another six inches.' I saw no blood until we got the torches. I knew, she was_dead." After he had I '' informed Constable. Collins, then of Panmure.j Carter went back to the scene' with ..the constable.. The constable had' his torch, and this was supplemented before , they touched, the body with another tine borrowed from the Knox Home. : ''■■'} "I crawled, in,"' related Carter, detailing the gruesome task, "with the constable's torch, and while he lifted her shoulders by the coat 1 looked at her face. ■'■ • . ■ v ' : •. '; ;

"I told the constable the state her face was m, and how it- was cut about, and he. went and rang up the detectives from the Kno's Home. "We went hack again to the body— Collins,- myself and Little's man, the undertaker's assistant. "Little's man got hold of one leg and I of the other, and we drew the -body out of the bush, face downwards. • "We turned her over on her back and lifted her into !■ the coffin. I went with the bbdyto the morgue. "I did not .notice any blood until I returned to the .place with the detectives." ' • .- ' ; ; ■ ; In reply tp the coroner . Carter said: Her overcoat was. buttone.d up. Her pinnie was sticking' out of the overcoat neck opening like a' false front." ; '■• ' •, „ V: " r'-:- \-[ •."'.. ; ' To questions by Mr. Meredith, witness said: I noticed that the handkerchief Which we fbiind by her right hand was stained with blood when we arrived at the ..morgue.. V " '.',.'"■'■■' .''/■■'• : - v - / - "•■"•.■'■"'.'•'. '- Coroner Hunt was anxious to know when the detectives first made, their tardy appearance to view the body at the morgue, for they had ' not thought it worth while to go out and view the body m the scrub. "'■*&■■•'' ■ ■ .- - <rf^ - Lot of Bloocl "It might be 9 or 10 p.m.," said Carter. "I know we had' to wait an hour, and had to "ring again. Then they came, had a. look at the body, and stripped it, cutting off such clothing as was fastened with tapes and strings. *' : : ■ "I , saw. blood for the first time when they stripped her. I noticed none on her dress— then." . . \ » The witness" went on to tell how, on. returning with the detective's to .the spot where the body had been found, he crawled m and' had, a good look at the . place where the girl's face, had been, with the aid of torches. "..."' Askedo how much blood he' saw, Carter cupped his two hands and then, seizing some deposition papers from the table beside him, he folded them to illustrate an area about the size of .a breakfast plate.,; . ; v/ "There was 'blood," he said; "around the edges of the depression* m which Elsie's face had rested, but the deeper stain was iri the hollow. It looked dry to me: it 'didn't appear to be newly-shed blopd.'^v . Lawyer Northcroft • asked detailed questions about' the position of the body, and. the/ relative position 7of the scrub concealing her. • , Carter adhered to his conviction ■■•.'; ijhat the body had, been throWn. m, though hey granted .that the : girl could have crawled m, or have been pushed in.' , lt was possible; but It was not his opinion. "You found the handkerchief about a foot away from her. right hand?" queried Mr. Northcroft. Carter replied: "She would drop it as she was. thrown- m." As to the marks on her face, he saidi "She looked to me to have a swelling- under her right eye, and her hose was full of ' blood as if she had

been bleedings at:thfi nosej;; There was no other blood l?iiit that; I . beneath her head where : wJis lying."- . . " ! To Mr. •Meredith:' 'l; -Her nose had blood on it ariii was tivisted. It may have been lying/on it that did that, or a. b10w.,. „, - ■■■;..' . ■...-.'. -".:,,.■ Much of Constable -ChaiOfis Edward Collins' s evidence was on the same lines as;-' that.pf Cartel', the chief difference'beiri^that:he wag. positive that the' girl-'s,,le;g:s showing from the thighs downwards. . "My opinion., was," remarked the constable, "-that it was either a case of ■V/siMcide' >v Or/ -"death from natural 'causes', ,'This I Judged from the position' of the "body, n af ter I had looked round to see if thfere was anything to indicate suicide,.., bUtS^saw nothing. When. l rahg^tKthje* detectives I gave them this opinion. :^i; „ ''-I was ■•ilifeiivins.tr'Sqted to bring the body m, and liittle's -man arrived. It was nqt "a pleasant, sight," said the officer,. ''so we took it into the morgue." V,~ ; .ftwa_s necessary 'to: ring up the detectiv^bffice. again before any detectives came 'to the"* morgue. Detective Waterson, and Plain-clothes ConstableBowman, then appeared on "the scene. '■I practically handed over to them," said the constable, ' r a'nd'' they ■stripped the body/ .A. doctor who came 'm casually had a look'at it. JI . •:■;.' No money was. found m the clothing with the exception of a letter to one of the.; Bayly boysi giving an address at Claudelands, Hamilton, and -a handkerchief m one of the pockets of the overcoat. * ■ ■ . . .-..■ ■■"<■' !; .Questioned as to the position m which the girl was found, -the; con-> stable gave it as his opinion that she had -crawled Cinder the fscrubi. 1 "I knew nothing, about the -missing girl," .replied the constable^ to Jlr. ijunt, '"'but 1 thought the body might be that of one of two women advertised as missing m the 'Star.' The. back of the coat was as if it had been pulled up to shelter the head from the weather — the collar half way up the head." . To Mr. Northcroft, the -constable said he thought it, would be an imposisibility to get the body; m the position m which it was found, after death, -■\yithoutbi"eaking down sonic of t-He 'scrub.'' ' : ." "'.:.' ■ - ■ ; i r ou came to that conclusion .after examination with torches m the dark, and. by lifting the-.head up," commented, the Coroner, "it is the usual thing, when a case is taken over, for a detective to 'make a : report." "I expected the. detective to make a report," said : the constable. U I handed the case over to them." "You knbw\ your, reguiations, don't you?" the coroner asked;' ■ "Yes," the constable replied. - "You know, a body: should not! be touched until an order from the coroner has been obtained;?" ■:;,,; i" Mr; Hunt read from regulation No. 308 the. section relating ltd such matters. •" ■"•"-""". .•'•',:>':'' ' v '- :: .-:. : ; '"': ~ : '■.■ "Well, I ,knb\r ; ; the fegrulation. I obeyed instructions," said the constable. Mr. Hunt: You had no idea of this missing girl? . Witness: No. They don't tell the constables anything. : : Constable Collins said he? saw some stains oh the ciothing. ;„. . ... -• ,V . "I say. that's wrong," said Constable '. Collins when: the coroner told him that Carter. and the boy had. said that only Elsie's feet and about six inches of leg were visible. The constable* remarked: "I know a man who.;,. was m that district -all Thursday, and he saw no sign of the body." ; ' v * -.- Though -electric torchesiwere m use. when Elsie's" body" 'was discovered,: .-Frederick- A. Coppin, assistant to liittle and Son, undertakers, said that they were not strong — certainly not as strong as they should have been. / .; The body, ih' his opinion, was only visible from the knees downwards. Both of the -girl's hands were resting "on the. back of. the hips." '. v"l thought it looked mysterious,"! . said Coppin. "I was impressed that the girl had. not crawled m, but had been thrown m. The : position did not look right. It - didn't look as if there ha.d. been • any struggle.".. —

ON arrival at the morgue with Constable Bowman, he found Golt lias, Doctors NOakes and Spencer, and others. He stripped the body and examined it all over. "The face," he said, "appeared to be badly eaten and had the appearance of oeihg badly knocked about. The left eye appeared to be swollen. There was olood m the hair above the right eye. i couldn't see the wound." Having identified the clothing m court, Detective Waterson said that one of the handkerchiefs exhibited was that found m the overcoat. The initials on it were G.N.L.8.; this identified it as being one of Godfrey Bayly's. He noticed the bloodstains when removing the clothing. The stains were dry. All the clothing was damp, and it was necessary ' to dry it all next day m the sun. Next morning he showed the stains to the chief He was certain that the shoulder-straps on the petticoat were broken when he saw them on the body. "What did you do with the clothing?'^ asked Mr. Meredith. Watergon: I wrapped it up and took lit back to the chief-detective. The chief- detective was handed Elsie's clothes at 9 a.m. on the Saturday, and the written report at 3 p.m. on the same date. The detective told how he searched the records that night and came to the conclusion that the body was that of the missing girl. Telephone communication with Te Puke verified this. Explaining his action m taking the clothing: from the morgue, Waterson said that the regulations laid down Jhat the clothing should be taken charge of. "I came to the conclusion that she had met her death by violence, and I took, charge of her clothing according to regulations." That he had soon a woman walking towards Otahuhu m the early dawn, while still practically dark,.-' about the time of Elsie Walker's disappearance, was the evidence of I Joseph Butler, carrier, of Mount Albert. , He aaw the woman at Papatoetoe a few days before he read about the finding of Elsie Walker's body, about a mil© from where the car was found. He could not describe the woman. t _ • . • • ■ Young Woman David Baldwin, road board employee, of Panmure, gave evidence to the effect that about 8.15 a.m. on Tuesday, October 'M while driving a steam-rojler at the intersection of Domain and Panmure Roads, about half a mile from Panmure, he had seen a young woman, walking rapidly towards Panmure. He was travelling about five miles per hour, and was turning the roller when she tried to cross ahead of him, and then drew back. The girl was wearing a brown overcoat, and it did not seem a cp&t a woman would wear. It was thrown back over her shoulders and th.c sleeves were long. She ■ also , wore, said the. observant driver, a red, di a taond-shaped apron, knd her dress was of wide- red. and blue stripes. She wore cream-colored stockings of heavy material, and grey or dirty-r white sand shoes, worn or frayed on the. edges. Sh,e was not carrying anything. . Her hair was dark brown, short and straight. . . She appeared to be a well-built young woman, strong, and about five feet tall. Seeing the door of the morgue open and several persons inside was what induced ; Dr. Lionel Barry Noakes to enter. There-was a body on the slab. The wounds on the face and arms he attributed to animals, and those on the faoe to decomposition. "I thihk," saiti the doctor, "there wore signs of a blow upon the cheek." Detective-sergeant Thomas Kelly, who had charge of the 'case,' was the next witness. The detective said that the first intimation he received about the missing car and Elsie Walker was on October 3. He and Detective O'Sullivan and Adtihg-detective Davies called on. the glfrl's friends at Epsom. They enquired for Elsie at Mrs. Barter's, Epsom, and Mrs. McAllum's, Glenalvon, on October 4. Both of these ladies were the girl's aunts. : A circular was sent out on October 3 to all sub -stations as far as Mercer, and ' from the Hamilton office to the Waikato district without result. ■ The witness said that he heaM of the body being found about 8.30 p.m. on October 5. \ Detective Kelly, was asked what proceedings he .then' took. ■ ■': "I jtold, the constable to view the body," he replied; "and under no circumstances "to remove it until he reported. About 9.30 ij.m. I received aj telephone message from Constable Collins, notifying me of hia investigation. , ,He said that the girl appeared to have crawled, m where she was found and that there was no sign of violence, and that it was a case of death by suicide or natural causes.,. ' Button In Gar Later, • said the detective, he instructed Collins to bring the body m. Witness said that he met the chiefdetective m the morgue about 8.15 on the Saturday morning. Dr. Murray also came. to the morgue and made an examination of the corpse. "After the examination there was a conversation between Dr. Murray and Mr. Hammond beyond my hearing. I then came back with the chief-detec-tive-to the detective office, and left, with Detective Waterson and Mills for the place where the body was found, f or the purpose of ihifiklng inquiries. A thorough search was made for the purpose of seeking weapons or bottles which may have contained poison. "I suspected poison because of the dark stain beside the mouth." Questioned regarding the clothes, Detective Kelly said: "I. did not examine them all, but some of them." He noticed the blood marks on them. "Why didn't you tell the doctor then and there?" as.ke'd -Mr. Meredith. "I didn't tell the doctor because the chief-detective told me that the doctor had told him that therf were no signs of the girl being interfered with, and that he .suspected poison." , Detailing his inquiries at PanrrVure and Papatoetoe, Where the car was examined for blood marks or signs of scuffle, the detective said he picked up a large button m the front portion of the car. "What about finger-prints?" asked Mr, Hunt. ' "Tlie car was all dust-stained," said the detective. "How about the Jack?" "That is a question," replied Kelly, "which should not be discussed m a crowded court." . , Detective" Kelly went on to say that he had typed out a memo, m regard to the missing car^and gii'l, which was circulated to -sub-stations. •■'•- The cor onei* • asked for the . report, which should have set out the circumstances of the case for his information. The detective gazed around the court,, but the report did not make its appearance. The coroner then looked in-

quiringly at Mr. Meredith, who said: "I haven't got one." "No, there isn't one," said the coroner. "In that report," observed Mr. Hunt, "you stated that you suspected the girl had a .male companion with hen" "Yes," replied Detective Kelly. He said he took a statement from Prank Bayly at the detective ofhee after 1 p.m. on October 7. "Didn't you ring Mr. Frank Bayly Up on the Saturday?" "Yes. I rang him up m connection with the message from Constable Jackson that he had a key of their car, and I wanted to know from Mr. Bayly Under what circumstances that key had been obtained." "Your opinion was that the girl had abandoned the car with five miles ot petrol m the tank?" "I am unable to say what was . m her mind," said the detective, adding that the police had -traced the movements of various cars. seen m the vicinity, and had been satisfied with the results except m the case of one. That was a car which a man named Duff had reported he had seen alongside the stone fence on ' the afternoon of October 2. Duff had also reported that he had seen I a man coming out of the paddock. "This man appeared to be buttoning up part of his clothing. He was seen about 300 yards' away. He had his coat off. Th 6 car was not tracedKelly said he arrived at Te Puke on October 17 to carry on his investigations, but, though the district was thoroughly combed, he obtained no information of anybody having seen the car. Elsie Walker had never been seen m the company of any man m the district except when she went to a dance with Trevor and Reg. Lees. Her reputation was that of a quiet, nice, wellbehaved and clean girl. ' The guard of the train from Tauranga told him that the train , stopped that night at Papamoa, but whether it was a parcel, or a passenger, that was put off he could not say. "I found no trace of a passenger getting off." "It was fifteen days after the finding of the girl's body that you were asking about it?" observed the coroner. Kelly said he obtained a detailed statement of William Bayly's movements from him, relating to the Mon-

day. on which Elsie disappeared. "I made certain inquiries, but I could not find a great deal to support his statements." "What did you expect to find and could not verify?" asked Mr. Northcroft. "I found that on that afternoon, with his wife, he had called at the Electric Power Board's office m Wellesley Street. He told me he had paid an account there." "Did you find his wife had paid an account at the E.P. Board's office?" "I am satisfied that an account was paid. It was given to Mrs. Bayly .to pay," replied the detective. » "Have you ascertained," asked Mr: Hunt, "the fact that William Bayly accompanied her there?" Kelly replied: "Mrs. Bayly said that ! her husband was there. 'I was not table to prove it." . ' "You believed her," asked the coroner. ;: "Yes." said Kelly. "Did you inquire from the milliner's shop?" . "He could not tell me the milliner's shop. I told him there, was some comment on his movements. Hetold me the street it was m." "Did you ask him to accompany "you to the shop where his wife had bought the hat?" - "No. He told me he did not know." "Did you invite him to go to Karangahape Road with you and show you the shop?" "No. He, Said they went to a picture show, and he named the picture, 'The Rejuvenation of Aunt Mary,' and 1 that was . true. This was Monday morning." ■ . . . ■ Answering further questions, Kelly said that Bill Bayjy told ' him he had tea at Cook's dining rooms, but had had meals at different dining r boms at different times, and he had difficulty m recollecting exact occasions .and places of such meals. . Bill Bayly's answers to various questions which Kelly said he had j asked him some weeks later were consistent with those given on the first occasion. He had been unable to find, anybody who had seen or heard of Bayly being m the Te Puke or Papamoa district that Monday, and thfe detective would be inclined to say that it was not practicable for him to have been there without being seen by someone. '■:... ..,'.-. Kelly said he had satisfied himself as to the movements- of the family. - Trevor's companions. veri-. fied the fabt that he was at a private.dance, and independent.evidence . had proved that Trevor returned home about 1.30 on October 2. ... •■ ' ;,'■ .•;.. ■ ■ , : - ■ :.- ---"I took eleven pages of statement from M.rs. Bayly," said the detective, "bi^t did not discuss thati" . • "Did you find out that Bayly paid the account at the Electric Power Board's office?" ' "Only from Mrs. Bayly junior." | "Did you verify Bill Bayly's movements at Glehalyon from any of the house staff?" •

What Bill Bayly Said When Told About Elsie Walker's Death CONSTABLE JACKSON'HsENSATIONAL EVIDENCE

"I came to the conclusion that she had met her death by violence." This, one of the most striking statements made at the inquest on Elsie Walker, by any police officer* was uttered by Detective Waterson. This detective received instructions from Sergeant Clist to go to the morgue and examine the body of Elsie Walker. "My instructions," he said, "were that there Was a body at the morgue with signs of injuries, and a detective was required there. "

"I Interviewed just one housemaid," said the detective, "and took a statement. She told, me that William Bayly occupied a room m the annexe, arid it was her duty to take around the morning cup of tea to the guests, and that though she had not a distinct recollection of Bayly being m the room, she was inclined to believe that he was for two reasons — that if the bed had not been slept m it would have come forcibly to her notice, arid that if she had had a cup of tea over, she would have noticed it. "The houseihaid, whose name is Leggo, came to the detective office about a month luter, and seemed to be very much perturbed. She was m that state . . then that she could not definitely state whether Bayly had Slept m. that room or not." [ , the only, persons he had interviewed, said Kelly, at Glenalvon, were Mr, Wilson, Mrs. McAllum and Mrs. Leggo, and he went on to answer that it was probably a week later when he checked up Bill's . movements at Henderson. He went , out once before, but was told the man on the farm was away. The CoVoner: Can you explain to me Why the clothes were not handed over to the bacteriologist before? "They were handed over to Petective Hammond." replied Kelly, "I was away, i went away on October 17. The Coroner. I'll find out , before we finish- • .'.'■■. *■•■' Evidence as to petrol consumption by a car identical with that of the

Whippet car which conveyed Elsif from Te Puke to the gates of death was given by Reginald Charles MeMasters. He said that the car would dc thirty miles to the gallon If m goo< running order, under ordinary conditibns, over average roads, on a gooc long-diatance drive. The tank holds six and a-half Imperial gallons and a full tank should do 195 miles, but ii was impossible as a rule to get a full tank. The capacity would probably be nol quite six and a-half, and 185 miles would thus be about the distance available. The tank of the Bayly's car when found contained two to twe iand a-half pints approximate measure. ' Answering Mr. Northcroft, McMasters said it would be possible for the driver, or a passenger, to strike his head on the bow of the hood if passing over a bump m the ,-roud, and the mileage to the gallon might be something less if the car were lightly loaded and well-driven. William Alfred Dobbs, dairy farm Worker, said that Bayly arrived a'l Mrs. Edward's farm .on Wednesday] and that he s?nv no sign of Bayly or the Monday, when he" said he had gone there, although it was quite possible to see the house , frorn^ the orchard, where Dobbs was planting pumpkins. Two men visitors came to the' .-. - farm on Sunday, r ~~ October ' 7, and late ' m the evening, Dobbs said,- Bayly came to him and said he had "got into serious trouble" and Avould have to go to Tauranga. Bayly asked Mrs. Edwards also if she minded h,im going. Bayly came back four days later and stayed over a week, but his wife never car«ie back. The visit of the two men , was of about four hours' duration. Recalled, Dr. Murray gave it as his opinion that the bruise on Elsie's head was not inflicted two or three days before death. Indications were that it was recent. • . / Mr. Northcroft: Were you interviewed by a representative of "Truth" 1 ! "No," replied the doctor. Dr. Giilmer also was recalled. He was strongly of the opinion that the bruise was not inflioted 36 hours before death, and the girl could not have walked any distance after a blow of that nature. The injury indicated damage to the .brain itself. "Were you interviewed by a representative of "Tx-uth"? asked Lawyer Northcroft. "No,"' replied the doctor. "Because," added the lawyer, "they seem to have certain knowledge from that report." . . Constable Alfred John Jackson, of Te Puke, said he was informed of the disappearance of the. car on the Tuesday morning about 8 a.m. by telephone message from the -Bayly hohle as a result. of which he went put to Papa-

IC*avft of f!mr

Recent Bruise

moa and Interviewed Mr. and Mrs. Bayly. Later m the day he communicated the information to the surroiihd- . Ing districts. i "When I telephoned to the other : stations," Jackson, "I said the" girl might be accompanied by a , man.- • i "On Saturday, about 3.40 a.m., a ;■ message came to say that the girl's s body had been found. I went to the ! Baylys about 7 a.m. I got a state- : ment from Mr. and Mrs. Bayly then. When. I .went out again about 11 a.m. i Mr. Bayly had gone, and I took any other statement from. Mrs. Bayly. [ "It was th,en that I found that Wil- . liam Bayly was missing; he was m Auckland. "I got possession of one of the keys of the car, and Mrs. Bayly said one was missing : — that ——————————— one W as hers. It I had been taken from a little fed box, . and she produced Bill's. She told me , how Bill had left his key m th,e car ! when he went away/ Juckson said he telephoned the Hamilton police and told them about the ; key and Bill being absent. i "I told them where, he was about 10.30 p.m. on Sunday night, September i 30. I told- them I suspected him. I [ tcfld them the father had left by the 1 o'clock train for Auckland, and would ! arrive there about .11,. p.m. that jplght, and for the police to tell the deteVtives m Auckland to get Bill Bayly at once before the father arrived. If he ar- ! rived m Auckland before they got Bill they'd never find out anything about t the case. ■ ; "I told them," continued the con-

-3 stable, "that he was a shrewd man, , was Mr. Bayly. This was at three m - the afternoon. "After that I didn't seem to hear any j more." He added: "Later I got a crime I report, and the next day after that De- . tective Kelly arrived." I ""They told you nothing about the 3 missing money?" Mr. Hunt enquired, i "No, not at the first interview. \ "\ formed the impression that there was something wrong on the Wednesday. Mr. Bayly wouldn't 1 let his wife say anything. He was 3 sitting m si' chair' between his wife 5 and myself. He tfaid to his wife: 5 'Don't tell him too much, mother; ' leave it all to me, I've got more brains than you have.' "I told him to leave his wife alone ! and tit would be quite all right. He • said, 'These women are all ngnt, but ! they've got no brains.' He chipped m ; after that but not so bad as we went . on." [ "I got- the statement, and got her to sign it. Then she wanted, to withdraw l tiie information that tne ear had been - (oported missing, when she knew it was found. I told her this would not [ be fair to the police, or the" public, as > the man wiio hud stolen it might .lit* > arrested. Even then I did not know the son was miss- - ing. It was. only m Mr. Bayly's absence I found out that the son was missing-." "What did they say about Elsie Walker having driven the car?" asicou I Mr. Huht. ''They pooh-poohed the whole idea," was Jackson's reply. "They poohpoohed the child's idea, too. . "Then Mr. Bayly said, 'Leave it to me, mother, I'll fix it.' "I wanted to know how he could fix it? He said, 'I have some influential friends'." Describing an incident when Detective Kelly arrived at Pupuiuoa, Jaokson said, '"Mr. Bayly, after I had introduced him to -Kelly, salll, 'I've a complaint to lddge i against Constable Jackson.' "I said, 'What's your complaint, Mr. Bayly?' "He said, 'You came to my place :n my absence, and took one of the keys of my car. By seizing the key of my car you've cast a suspicion oh my family.' X : 1 "I said,. You have a cheek to complain about me, as I came out to assist you to find your car, and who ran away with your servant girl.' "I stood on my toes," said Jackson. "Don't you talk to me, Mr. Bayly, like you talk to your wife." "I said to him, 'You talk to her like a pig." . Detective Kelly . acted as peacemaker. "We won't get any further if you twp Start-Lowing"," he said. Then, Jackson said, "Mr. Bayly backed down." ■ • , ■ . . Neither Bayly nor Mrs. Bayly gave any suggestion as to who the man m the case might be, continued the con-

stable. "When they got the car they didn't seem to want to bother any furIther." Mr. Northcroft: "I think, Mr. Jackson, we can look upon - you as the originator of the Bill Bayly theory?" Jackson's reply to the lawyer'a question was that he did not know what other people thought; he had formed his own\ conclusions of the matter. "This extravagant matter was sent to headquarters?" enquired the lawyer. Jackson replied that he supposed they had a record of what he had sent, and the lawyer demanded that the constable give it to him to read. Jackson referred him to his officers, who had sat .like graven images throughout the whole case-** except when one of: them was passing notes to the Bayly's -lawyer, but they, showed no disposition to bring the required document to light. "May I see it?" asked Mr. Northcroft. . The coroner announced that he had no power to direct that confidential police documents should be made available to counsel. "We started off to inquire into the death of Elsie Walker, but since then we have gone further," remarked Lawyer Northcroft. "We have gone from that to see if any charge of murder can be got out of the case, and now the proceedings have beco.me a police inquiry.*' •■,..'•'" "We are here to see into the death of Elsie Walker, 1 , how, when and Where," retorted the coroner, "and what has been done to discover who was m it. "There. is a poor girl lying m her grave. lam enquiring into, her death. I have her father before me m th 6 front seat. I want to satisfy him and. show him that the country is doing all it can, and that the police have made enquiries. I am quite prepared to leave it to the public to judge for themselves." , ■ Mr. Northcroft resumed his crossexamination of Jackson. Replying to various questions, the constable said that Bayly and Mrs. Bayly had told hihi where Bill Bayly was- on Sunday night by showing him a letter from Mrs Barter In Auckland. She said he was there at 10.30 p.m. on Sunday, September 30. This letter also said that Bill, was going out to Henderson on the following day, the day the girl disappeared.

The constable had told his superiors this. "Then why was it not produced before?" demanded the lawyer. "Nothing seems to be produced. I have to drag out information myself," snapped Mr. Hunt. "Apparently nothing has been pro- > duced that will exculpate this boy from suspicion, and everything that will throw suspicion on him has been," commented Mr. Northcroft. Mr. Meredith said there was no proof that young Bayly had been m the district that day. He asked Mr, Northcroft to withdraw a most Improper insult. The coroner endorsed this suggestion. The manner m Which Bill Bayly had been examined with such minute care, retorted Lawyer Northcroft, must make the public wonder. The letter could have been mentioned earlier. Constable Jackson told Lawyer Northcroft that he had founded his suspicion about Bill Bayly on the demeanor of the father, who had not seemed to bother about the car being away. ' ■' That the report supposed to have been made ■ by Jackson was not produced excited further comment from Mr. Northcroft. "It would be interesting to see it," he said. Mr. Hunt promised that he would look at it later himself. Mr. Northcroft was then satisfied. Over a month hid passed when Detective Bickerdike went to make investigations at Te Puke, and district, so he told the court. "Thirty-six, days too late," remarked the coroner. The detective found no. clue to follow upj though he combed the district. Elsie Walker, so far as he could find, had left no. note, and had. made no threat to leave. His rfesujts were all negative; the trail was. cold. Bickerdike said that from the place where the car was found to the spot where th 6 dead girl lay was exactly eight and three-quar-ter miles. • He had interviewed Bill Bayly at Huntly, and >Vas told by Bayly to see his lawyer, Mr. Fawsett. The younginan had said: "I suppose, because I've been m a little trouble before, they think I've been carrying on with this girl." • Bill Bayly had made a statement on November 25 that there had been ho intimacy. . . - • The accounts given by Bill Bayly of what had taken place at the cowshed were entirely unfounded, said the detective. . .• ' "The Qay I was instructed to take over the inquiry." he continued, "I put m a report that all the belongings of the deceased girl should be handed over to Mr, Armitage. This was immediately done by order of my superiors." . Replying to Mr. Northcroft, the detective said he had seen no sign of obstruction from any of the Bayly family. , • i

When Bill Bayly and Solicitor Fawsett entered Nidd's millinery shop, Adelaine Selkirk, a young milliner, told the court, she. did not recognize either of them. But she said Bayly said to the man with him, "That's the one." Reference was made to her day , book, and she found that there had ' been a sale of a 19/11 hat on the date m question, m the middle of the afternoon. , . • "Do you remember that sale yourself?" Mr. Meredith asked* « "It was written m my handwriting," was the answer. "I don't think much of the value of this evidence," observed Mr. Hunt. '"Your worship can't be convinced," said the lawyer. -."'•' "1 can sift evidence," was Mr. Hunt's rejoinder. An old football associate of Frank Bayly, Lawyer Robert B. Lusk, . told the coroner that because he had nothing to do on that Sunday afternoon, . he agreed to go out with his old friend to Henderson, and Bee Bill Bayly. They Went out m a taxi and arrived about four p.m. At the farm the father said to ■■ his son, "Bill, have you heard the horrible news about Elsie Walker?" "No," Bill replied. "What is it?" His father told him. There followed some conversation about the key of the car. Frank Bayly .then went m to see his daughter-in-law after about ten minutes' talk with; his son. The two men were on the ; farm about half an hour. - The witness said tljat if that occasion wasn't the first time that Bill Bayly had heard of ISlaie Walker's death he was a very good actor, y. "Did Bill ask you any questions aa to how it happened? It must have ' seemed' mysterious,", said Lawyer. Meredith. .. v .-' V Lawyer Lusk said that Bill was hot .. curious, and passed the discussion off, and never reverted to it. To Mr. Hunt: Bill Bayly was a listener. He asked if nothing was known as to how it happened. Witness said he had heard Frank Bayly v say the car was left because there wasn't any petrol left, but Bill ■ didn't ask about the condition of the car, or discuss thepries. Wife's Story Mrs. William Bayly's, evidence was along the lines * of ' that her husband had given. She gave the date other, marriage as August 29, after which she went to stay with Mrs. Fowler at Epsom, while her husband lived at a boarding-house. , - ; . Her account, of their movements on the Monday on which Elsie and the car 'disappeared agreed m the main with - that of- her husband, but she was not able . to remember where they had tea that day. When they returned to Fowler's that evening about nine p.m. she thought Bill left her at the door just before nine. > *•. On the Tuesday they went to lunch at Cook's and had tea with a MFs. McDonald. • . •- " Neither on Monday nor on :Tuesday \ di 3 they meet anyone they knew. She had no relations m Auckland. -..-■ They went to the milliners, she thought, about a quarter to five, to buy the hat. .She -".vent back to the farm at Henderson on the Friday after Bill left antf stayed ther,e about two weeks.,/ '.*■' . To Mi:. Hunt, who wanted ;tb know "- why she had not^ gone to loolc at the ; farmhouse where:' she -would have ;) to '■*. live with her husband, Mrs: Ba'yljjf. re- * ' plied, "I had no wish to go to Heri'der- : ■son. I knewM 'was going out there m . any case. I ; ■ wasn't particularly anxious."- . "- "Is that all the evidence?" askedf the coroner. . ' .' . ■ \. ; . , "That is all that can throw anyligbt directly or indirectly .on the, mystery," answered the Crown Prosecutor. :• • V "Are there any questions which you would like to ask, Mr. Mowbra£, or, is : there any inquiry that' you would like me to -make?" asked Mr, Hunt.; "I am quite prepared to make : any .further inquiries." . / Mr. Mowbray thought that there Was no further evidence which, could be called. He was there representing the father, and his chief concern was the dead girl's character. "I think," he said, "that the evidence has plainly shown that her character was good. .It has been ascertained that it is highly improbable that she drove the car away herself." The coroner asked Mr. Nqrthcroft if he would like any other inquiries made. "Yes, sir," replied the lawyer. "I would lik6 to hear the Hamilton police version of the conversation that was alleged to have taken place between the Te Puke constable and Iheir station.-and later transmitted to Auck- • land. Statements of the gravest nature > concerning my clients were made, and • I would like to hear • Hamilton's . version." . ' ■• . - «■?* ■ Mr. Hunt replied that that was practically an inside police matter. But the lawyer said that "people m Not Relevant Auckland had gone a long way.to.dls.count the constable's statement" and more evidence should be brought on the question. ; The coroner said that the matter was not relevant to the death of the. girl.Though not a customary practice, he ■■• would give the lawyer acting for the Baylys an opportunity to sum up on the inquiry. ' . . ' The inquest was adjourned at thi« stage, and had not resumed when this . edition went to press. A full report of the final: proceedings of the inquest V will be published m next issue of "N.Z. Truth." ACIDS INFLAME STOMACH AND CAUSE INDIGESTION How to Treat Gas, Sourness, and Pain. Medical authorities state that nearly ; nine-tenths of the cases of stomach trouble, indigestion, , sourness, burning gas, bloating, nausea, etc., are due to. an excess of hydrochloric acid m the stom- : . acW", and not I—as1 — as some believe — to an, at>- • \ sence or lack of Nature's digestive * juices., The delicate stomach lining becomes inflamed, digestion is delayed, and food sours, causing pain and the disagreeable symptoms which every stomach sufferer knows so well. Artificial digestents are not needed m such cases, arid may do real harm. Try .laying aside all digestive aids and, .Instead get from any chemist a few ounces - of SaliX Magnesia and take a liberal .: • teaspoonful m a quarter glass of water ",x£, right after eating.' This sweetens .jtheT".stomach, prevents the formation of ex- X cess acid, and there is no sourness, gas,- ' or pain. SallX Magnesia, m powder or ' tablets, is harmless to the stomach, m- - expensive, and is the most efficient form of Magnesia for stomach purposes. It ie used by thousands of people, who enjoy their meals without the slightest few at " indigestioii. • • . _ v '