ELSIE WALKER'S MYSTERY FATE

NZ Truth, Issue 1237, 15 August 1929, Page 8

ELSIE WALKER'S MYSTERY FATE

Missing Links fn Correspondence Between Mrs. Bayly And [Mrs. Thomasen

"TRUTH'S " STORY CREA TES SENSA TION

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

The startling disclosures concerning- the fresh, developments m the Elsie Walker mystery published exclusively m last week's issue of "N.Z. Truth," created a sensation throughout the country, and have resulted m a revival of public interest m the tragedy which equals that displayed at the time when "Truth" first expounded the theory of foul play m October last. Following the publication last week of the story of Mrs. Frank Bayly's meeting with Mrs. -Thomasen and the correspondence that passed between the two women, dramatic developments took place, when solicitors, acting oh behalf of the Bayiy family, released for publication m the Auckland newspapers certain portions of the correspondence referred to, for the first time, m the last issue of "Truth." • , . ; . . . : The Auckland daily papers, following well m the wake , of this journal are reviving the tragedy m their columns, but "N.Z. Truth's" special investigators are still pursuing certain lines of inquiry, aijd further exclusive disclosures will continue to be published m the columns of "Truth" until the mystery of Elsie Walker's death is solved.

DID "N.Z. Truth," by throwing fresh light on the Elsie Walker mystery „ m its' last issue, that disclosed > startling exclusive evidence, force the legal representatives of the Bayly family to tell their side of the perplexing question to the daily" ; newspapvji's? ! Whatever their intention iiv making (some facts known, they: have stirred up the seething cauldron of public disI content and a mystery, that, ; but for I "Truth's" activities, seemed .likely to lapse into oblivion, is now again on everyone's lips. • .. What is being withhelcjithe public wants to know;., and m- view of the sudden seeking of the limelight at this late hour by those who 'gave .a belated story to the 'daily press, the public demand seems warrant- . ,cd. -,> ' : .... ... i .•-,.■■ The solicitors 'for the Bayly family would seem te> have slammed all cards

fallowed "Truth"

on the table with a grand gesture by the amazing attitude of making known the . contents of letters which, until "Truth" learned of their whereabouts, were., not allowed to see the light of day.- ' ' ' .' ' ' : ; The Auckland "Star" claims that the correspbndence. inrjquestion "was released for publication following a conference. between thig office and Mr. E. H. Northcroft, Mr. ILusW and his partner, Mr. Fawcett, who are acting on behalf of the J3iiyly family." Despite th%.v. ( ;Star's" implied claim of an exclusive;, interview, the rival evening daily, llie ; "S\m," also printed the story along lines. , TJie' gist of the ; stbry ; went little further\than to substantiate "Truth's" revelations, last week^ Whether .thevnewspapers. sought the information . or. were approached by informants remains to be seen, but it is sufficiently important that the solicitors made }t,. their business.; to comniiunicate,with ..the^^ 'remaining iAuckland daily' pap.civ. the "Herald." "Truthj".' howeVer," J was not included m \tf^e ' so-called conference^- by t perhaps; those interested thouglit' "Truth" had already printed sufficient! There, is, littl^doiibt that.the solicitors sought publicity oCthe matter, but m making avcle'ah breast

of it they would seem' to have told a somewhat lop-sided story oif the ; letters handed to the. Auckland press. ' ■■'... ■'■■' There were three from Mrs. Thomasen. to Mrs. Bayly, but not one of the Baylys' .'replies was given fully. Presumably, on information from the solicitors the papers gave the full contents of most of Mrs. Thdmasen's letters, while. , only summarising those from Mrs. Bayly. .. , , . . . . .'*'" The "Star" goes so far as to refer to all Mrs. Bayly's letters m half a dozen words, stating that m her replies Mra.

x ßayly said it was surprising that Mrs,. Thomasen did not tell the police that? Bill Bayly was on the train that night. That is the only reference to her correspondence, but. the other side of the question is given verbatim — with the exception of Mrs. Thomasen's Hrst I letter to Mrs. Bayly. - . Many holes 'remain m the story made public, by the solicitors and m an endeavor, to unravel the tangled skein, "Truth" arranged to meet the m'ery. c,oncerned. . .-,,;; , "Truth's" first inquiry was made ,. at Mr. Lusk's office, where the representatives of this papex- were soon given

to understand that the solicitors would not be interviewed alone. . •Mr. Lusk was out when "Truth" called and Mr. Fawcett met' the pressmen. i "You want to know something about the Elsie Walker business, I : suppose," he said. "Well,, there are two of you and I would like Mr*. Lusk to' be pres- ' sent." r■ ■ ■'■=■'■ ■ . | . "Trutll" agreed, and made arrangements to call later. - ! In the meantime, the reporters called ort Mr. . Nprthcrbft, and ' again it was soon evident that the lawyers would

be interviewed only together. "You. ..had better have Bob Lusk m, too," Mr. Northcroft replied to a request for an interview. _ ' Ultimately, Messrs. Northcroft, Lusk and Fawcett met "Truth" m Mr. Northcroft's office. "Truth" opened the interview on the' point of the dailies having printed a telegram purporting to come" from Mrs. Thomasen. .to ? Mj-s. Bayly, asking for a meeting in .."Wanganui as "Truth" in-' tended to interview Mrs. • Thomasen' a' week later. ' ..... „, - ■ : ■ Asked,::to' prpdiice the telegram, Mr.-Northcr-oft i'efe.i'red to Mr. Lusk, who

told the representatives of this paper that the telegram was only read by Bayly to him over the telephone. He could not say whether he handed the original or a copy to the police. . One or the, other would be on the police file. ":.'• , ' > It was admitted that the contents of the telegram were given to the daily press only from memory. When "Truth"' referred to the story as given to. the dailies as one-sided and asked the solicitors .to pnoduce copies of Mrs. Bayly's letters which had been only summarised by the daily press it was again learned that the 'contents were given from memory. ' "Truthf was referred- to the police who had a complete file. Mr. Northcrof t ' intimated that the papers could best explain if both sides of the story had hot been given fully to tne public. When the police were approached,

ToldPoliceMl

the reporters were referred . to V" the solicitors. • ■•. ■-.; • •••'. „ . '.-: ' . - : Interviewed at Te, Puke on Tuesday, Mr. Cooney, Mrs! Ttipmasen's.!legjil adviser, said he was..; not prepared to make any. statement ; at . tiie moment other than ~ that . Mrs. Thomasen had freely furnished all the' information Inher power to the police' and that, later, her sister, Mrs; Lang'dbn,< had raa.de a statement to the police at Puke. All relevant correspondence which had been m the possession ; of Mr. Cooney was, by Mrs.KThomasen's expli.cit directions, handed, to. the ppiice by him. V ■■ !.. The correspondence published m. the "Star" and other Auckland dailies so far as his .client .is concerned, obviously incomplete.- ■:■'.',■■:'. '■'■ ■ -'^- w- . .^ ' ■•:•■ It may'-jbe'as.ked:' If- this correspondence has; .been passing 'between these women since February, what was the date on ;; L which the; police were: eon-,-suited by Mrs. Frarik Bayly? "Truth's" investigators are hot - on the trail of further'eVidence relating to the Elsie Walker, mystery, -and if their inquiries'result \. as anticipated, another story of revelations will be published m !• • this paper next week. . -