MISSING ACTRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26622, 19 November 1947, Page 5

MISSING ACTRESS

ALLEGED STATEMENT READ BODY THRUST THROUGH PORTHOLE LONDON, Nov. 17. An alleged statement that the actress's body was thrust through the liner’s porthole at sea was read when James Camb, aged 30, a deck steward, pleaded not guilty at Southampton Magistrate’s Court to a charge of murdering Eileen Gibson, aged 21, an actress, in the liner Durban Castle while it was on the high seas on October 18 en route to England from South Africa. The actress was missing when the stewardess visited her cabin the morning after a dance on the ship. Coastal authorities, ships, and aircraft had since unsuccessfully searched a wide area for the body. Mr E. G. Robey, of the Public Prose, cutor's Department, read the statement, which he said Camb had made. In it Camb was alleged to have said that at 11 p.m. on October 17 he went to the cabin which Miss Gibson occupied and made an appointment to meet her that night The statement continued: “ Suddenly she clutched me, foaming at the mouth. Then she was very still. 1 felt for her heart-beats, but could not find any. I tried artificial respiration. While doing this, the night watchman knocked at the door. I shouted to him that it was all right, then 1 panicked, because I thought the watchman had gone to the bridge and I did not want to be found in such a compromising position. I tried artificial respiration again, but found no sign of life. I managed to lift her to the porthole, and pushed her through. ■ I am fairly certain that at the time she was dead, but I was terribly frightened.” Mr Robey said that on the evening of October 17 Miss Gibson passed Camb in the ship’s long gallery. Camb said: “ I have a bone to pick with you,' and a big one at that.” Mr Robey said that between 3 a.m. and 3.30 a.m. bell; calling both the steward and the stewardess to Miss Gibson’s cabin rang for an appreciable time. The watchman went to the cabin, knocked, and got no reply. He opened the door slightly and heard a man say, “All right.” He saw Camb standing inside. The watchman went to the senior night watchman, who went to the cabin, the door of which he found closed and everything quiet. The senior watchman then reported to the bridge. Miss Gibson was not seen again. The ship, after being searched, turned back and sent an SOS. The ship’s surgeon later examined Camb, who had scratches on the right side of his neck and across his wrist, Camb told the captain the scratches were made scratching an itch. Mr Robey said that Camb, when told he would be charged with murder, said: “I didn’t think it would Pe as serious as this." Mr Robey said the facts implied that Camb assaulted Miss Gibson’and she rang for help. He added that a murder case without a body on which to hold an autopsv was rare., but he quoted Jawauthority stating that the rule requiring a body w r as obviously inapplicable in cases of murder at sea.

The hearing was adjourned until.No vember 24.