WITNESSES “GAGGED”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 501, 2 November 1928, Page 1

WITNESSES “GAGGED”

Detective Makes Complaint

WOMAN’S TRAGIC FATE

fITABTLING suggestions were made at an inquest opened J this morning on the death of Freda Helen Clark when Chief-Detective Hammond referred to the reticence of the womans relatives in giving information to the police “Everybody appears to be bound and gagged ” he complained.

liss Clark was a patient in the nursjoroe of Nurse Georgina Ellen Colli oi 88 Williamson Avenue, Grey U She was found in a state of ipse yesterday, and Dr, W. H. inn was called, but the patient had iiunbed shortly before his arrival. <je police were immediately injefl of Miss Clark’s death, and the -was removed to the mortuary, jst evening a post-mortem examin- ; of the body was ordered and an :est was opened this morning, be- . the coroner. Mr. F. K. Hunt. . Torts Danml'eard. a married woman ! at Epsom, was called to give ience of identification. * Hr. Brodie (of Mr. Singer’s office), |.i was watching the proceedings on gulf of the girl’s relatives, asked that f . evidence elicited should affect no Star circumstances than the identifliiion. S irs. Dunmfeard said that she was a feer of Miss Clark, who had been *!y employed as a clerk by the Te jba Borough Council. St Hunt then asked where Miss irk had lived when in Te Arolia. 'fitness refused to answer the ques- ». The coroner assured witness that i must answer any question that did [incriminate herself, and Mrs. Dan-i sard supplied the address—Mrs. ailier, Jackson Street, Te Aroha. fitness last saw her sister alive Monday, but refused to say where

until again reprimanded bv the corow!iii" hen She save the address as SS W^. Uan « on -Avenue, Grey Lynn Mr. Brodie suggested thlt the evi"‘as being taken too far. and should deal with. identification only forjudge "that. 1 th, ” k 1 a *>* aHv r rtn ßrodi : : Mrs. Dannifeard naturfhnt I ]° t Waat to answer questions tnat may incriminate her. Mr. Hunt: How can such questions as where she last saw her sister alive incriminate her? Mr. Brodie: Witness is the best judge of that. Mr. Hunt: Pardon me, I am. Mr. Brodie thought that certain questions could affect any charge that might be laid, but the coroner assured him that he would take care of the witness. Chief-Detective Hammond mentioned the difficulty he had experienced in obtaining any information about the case. “Nobody will talk,” he said. “They say they are acting tinder instructions from their solicitor, but 1 think it is somebody else’s solicitor.” Mr. Hunt cautioned all witnesses present to be perfectly candid with the police. “It is a shameful thing when an unknown woman is found dead In a house and nobody will tell us anything ab©ut her.” commented Mr. Hamrfiond. The inquest was adjourned sine die.