ELSIE WALKER’S FATE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 558, 10 January 1929, Page 1

ELSIE WALKER’S FATE

Conflicting Medical Evidence

COURT CROWDED FOR INQUEST

A FURTHER step toward the solution of the mystery of the death of Elsie Walker whose dead body was found lyina- in the scrub near the old quarry at Tamaki on the afternoon of October 6, was taken this morning, when the inquest was resumed before Mr. F. K. Hunt, coroner. The back of the court was crowded with people to hear the pile of evidence which the police have gathered from every available quarter.

-IfR. E. H. NORTHCROFT repre*U 3ea ted the Bayly family, with whom Miss Walker was staying. Mr. y It Meredith. Crown prosecutor, appeared for the police, while Mr. Douglas Mowbray appeared for Mr. pe Renzy Walker, father of Elsie Walker.

Dr D. N. W. Murray, pathologist, said that on October 6. 1925, in conjunction with Dr. Gilmour, he held a post-mortem on the dead body of Elsie Walker, which was at the public morgue. The body was that of a well-devel-oped girl about 17 years of age, and had been dead about 72 hours. Decomposition had already set in. There were no external marks of violence to be seen on the body erupt for a graze on the skin near the angle of the right jaw. Parts of the face and body were mutilated, apparently by rats. There was no sign of strangulation or injury to the neck, but a small area of the scalp about the size of a shilling was seen to be bruised. In witness's opinion this was received before death. It was situated at the light-hand side of the top of the skull. There were no other injuries to the scalp and the skull was not fractured.

glass bottle and handed to the police for analysis. There was no sign of any injury, past pregnancy or molestation. It was possible for death to be caused by a blow producing very little abrasion of the skin, though in fatal concussion it was usual to find some haemorrtiage of the brain.

PROBABLE CAUSE OF DEATH “There was no evidence as to the actual cause of death,” said Dr. Murray, “but in our opinion death was not due to natural causes, poison, or exhaustion. The probable cause of death was concussion following a blow on the head.” To Mr. Meredith: This conclusion was arrived at by a process of careful elimination. Tlie fact of little abrasion on the scalp would support the contention that the injury had been caused by some’ blunt instrument, or a flat surface. “I cannot say whether the grazes on the face were due to the same cause.” said witness, in reply to Mr. Meredith. “They may have been caused by being dragged through sharp grass.” There was no evidence to show violence nor that the girl had been molested. The stomach showed she had partaken of a light meal about three or four hours before her death. To Mr. Meredith: The blow must have come from directly above, otherwise if the girl had fallen on some-

The organs were all in good condition when examined. The mucous membrane of the stomach showed no sign of an irritant or corrosive poison, the collar being natural. The stomach and contents were placed in a

thing she would have had to strike the right-hand top of the head at a vertical angle, lulling on a stone would have lacerated the scalp. Mr. Northcroft: Are there postmortem indications of death from exhaustion in general cases? —No. Are there indications of death from f ea r? —There would he no indications.

NOT DEATH BY FEAR

Dr. Murray said that he had been compelled to arrive at the cause of death by a process of elimination. Fear and exhaustion had been eliminated. A healthy young girl, wellbuilt and well-developed, in his opinion would be unlikely to die of exhaustion.

Mr. Northcroft: But it is not an impossibility? —No And why was it not a death by fear? —There was no evidence that I could see to cause fear.

But you would not expect to find that evidence on a naked body in the morgue?—You would find nothing. Witness agreed that if death had been caused by dragging there would have been more abrasions than were shown.

It was not impossible that the blow on the girl’s head might have been caused by her falling against some vertical object.

To Mr. Meredith, witness said that the girl had been dead at least 12 hours when he saw her on Saturday morning. BREACH OF REGULATION To Mr. Hunt, witness said that it would have been a great advantage to him to see the body where it had been found. Even if it had been removed, if the clothing had not been disturbed, material assistance would have been given to him.

Mr. Hunt declared that there was a direct regulation that a body should not be interfered with until it was viewed by the coroner or a medical officer.

“Call you explain why it was removed?’* asked the coroner.

at the hospital, said he had received garments which belonged to Elsie Walker, on four occasions, and had examined them. On some underclothing were human blood and indications that the girl had been interfered with. Blood was found also on other articles of clothing. Kenneth Massey Griffin, Government analyst at Auckland, said he had examined the contents of the stomach of Elsie Walker for traces of poison, but could find nothing. The next witness was Frank Bayly, farmer, of Papamoa, and uncle of Elsie Walker. On October 1 last, he said, there were himself and wife and four children, together with his niece, Miss Audrey Bayly, in the house in the afternoon. He had been living at Papamoa three years last June. He had three dogs to attend to the sheep and cattle.' They were tied up at the back of the house.

Mr. Meredith: I can’t explain. Mr. Hunt: Well, I’ve got to ask somebody.” “May I endorse your comment, sir?” asked Mr. Northcroft. He said that many people associated directly and indirectly with the case, on whom suspicion might fall, would perhaps have been cleared if the proceedings had been pursued in the correct manner. The next witness was Dr. Gilmour, pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, who corroborated the evidence of Dr. Murray. Mr. F. W. Armitage, bacteriologist

Air. Meredith: On the afternoon on which Elsie Walker left the house. Miss Audrey Bayly came to the house. Where did she come from? Witness: From Rotorua. As far as witness knew Elsie Walker had eaten meat on the day on which she had disappeared. After tea the family had gone to the sitting-

billiard room. He had later left the room about 7.30 and gone to another part of the house, returning to the sitting room later. To Mr. Hunt: The last he had seen of Elsie Walker was when he left the table, as far as he knew. She usAlly stayed behind with one of the youig boys to clear up the dishes.