POLICE EVIDENCE ENDED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 565, 18 January 1929, Page 1

POLICE EVIDENCE ENDED

Fate of Elsie Walker

INQUEST ADJOURNED TILL TUESDAY

ONLY two witnesses were heard this morning in the inquiry into the death of Elsie Walker. One was Mrs Bayly Jnr., wife of William Alfred Bayly, .who gave evidence regarding her husband’s movements immediately prior to October 1.

Mr. Meredith, for the police, has intimated that there is no further evidence to be called, but at the request of Mr Northcroft, appearing for the Bayly family, the reports of a constable at Hamilton who passed on the message from the Te Puke constable will be examined by the coroner.

The coroner, Mr, F. K. Hunt, S.M., is presiding. Mr. V. R. Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, represents the police; Mr. E. H. Northcroft appears lor the Bayly family, and Mr. Mowbray for Mr. De Renzy Walker, father pf the dead girl. That Mr. Frank Bayly had not hindered them in any way in taking statements from the Bayly family, was itated by Detective-Sergeant Bickeriike and Detective-Sergeant Kelly at the Elsie Walker inquest yesterday atternoon, when evidence on this question was called. They said each member of the family had been examined privately, and Mr. Bayly had Siren every assistance to the police. The evidence of Constable Jackson, of Te Puke, who said he had forwarded a message to the Auckland police telling them to see Bill Bayly before the father saw him, and that Mr. Bayly was a “shrewd man’’ was contradicted by Constable Bowman, a plain-clothes policeman who received a telephone message at Auckland. Mr. R. B. Lusk, solicitor, of Auckland, who accompanied Bayly, senior, on his visit to his son, Bill, at Henderson, testified to the fact that William Bayly appeared to be shocked when his father told him bf the girl’s death. Witness, who was present at the meeting of father and son, saw nothing to support the allegation that Mr. Frank Bayly was uneasy about his son or suspected him in any way. In his statements concerning his movements on October l. Bill Bayiy said he had accompanied his wife tc Miss Nidd's shop in Karangahape Road, where his wife bought a hat for 19s lid. The girl who was supposed to have sold the hat was called aqd ’ snid that though the sale of a hat at 19s lid was recorded at the shop on that date she did not remember William Bayly, who had pointed her out later as the girl who had made the sale. MRS. W. BAYLY IN THE BOX Phyllis Dorothy Bayly, wife of William Alfred Bayly, was the first witness called this morning. Witness save evidence regarding her husband’s movements on and about October 1. She said that from August 22 last ' she had been living in Auckland. She was married on August 29 and lived with Mrs. Fowler. She remembered 'he Sunday prior to October 1. She saw her husband at about noon, when he came to Mrs. Fowler’s. They went Mt in the afternoon, witness return>hg home with her for tea. He left witness at Fowler’s, and went on to -Mrs. Barter’s for the evening. Witness saw him again at John Court's corner at 2.45 p.m. on Monday. They both went to the Power Board office to pay an account for Mrs. Fowler, witness paying the account, accompanied by her husband. A visit was 'ben paid to George Court’s shop in Rarangahape Road, and also to Miss Nidd’s millinery shop, where witness Purchased a hat. Her husband accompanied her just, inside the door. They jhen went down town and had tea, leaving the tea shop after six o’clock. k otn '■ken tUI about seven o'clock they strolled around looking at the shops, and at about eight o'clock went out to Epsom, to where she was stayk* 8 ' *^ s ar as w itness could remember, her husband left her at Fowler’s at about nine o’clock. Her husband was again at Mrs. fowler’s at about eleven o’clock the ue« morning. Witness accompanied mm to Newmarket, where some cases j were consigned to Henderson. The j etses contained personal belongings, i k , < * ay they botn had lunch at °”* e s ’ an< * Ikter met a friend of hers. * Mrs. McPherson, at Milne and aoyce's. where they all had afternoon ■ea. Witness met no one else she anew that day, or on the Monday. To Mr. Meredith: Witness hud rela , lre ?, at Auckland, and had lived at Auckland six years ago, when she -_ eQ t to school. The remainder of uesday afternoon was spent on a lsit to John Court’s, after which wit- ■ ess returned to Mrs. Fowler’s, acompanied by her husband, who stayed r tea. and later helped her with n ™ e Packing. He left at about halfseven. On Wedi • tday morning f ey went to Henderson. She left the , h ® tlte next Sunday, and returned following Friday, staying for about Q fortnight. SI J° ilr ‘ Mer edith: Witness gave a tuthent to the police on these lines °n October 28. , ° ‘lt® Coroner: Witness did not on ?P pan s’ her husband to the farm lari j Sunday. She was not particu■7 desirous of seeing it. tha ,i ere< lith said that that was all evidence he was calling. DE AD GIRL’S CHARACTER ,w?* ta *\ e d. Miss Selkirk, milliner in hat mploy °f Miss N'idd, said that thp v irt Produced had come from Miss hat 2 S “°' 5 ' That particular kind of Octet, 53 ust coming into fashion last tho h’ Witness could not say wbeo ct . wa s bought. JUoned by the coroner. Mr. d,. . r *y, acting for the parents of the 6'rl, said he w as there to watch t

the interests of the girl’s parents, anil to obtain whatever evidence he could regarding her character. He did not know of any other line of inquiry that could be pursued.

“There is one thing I want to particularly stress,” said the Crown solicitor, Mr. V. R. Meredith. “Elsie Walker has been highly spoken of by all who knew her.

“She had the reputation of being a nice, well-behaved girl. Nothing but good has been heard of her from whatever sources police inquiries have been made/*

Mr. Hunt: Well, Mr. Northcroft, do you want to call any evidence?

Mr. Northcroft: Yes, your Worship. I want the telephone message which was transmitted from Constable Jackson to Auckland headquarters through the Hamilton station, checlced over. I want the evidence of the man at Hamilton who forwarded the message, to see whether his statement of what the message contained agrees with that of Constable Jackson, of Te Puke, or Constable Bowman, of Auckland. Mr. Hunt: But that is useless. It won’t throw any more light on the inquiry. Mr. Northcroft: Yes, sir, it will.

The statement by Constable Jackson reflected greatly upon the Bayly family, and I want to check the statements to clear the matter up. Mr. Hunt: We can’t waste public time in that sort of thing. However. I will see the reports myself.

Mr. Hunt then said it was the usual custom to allow counsel to address the court.

Mr. Northcroft: I wish to do so, sir, but it would take me too long this morning.

Mr. Hunt said it could not be done this afternoon, as he had another inquest to attend, and with the permission of Mr. Meredith the inquest was adjourned unt" Tuesday morning at 10 o’clock.

Mr. Hunt: We will probably have to use the small court on Tuesday, so there will be no room for the public. Mr. Northcroft: T don’t care whether or not the public is there, so long as it is convenient to your Worship. The court then adjourned.