INLY CLUE TO DEATH

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 601, 1 March 1929, Page 1

INLY CLUE TO DEATH

Bruise on Elsie Walker’s Head HORE MEDICAL EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY “W HEN we , niade our second report wc were not altering " It showed we were of opinion that the possibility of death from concussion was greater than we had before believed, said Dr. Gilmour this morning at the methods of the police following the finding of the body of Elsie Walker. 6 He also stated that, if Dr. Murray and he had known that the police would remove clothing so stained, they would have insisted on its production for earlier examination

ridence has now been given before | Commissioner. Mr. K. Page. S.M., by irintendent Wohlmann, is reented by Mr. N. Johnson, of HamilInspectors Hollis and Mcllveney, Whom Mr. A. H. Johnstone is ap[inj. Chief-Detective Hammond f'AHan Moody), and Dr. D. N. W. toy, police surgeon. Mr. A. E. rfe. Crown Law Officer, is leading evidence. fcose who are giving idence, or to be examined, areDr. Gilmour, pathologist at the ickland Hospital, who with Dr. urray conducted the post-mortem I ElsF Walker. Detective-Sergeant Kelly, who was a charge of the field operations in K> early stages of the cast (Mr. G. ; Finlay). Constable Jackson, of Te Puke, ho carried out inquiries in the ipamoa district (Mr. H. O. Cooney). Detective - Sergeant Bickerdike, ho took over the case from ißtective-Sergeant Kelly. Inspector Eccles, of Hamilton, who ■Uted with inquiries in his disflct (Mr. A. H. Johnstone). Constable Moloney, who examined te car; and Constable Collins, who reported on he finding of the body (Mr. L. P. he examination of Detective;eart Kelly was interrupted yesay in order to allow' Dr. D. N. W. fray, police surgeon, to give evicc. This he completed at 5.45 i. Tie girl was strong and healthy, I Dr. Murray, and he could not see v she could have died from exhausn. Ho could not remember telling i police that he avus worrying over ) bruise on the girl's head. He had d at the police conference that the iw might have caused concussion, t as no hemorrhage had been found could not say definitely that that ts the cause of death. "I did not see the clothing until it is at the bacteriologist's.” said Dr. urray. “It was the duty of the police show me everything.” “It seems to me that you are trying to throw the whole thing on to a medical man,” protested the doctor, after further questions from Mr. Moody regarding the examination of the girl. "The chief detective may be a clever fcn.” remarked Dr. Murray, “but he not so on medical questions.”

M itness said that on the second visit tho newspaper man advanced a theory. AV itness neither agreed nor disagreed Avith him. He just listened. Witness gave him no information. Mr. Moody: Did anything in his theory of foul play coincide with your opinion expressed in tho second report.— Yes; in regard to the blow on the head possißrly being the cause of death. To Mr. Page: It was not within his province to ask the police for the clothes. Dr. Murray told him that he had asked the police for the garments. Air. Moody: Didn’t it occur to you ! as an expert pathologist to ask for the I clothing? Witness: We assumed that there Avould bo nothing of importance in the clothes, otherwise tho police would ! have submitted the garments. If we had known that the police would remove clothing so stained we would have insisted upon its production. To Air. Johnstone: A blood test would not be of any Itssistance in determining the cause of death. OPINION NOT CHANGED Mr. Johnstone: Why did you amend your report? Witness: Because there was no evidence other than that of concussion that could fit in with the cause of death. 1 am of opinion that the amended report takes the case no further. Mr. Johnstone: Was it entirely meaningless. Witness: No; it strengthened our original opinion. It conveyed the impression that the possibility of death from concussion A\'as greater than before. It did not change our opinion. To Mr. Leary: He would not go so far as to say the body should not have heen removed from where it was found. lie agreed with the possibility that fear could cause death. Questioned regarding concussion, witness said he did not think the girl could have walked about if concussion had followed the bruise. Air. Leary: I put it to you it Avas possible for the girl to have received that blow and that congestion and still live.—Yes. Do you think that the girl could hav* walked about afterward if the blow eventually caused death? —l think she would immediately have become unconscious. At this stage counsel and witness found themselves at cross purposes in the meaning of a question. Mr. Leary: I know it is very hard. | You have been in the box all the morning. 5 Witness?: Yes. I am very tired. ; The Commissioner then adjourned the inquiry until 2.15 p.m. (Continued on page 11.)

Witness also said it was possible for • girl to have died from shock folding rat bites at night, but he had iminated shock because of the blow i the head. “You can get all these issibillties, but it comes back to the ow on the head,” he said. OPPORTUNITY MISSED

Medical evidence was continued this >rning, when Dr. Gilmour. patholoit at the Auckland Hospital, gave idence.

He said he arrived at the morgue at tout nine o’clock in the morning, and gether with Dr. Murray made a comete examination of the body.

The only conditions of importance ere the position of the bruise and the arked congestion of the brain. Such tngestion Avas generally due to some •eased condition in. the body, but ley found no such condition. It ►uld also be caused by injury. There as no trace of bleeding on the bod>'. e did not see the clothing until it ■rived at the laboratory.

Mr. Currie: Did the late arrival of © clothing make any difference to >ur report? Witness: Yes. The condition of e clothing, if we had seen it with ie body, would have led them to icertain Avhetlier the bloodstains me from the girl. Evidence could tve been obtained as to whether it as from the same group and Avhether 16 girl had had a male companion, he small stain showed the blood to l from a group to which only about per cent, of people belong. At a still later date he saw other irments, which were also examined, 'e were constantly accumulating e\'isnee and making up our minds more upon the results of the postlortem and other examinations.

THE ADDITIONAL REPORT Mr. Currie: Did you propose ?it any me to give the police an additional .port?—We had not proposed to do

To Mr. Page: We had already defied that the eA'idence we A\*ould give l the inquest would correspond with lat given in a later report. . fccided that, alter they had received le analyst's report o'.’ the stomach intent. „ , Mr. Page: That was on November

Witness: I really cannot give an sact date. I think it would l>e fully week before I saw Detecti\eergeant Bickerdike.

I am making no pretence at accuracy. I cannot recollect the date, and would not be justified in giving any.

To Mr. Currie: DetoetiA-e- Sergeant ickerdiko visited him on December at the detective-sergeant’s request, ir. Murray was also present. He told lem he was preparing a brief, and *at he thought their reports were kther indefinite. He asked, in view f later examinations made, whether Hey could make any addition to the sport. Witness wrote it out on a eparate piece of paper, and both lie Dr. Murray signed it. Mr. Moody: When did you sign the

Witness: I cannot rememberMr. Moody: Is your memory defecve—you knoAv you have a trained dnd? Witness; if you pu; it that Avay i uppo&e it is. Mr. Moody: Did any other people on you in regard to the case? Witness: Yes: one or two reporters. >n© stayed for half an hour. Mr. Moody: I should say this hap•cued just before the second report *** mad©.