CASHEL STREET TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 248, 25 February 1911, Page 5

CASHEL STREET TRAGEDY

A FULL CONFESSION. EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. MURDER OR SUICIDE'! By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Friday. The inquest into the deatli of Ethel May Bradley was resumed to-day. The suggestion that the police would advance important evidence was responsible for a great display of public interest in the case, a large crowd assembling outside the court, where the inquest was held. As soon as .the sitting opened, Chief Detective Bishop said he proposed to put in a signed statement by Walter Richard Sadler, one of the men accused of the murder.

The coroner suggested that Sadler should go into the witness box, which was agreed to. Sadler said he closed his tobaeqonist's shop at 8 p.m. on February 7. Jack, who was employed there, left about 5.20, witness remaining with Price, the bookkeeper, till about 8.35. He returned to sweep out the shop and clean up at 8.45. About 9.30 Jack entereo. the shop. Witness said, "Come in, Harry." Jack replied, "I have a friend outside. She says she is ill." Ethel Bradley then followed Jack into the shop. She did not speak, but gave a sigh and leaned against the counter. Jack got her a chair, and she sat down. Witness ran for water, and told Jack to go out and get whisky, and Jack went to the Zetland Hotel close by.. Deceased dropped the glass of water which had been given her and seemed about to fall. Witness lifted her back on this chair. He noticed she was going black in the face, and thought she had a fit. Witness had no idea what was the matter, and ran out of the shop after Jack. They came back together. Deceased was then lying on her face on the floor. They put her on the couch and tried to put whisky into her mouth, but her teeth were clenched. They undid her clothing, but realised the woman was dead. Both witness and Jack were excited, ran out of the shop, and walked together down the street. They passed a detective, but had not courage to tell him what had happened. They got back to the shop at 11 o'clock. Witness suggested to Jack that they might inform the police, and Jack suggested calling in a doctor. Ultimately witness thought if they could get the body out of the shop his connection with the affair might not be discovered. After a length of time which could not be estimated, they got a sack, put the body in it, carried it out of the shop, and placed it in the right-of-way. Witness did not know what became of deceased's! hat and bag. When he made the previous statement he had not had legal advice, and thought he might get into trouble.

Christchurch, Last Night. Sadler, continuing, said he did not know how long Jack was away getting the whisky.

The Chief Detective interjected that there was evidence to show that Jack leisurely entered the hotel with friends' and had a drink after nine o'clock, which was just before he took deceased to the shop. Sadler said he and Jack had a conversation about the matter next day. Jack said, "I didn't see her last nightl" Sadler replied, "That's all right. I don't want to he mixed up in it." They may have arranged also to tell the story about fixing up books. Witness knew Jack had been keeping company with deceased for about nine months." Jaek had never explained the circumstances in which deceased went to the shop on the night of her death. Jack did not talk of his private affairs. He denied ever having seen any woman in order to have an abortion procured. He had been given every opportunity of making a true statement. He admitted his former statement was untrue, but denied ever having bought poison. Alfred C. Philpott, a grain merchant, said he had a drink with Jack, Price, and another man about 9.20 p.m. on February 7. Price, re-called, corroborated this. Jack left them about 9.30. Detective Snow related that he met Sadler and another man about 10 p.m. on February 7at High street. He chatted to Sadler about old times. They had been at school together. Jack then came from the direction of Cashcl street, and witness left them.

At the afternoon sitting, evidence was given by A. A. Bickerton, Govermifeni Analyst, who stated that, assuming Sadler's evidence to be correct, the woman would not be far from the door of the shop when she took Hie poison. Assuming that she had her tea at 0.30, he would say that death took place three hours afterwards. ,; Dr. Symes said that if Sadler's evidence was correct, he would say the dose was not a very large one. The Coroner, in summing up, said if the jury believed Sadler's evidence they must acquit him of any share in the woman's death, but it did not clear Jack. There must have been certain things passed between Jack and Sadler on the evening. Jack had placed himself in a difficulty by making a false statement, which, if Sadler's evidence was true, was a tissue of lies. One question that arose was, why Sadler had never sought from Jack an explanation of why he had brought a dying woman that he knew to his shop on the.evening in question. He seemed to have taken it as a matter of course. Taking the circumstances as correct, there was a considerable period of time to account for. It was quite possible that a woman in that condition, after discussion with Jack, might have taken poison herselt in a fit of desperation. In that case it must have been very close to the shop, and a short time before. They must at any rate take into account the extraordinary fact of Jack taking the woman into Sadler's shop in a moribund condition.

Three tilings only suggested themselves to his mind: (1) That the woman was wilfully murdered; or (2) that she committed suicide in a fit of desperation; or (3) an open verdict that, deceased died from the effects of prussic acid, and there was no evidence to show how or by whom she died. He was glad that that day some light had been thrown on the matter, which had been seriously affecting the public mind. The doubt that had previously been in existence had been to some extent dispelled by Sadler's account. .Sadler's act had been that of a coward, a»d he had been callous. To plant the woman under a tank in a mass of rubbish in a, lane in the city was to his mind almost unbelievable . One could hardly imagine it of it- man supposed to be* a respectable tradesman. However, Sadler had made up somewhat for his previous delinquencies by tendering his evidence that day.

The Coroner said Jack's evidence had proved to be false. If Sadler's evidence was to be believed, a .jurv would find him to be not guilty of the crime with which he was charged. There were several points in his evidence which the jury would have to consider, and specially notably was his assertion that Jack had given'him no explanation. ,

The jury, after an hour and twenty minutes' retirement, returned with the following verdict: "We lind that the deceased Ethel May Bradley died by prussic acid poisoning. Whether it was administered by herself or by other persons we cannot say. We arc of opinion that the poison was taken in the presence of Harry Jack."