HASTINGS SENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1921, Page 5

HASTINGS SENSATION.

WOMAN’S STRANGE DEATH.

STABLE-HAND ACCUSED OF MANSLAUGHTER.

CRIMINAL ASSAULT ALLEGED.

At the Hastings courthouse on Monday morning, before Mr. R. W. Dyer, 8.M., an inquest was held concerning thfe death of the woman Marion Douglas Baird, who was found dead in Hastings early on Friday morning. Defective-Sergeant Butler conducted the prosecution, and Mr. E. J. W. Hallett watched the proceedings on behalf of George Dunn, a stable hand, 32 years o-f age, who was arrested at Waipukurau in connection wit|i the case.

Inspector Marsack watched the proceedings on behalf of the police.

SON OF THE DECEASED.

The first witness called wao James Baird, produce merchant, of Nelson, son of the deceased. He deposed that he last saw his mother alive about five weeks ago. She was seventy-one ylars of age in August last. Her husband was alive as far as he knew. She was born in Scotland and had been in New Zealand about fifteen months. Her health was comparatively good, but she suffered with heart trouble. She travelled about by herself a great deal.

AT THE HASTINGS HOTEL.

Mrs. Florrie Perkis, wife of Edmond Perkis. licensee of the Hastings Hotel, stated that a man named George Dunn stayed at her hotel,. He was at present in court. The, deceased booked up fori dinner, bed and breakfast at the hotel on Friday last. She remained in the hotel from 6 p.m. till about 10.40 p.m., in the office, with the lady in the office, Miss Harkness, witness, Mr. Malone, Mr. Deery, Mr. George Dunn, and two ladies who boarded at the hotel. Conversation was ihdulged in during the evening, deceased pretending to read their hands. Mr. Dunn drank a shandy and the ladies had sodas. Deceased left the hotel in the company of the two ladies and Mr. Dunn. The lady boarders went out to get some supper, and with Mr. Dunn, were going to take deceased home. The two ladies returned in about half an hour, but Dunn did not return with them. The deceased was in good health when she left the hotel and had no marks or bruises on her face. She could not say if the mark at present on Dunn’s face was there when he was at the hotel. She did not notice it.

“HELP! MURDER!”

Mrs. Emily Nicoll, widow, residing at 210, Avenue road, Hastings, stated that she knew deceased, who stayed at her house on Thursday night. On Friday deceased went out in the morning, came back at midday, slept most of the afternoon, and left witness’s house at about 4.30 p.m. with the remark that she had been invited out to tea, and would be back about 9 o’clock. She did not return at 9 o’clock, and witness went to bed soon after that hour. Witness was awakened somewhere near 11 p.m. with hearing screams for “Help! Help!” and “.Murder! Murder!” in a female voice. Witness heard these cries for help again, and immediately jumped out of bed and looked through the window, but could see no one. By that ttoie, Mrs.’ Foddy. one of the inmates of" the house, had got up, and they both went out to the verandah. As they were going out they heard the cry for help-again. Then they heard a man’s voice, in a loud whisper. She recognised the female voice as that of Mrs. Baird. Next they heard a scuffle in the hedge, and then silence. Miss McPhail, who also lived with witness, then came home, and at the request of I witness rang up the police. About twenty minutes later they saw a man come (from the hedge and their fence.

The cry for help came from the hedge on Mrs. Kirby’s property The place in which the body was found was where the scuffle and cries for help came from. Deceased was in splendid Jiealth when she left witness. The hat and glasses produced were similar to what deceased wore.

This evidence wits corroborated in detail by John Percy Foddy and Mrs. Ellen Foddy, the latter identifying Dunn as a man she had seen walking rway from Kirby’s propertv a-fter she had heard the screams and cries of the woman.

Similar evidence was given by Marguerita Kirby.

CONSTABLE’S EVIDENCE,

Constable W. McLean said that on arrival, he found the deceased lying on. her hack inside Mrs. Kirby’s grounds, under the side of a hedge. The body was quite warm, but he thought life was extinct. Dr. Nairn arrived shortly afterwards, and the body was taken to the morgue by the doctor and Constable Connor. Witness and Mr. Foddy went to look for the man referred to, and found George Dunn. This was the name the man gave witness. He was found at the corner of Karamu road and Queen street, three blocks away from where the body was found, and was in company with another man named Sydney Greaves. The time was 12 o’clock. Witness took the man back to the spot where the body, was found, him if he had been there, but 'rm said he had not, as he had been out with another lady. When witness accosted Dunn ’he had some recent scratches on his left cheek. Dunn said these were the result of a struggle with the lady he had been out with. DUNN’S STATEMENT.

The constable then took Dunn to the Police Station, where he made and sign * cd the following statement:—“l am head lad for Lowry Bailey, farmer, residing at Te Awamutu. I have beert about Hastings for about a month, and am staying at the Hastings Hotel. I first met deceased in the office of the Hastings Hotel, at about 4.30 p.m. on April 22nd. The others in the office were Mr. Perkis, Mrs. Perkis, John Deery, Paddy Malone, and two ladies who occupied Room No. 4. We all shouted, but I do not know what deceased was drinking. I left the hotel at about 6 p.m. in company with the twoladies and deceased to her home. I went with her to the corner of Station street and Avenue road, where she said “Good night, Fm all right now.” I did not go back to the hotel for tea. After I left the deceased I met another girl named Molly, a housekeeper at the Criterion Hotel, Napier. I spent the evening with her, and left her at about 11.30 pan., and met Mr. Greaves in Kara mu road at about 11.50 p.m. I accosted Greaves and aslqed him the direc-' tion of the town. Greaves said, ‘You are going the wrong way,’ and I came back with him. We walked along together, and were talking, and I told Greaves I had been out with a woman, and got hold of her gloves’and a book. When going back to the hotel I told Greaves I was afraid to take them to the hotel, as my wife might find them in my pocket. I asked Greaves to throw them over a fence in Karamu road, • which he did. The marks I have on my face I received in a struggle Wtwcejj the lady I was with, who is married, and myself. I know nothing of deceased between the time I left; her at Station street and Avenue road corner at about 6 o’clock and midnight.”

• Constable McLean said Dunn left hinj after 2 a.m. on the 23rd, after makin* the above statement.- He was warned to be at the Police Station at 9 o’clock on the morning of the 23rd, hut he did not turn up. He went to Waipukurau. and was brought back from there.

ADMISSION TO DETECTIVE.

Detective-Sergeant Butler gave evidence that he interviewed George Dunn at the Hastings Police Station on Satur. day evening. He asked him why he did nc>t turn up in the morning, as requested, and he replied that he had “got the wind up,” and had cleared out. He added that he left at 1 a.m., walking, when he got along the road a bit a private motor-car gave him a lift to Waipukurau. Tliere / he took a ticket to Woodville. Accused also said, in Sergeant Hogan’s presence, that he remained in the hotel with the woman till 11 p.m. “I saw her home at the request of one o-f the young ladies. We sat down inside the gate when we arrived at her house. 'Whilst sitting down deceased resented my familiarity, but I pulled her over and committed a serious offence. Afterwards the woman called out, ‘You cur,’ or ‘bounder.’” He then left her, the woman being alive and apparently was getting up THE VERDICT.

His Worship returned a verdict that death was due to great excitement, acting on a diseased heart and dilated stomach, such excitement being due to ' her having been raped by George Dunn. Immediately afterwards George Dunn was charged with manslaughter, and on the application of Detective-Sergeant Butler was remanded for one week. [ Bail was refused.