LANDRU’S TRIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1921, Page 5

LANDRU’S TRIAL.

EXPERTS ON BONES. REMARKABLE EVIDENCE. By telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Paris, Nov. 25. The trial of Landru was continued today. The court wks like an anatomical museum, while experts gave evidence regarding bones found at Gambois, and fragments of alleged skulls reduced to fine powder were displayed under glass and hermetically sealed. The exhibits also included garters, buckles, hair-pins, dress fasteners, surgical saws, traces of which, the experts declared, could be seen in the fragments of bones. The police, however, admitted that the bones were found daring the second visit to the villa, after they had failed to find anything the first time. Dr. Paul gave evidence that two hundredweight of ashes wore passed through a sieve. The ashes contained 5 per cent, of calcium phosphate instead of the normal percentage of one half. Landru explained that this was due to large quantities of oyster shells which he burned in the stove. The ashes contained 256 fragments of bone, of which 150 were fragments of human skulls. The rest were portions of hands and feet, and the remains of 47 teeth. Other police evidence showed it was possible to destroy a hundredweight of flesh in a stove in 24 hours. j "

Landru’s counsel asked why no greasy soot was found in the stove if eleven corpses were burnt in the stove. The Advocate-General interrupted, saying there was no question whether 11 corpses had been burnt, but only parts of certain bodies. The experts were highly technical, and the jury was visibly bored. Landru, however, followed the experts closely and frequently interposed questions and explanations. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.