WAIKINO TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 June 1940, Page 6

WAIKINO TRAGEDY

MURDER CHARGE AGAINST CARTMAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. ALLEGED STATEMENT BY ACCUSED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WAIHI. June 11. The hearing of Douglas Herbert Cartman, who is alleged to have murdered Elizabeth Agnes Hamilton at Waikino on April 2, was concluded today.

Dr. Walter Gilmour, pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, gave evidence about examining three strands of hair found under the front of accused’s car. Witness said that these hairs resembled the hair of Lloyd Moran and Mrs Hamilton. Mrs Hamilton's skirt was stained with oil, but witness did not find any bloodstains. The skirt was torn from top to bottom. Witness detailed the extent of the injuries suffered by both deceased. Had Mrs Hamilton received immediate treatment there would, have been a remote prospect of recovery.

Only very great, violence could have caused such head injuries, consistent with fiaving been caused by blows from a tyre lever. Witness considered that the blows were struck before death.

Corroborative evidence was given by Dr. Edwin Francis Fowler, Auckland, and Dr. Lionel Rexford, Hetherington, Waihi. Medical evidence was that a grave offence had been committed on the woman.

Detective-Sergeant John Thompson, Hamilton, stated that on May 1 accused at an interview said that he had been worrying about what he had done. “If I had not had so much drink it would not have happened,” Cartman had stated. In a written statement accused had admitted that he had not gone to Waihi beach on the night of the tragedy, as hp had previously told the police. Accused said that ho had been drinking all day in a hotel at Waihi and by evening was as near drunk as could be. Cartman stated that when he set out in his car for Paeroa he struck at Waikino a woman and a boy, who were walking along the road and who he failed to see. No one was about at the time and accused placed the body of the boy in the back of the car and the woman’s body in the front seat. Both were dead when picked rip. Continuing his statement, accused told how he disposed of the bodies. He was conversant with the locality, having previously worked on a farm in the vicinity. Accused did not know the time he returned home to Waihi. but he went to work as usual the next day. When formally charged with murder, Cartman made no reply. The last witness was Detective-Ser-geant J. Walsh. Auckland, who corroborated Detective-Sergeant Thompson's evidence and gave details of the finding of various exhibits. Accused was committed for trial at the Supreme Court, Auckland.