FINDING OF BODY

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21362, 5 March 1941, Page 6

FINDING OF BODY

WELLINGTON MURDER SEVERE WOUNDS INFLICTED EVIDENCE OF DOCTORS 1 (By Telegrapn.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday s The hearing of the charge against 7 Leonard Neiling, aged 29, who is - , charged with tne murder of Mrs 1 j Marjory Horton, was continued this * j morning, the first witness being Hugh McWhinney, who is employed , | by the Wellington City Council, i He said that on the morning of - January 9 a policeman approached - him in Oriental Bay and asked if he i had seen a woman on a seat. He said he had not. They then had a look l round and discovered a woman's . body lying on a wall on the beach . and obscured by scrub, i The woman was lying on her back and her legs were dangling over the - wall. Her clothing was very much . disarranged. There was some blood on the beach, some on the wall and ! the woman’s face was covered with blood. The face had been very much injured. He saw a broken bottle near the wall and next to the woman was a pair oi gloves and an attache case. Dr. Suckling, of the Wellington Hospital described Mrs Horton’s condition when he saw her in the casualty department ’of the institution. It was not more than a brief examination. He said it appeared that she was in a grave condition and j was semi-conscious. She was able . to be roused but not for long periods. Injuries Described She was suffering from severe head ! injuries. Both eyeudes were severely I bruised and there *vere two lacer- ’ ated wounds on her face. Her jaw had been broken and blood was scattered over her lace and clothing. was suffering from severe shock and cold, indicating tnat sne had been exposed for some time. He did not delay by keeping her lor a long examination, but admitted her straight to a ward. Evidence was also given by Dr. D. G. Simpson, who is now on military service. He said everything was done for the patient wno steadily went downhill and died, in a coma, about 7.10 a.m. on January 12. Detective W. J. Headley gave evidence as to finding blood oil the retaining wall and shrub at Oriental , Bay and broken beer bottles on the I foreshore. A man's handkerchief was also found buried in tne sningie and | sand. Two corners of the handkerj eiuef were knotted and there appeared to be bloodstains on it. The handkerchief was produced as also was a full bottle of beer picked up at the same place. Accused’s Explanation Witness said he was at the police station at Auckland when accused was shown a blue uit and he heard Detective-Sergeant McLennan ask accused what explanation he had to offer about bloodstains on one of ,the pockets of the trousers. Accused replied that he had knocked his hand on the lavatory door in a hotel the the day he was arrested. He said he put his hand in his pocket to get his handkerchief, on wnich there would also be bloodstains. Witness was present when accused was i told he was being charged with the j murder of Mrs Horton. He replied: j I have nothing to say.” This evidence was corroborated by Detective J. H. Alty. Bloodstains On Coat Charles Robert Quinn, a drainage contractor, testified as to being tne employer of Tom Neiling. He said that he had agreed to give his brother a job and at about 3 p.m. on January 9 Tom Neiling brought along a man, introducing him as his brother Len. Witness agreed to give the man a job and the man said that he would begin the following morning. He did not turn up and witness did not hear either from him or his brother as to why. The man was accused. Evidence was given by Dr. Lynch, pathologist at the Wellington Hospital, in the course of which he said the injuries to Mrs Horton would not have rendered her completely silent. The indications were tnat deceased was standing on the gravel foreshore when she was struck and that the violence was severe and prolonged. The knotted handkerchief that had be&i given to him had human bloodstains on it but its use as a gag could not have produced the injuries he saw. He thought throttling had been done with one hand. Witness also said that he had | examined the coat he was told was taken from Neiling and he found bloodstains in two positions. YESTERDAY’S EVIDENCE (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday William Henry Staunton, driver of the bus that left Lower Hutt for Wellington at 10.25 p.m. on January S, and several passengers in the bus, were called by the police later yesterday afternoon. It was elicited that two men and a Maori girl boarded the bus at Lower Hutt. Witnesses identified a bag and case said to belong to Mrs Horton as having been carried by a woman passenger who was wearing clothes answering the description of those of Mrs Horton. At an identification parade accused was alleged to be one of the men j with the Maori girl. The Maori girl and one of her com- i panions were said to have left the bus j at Petone, and an elderly woman ! and another man continued on to j Wellington, talking together and ! alighting together. One witness said j accused was the member of the party of three who came on to Wellington. Harriet Rangiwhetu, of Lower Hutt, said she travelled in a bus with j the Neiling brothers from Petone to Lower Hutt and later boarded a bus ! again at Lower Hutt. Witness gave 1 a match to a woman who asked ! accused for one. Accused and the 1 woman spoke to each other, the j 1 woman starting the conversation. i ' i Visit to Hotel Clarence Keith Taylor, taxi-driver, ■ j said that between 11.-30 and midnight ! ] on January 3 a man and a woman i > came from the vicinity of a bus near : the Wellington station and hired his j < car. The man had had drink and his ! speech was husky. Witness drove < them to an hotel, where the man pro- «

cured some beer from a porter. The womb-.i appeared to be sober, but seemed nervous while they were at the hotel. Witness was then directed to drive to a point beyond the Oriental Bay tram terminus, where he was paid and the man and woma i alighted. Witness said the drive appeared to be the result of a prior arrangement. He identified a man 31 an identificaticvi parade as the one he had taken to Oriental Bay. Constable F. Stanaway gave evidence of the finding of Mrs Hortc/n and her injuries.