Tragic Story of the Boxer and the Girl

NZ Truth, Issue 1145, 10 November 1927, Page 7

Tragic Story of the Boxer and the Girl

Tear Drops That Showed the Sorrow m Florence's Sad Heart SCENE IN THE CORONER'S COURT

BUT, there was serious business demanding the'attention of the court, and the young: woman, Florence May Masters, was the central figure. The other party, Anthony Edward 1 Waldhoeiy well-known m sporting circles m New Zealand as Billy Chambers, professional boxer, was dead, and the young woman was there, held on a charge of having murdered him. It was a sad story that was presented per medium of the various witnesses and a statement, alleged to-.'have been made by Florence, -was handed to the coroner as mute testimony against her. Dr. Keith .Irving Sillar, resident medical officer at St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, told the coroner that he admitted Anthony Edward Waldhoer, to the hospital at 9 a.m. on October 5 m the name of William Chambers. Waldhoer was immediately placed m a bed and examined by. the medico, who found that he was m a collapsed condition.

Sparring Partner

There was a bullet-wound, passing through the left side of the abdomen, and the bullet could be felt m his back under the skin. "At 11 a.m. he was operated upon for the purpose of repairing damage that the bullet may have done to the intestines," said the doctor. "I took part m the operation and found that a small intestine "was perforated" m the position that the bullet may have passed. ■ The bullet was removed and the patient returned to the ward. He improved slightly that afternoon, and the next day his condition was about the same, but on Friday afternoon his condition became worse." > i

Waldhoer's condition did not improve, and he died at 8.15 p.m. on October S. Dr. Stratford Sheldon, second Government medical officer, it was who held the post mortem, and he said that his examination showed that intestinal trouble and peritonitis caused death. The doctor added that, having heard the evidence given by Dr. Sillar, he was of the opinion that "Waldhoer died as the result of an abdominal wound caused by a bullet. Arthur Smith, a motor-driver of Abercrombie Street, Redfern, Waldhoer's brother-in-law, said that Chambers was twenty-four years of age, and was residing with Miss Masters. He might have had a drink or two, but never drank to excess," said Smith. "He was a man of very quiet disposition. "I last saw him the day before the shooting. Pie came to my place and was quite sober and m good health. "The morning before his death he wanted me to let him stop at my place. He said he and Miss Masters had quarrelled, and that they had decided to separate. "He furnished a small room m my home. They had quarrelled a couple of months previously, and he then furnished a room at my place. He was to have come back on the Tuesday night, but did not come." Replying to Lawyer Moseley, who appeared for the dead man's relatives, Smith said that Waldhoer, who was known as Chambers, was constantly m training, and was also sparring partner to Billy Grime and several visiting boxens. "What would you say his weekly m- 1 come was?" asked counsel. Smith replied that it would be about £5 or £6 a week and over that he earned anything from £30 to £50 a fight. "Do you know that he gave his money to Miss Masters, £85, when he came back from New Zealand?" "Yes," answered Smith.

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Sydney Representative.)

In deep mourning, with a pallor that seemed to accentuate the delicacy of her features, a young woman sat sobbing m the Coroners Court last week, her eyes filled With big, round tear drops, that welled to the rims and ran down her pale cheeks.

Except for the clothes she wore, she seemed out of place m that drab and sombre setting, life one, who, filled with sorrow, had come m for rest, and — if it could be found — solace.

= = i n h tics 1 H U I >»»,'

Do you know when he got his revolver? — He had it given to him just after he was cut with a razor by the razor gang. That would be about five months ago.

Was -he difficult to argue with, or obstinate? — No; I had not found him that way.

Did he easily lose his temper?— No. Detective -Sergeant Lynch, of Darlinghurst, told the coroner that about 9.30 p.m. on October 5 he saw Chambers m ward 3 at the St. Vincent's Hospital and said to him "The doctor has informed me yom are suffering: from a bullet . wound and be operated on sho How did it happe "He said," the se geant went on, was cleaning my auto matic this morning and it accidentally went oft' and shot me m the stomach.' I said,' 'W here were you at the time?'

"He replied: 'Where I am living.' "I said, 'Was anyone present?' He said, 'No.' I I said, 'Are you quite sure it was only accidental?' He said, 'Yes.' "I said, 'You have been m trouble before and are you sure it was an accident?' He said, 'Yes. If it was any of the mob I would tell you exactly what happened.'

"I then went to Barcom Avenue, where I saw other police officers and Florence May Masters. "Inspector Rosser handed me an automatic revolver m which were five live cartridges. "He also handed me a gun license for an automatic pistol issued to William Chambers m April of this year. "Inspector Rosser said, 'I found this automatic pistol m the coat pocket behind the door.' I said to Miss Masters, 'Who owns that automatic pistol?' She replied 'Billy.' "I said, 'Do you. know who put the automatic m the coat pocket?' She said, 'No, but I suppose he t did.' I said, 'Do you know if there was anyone else present when tire shooting happened?' She said, 'No. I don't think so.' "I said, 'Where were you?' She replied, 'I was m the backyard when I heard the shot, and I" ran back to the. flat.' I- said, 'Where was Chambers then?' She replied that he was lying, on the bed."

A search of the

flat

for the discharged shell was made, and then, the sergeant said, he told the young woman that they could not. find the discharged shell. "I am not satisfied that the shot was fired m this building," he told her, he said. ■• "You will have to come to the station while I make further inquiries." ' They returned to Darlinghurst station and left Miss Masters m Inspector MacKay's room, while 'he returned to the station and saw Inspector MacKay, who told him something. "I then s a w Miss Masters m the

room and said to her," Sergeant Lynch declared, "Inspector MacKay has told me that you wish to make a statement as to how the shooting occurred this morning. She said, 'Yes.' "I said, 'I want to warn you' that you will be charged and you need not say anything unless you wish,' "She then commenced to cry, and. said, '1 was frightened this morning when you came to the flat. He has been beating me, and knocking me about.' "Miss Masters then showed me her right ring finger, which was bruised and swollen. There slight discoloration her right eye and a se on her right arm. She said, 'Pie did this me last night and have other bruises on my body.'

"I said, 'Do you "wish to make a statement m writing?' She said, 'Yes' and' made and signed the statement which I produce." The statement was tendered as an exhibit. It was made on October 5 at the Daiiinghurst police station and read : "I am a divorced woman and for the past three years I have been living w i t h E d war d Chambers. "For about eight weeks past we- occupied the flat at No. 19, Barcom Avenue, Dar-ling-hurst. Occasionally Chambers and I had quarrels, and on Monday night, October 3, 1927, we had a quarrel m our flat. He struck and punched me about the bo,dy. "We remained m the flat that night. On Tuesday morning:, October 4, I left to go to work at about a quarter to eight. Chambers was m the flat when I left. "I returned to the flat at about 7 p.m. He was not there then. I went to bed at about 8.30 p.m. and locked all the doors. "About 1.30 a.m. Chambers came home. I do not. know how he got into the flat.; He was under the influence of liquor when he arrived home. . * .

"He started to ill-treat me by punching into me. I left 'him m the bedroom and went and slept m a bed m the dining-room. "I got up at about 6 a.m. m the morning, October 5, 1927, and at about S o'clock I went down and paid the landlady the rent.

."I liacl my fur. coat m the dining-room ready to wear to woi'k when I went down and paid the rent. When I returned, he had both my fur coats locked up, and would not give them to me. "I put on an old brown coat I tad there. Just as I. was leaving for work Chambers said, 'I will go down to where you are woi'k- . ing and cause . an irgument, so you will be put off. "There was an automatic pistol on the dressing table m the bedroom. I put the pistol m my handbag and left the flat by the' back stairs. "I went into the

WAS HE CRUE Runs Statement FOR TRIAL ON MURDER CHi

lane leading off Womerah Avenu&. Chambers rushed after me. I said, 'If you come near- to me I'll shoot you.' He rushed at me to catch hold of me. I had taken the pistol from my bag as I spoke. "When he was about two feet from me I fired the pistol. Chambers fell down. I helped him' to his feet and he then ran inside the house and up the back stairs into the flat. , "I followed him ' upstairs. He- said, 'Ring up the doctor.' I went downstairs to Miss Sherry's flat, and asked her to ring up the doctor. . ' ■ ' "At that time I had the pistol m my hand. Chambers called me upstairs, and said, 'Put the pistol *m my coat pocket.' I put it m his pocket and it was found there by Inspector Rosser, and later shown to me whilst m the flat. • • "Shortly after the shot was fired the ambulance arrived. "I spoke m the ward at St Vincent's, and told him I was sorry for what I had done. He said, 'I. forgive* you.' "At the time I fired the shot, I was m fear that Chambers would do me some injury, and I fired the. shot m self-defence. „ "I have bruises on my body, and on my feet and arms. These bi-uises are the result of his ill-treatment. "I would like to say that Inspector MacKay knows that I called at this station and made a complaint some two or three months ago about being assaulted by him, and asked for their protection, and also complained about 'Chambers taking my money and jeweliery from my boxes when I was absent and refusing to give them back to me." ■ Sargeant Lynch, continuing his evidence, stated, that he then accompanied Miss Masters to a lane leading" from Womerah Avenue to a lane at the i-ear of Barcom Avenue. "At a distance of about 75 feet from the flat, she said, 'That is where I fired the shot.' . ■ ' , "We then returned •to Darlinghurst

police station, where I charged her with inflicting grievous bodily harm on the deceased. She said, 'I didn't mean to hurt him. I fired at him because 1 was afraid he was going to. attack me.' "About 9.30 p.m. on October 8, m company with Detective-Sergeant Miller, I saw Miss Masters outside the flat m Barcom' Avenue. Miller said to her, 'Chambers has just died.' She said, 'Is he dead?' Miller said, 'Yes.' "T said, 'You will have to come with us to the station. 1 , ' ' f, '*At the station I said to her, 'You will now be charged with murder.' She made no reply and was charged. She then replied, M did not mean to hart him. I fired the shot m self-defence.'" Detective-Sergeant' Miller corroborated Lynch m the latter part of his evidence. The police officer said that some two or three months ago, Miss Master's visited the police station to complain about Chambers ill-treating her.

Two Black Eyes

At the time, he said, x she had two black eyes, and a cut on her face from which blood was oozing. . ' \ Later, according to the evidence, Miller visited Chambers at his flat, where he found him under the influence of liquor. ■ ■ Miller said that he told him that Miss Masters had complained about him taking £84 and some rings from her. Chambers, he said, replied that the money was his. . * ' "When I told him' about ill-treating her," Miller said, "He said, 'She deserved more.' " ' > At the conclusion of the police case,' Florence May Masters stated that she did not wish to give evidence. She was committed for trial on a charge of murder. Bail m £200 was allowed. . . • ■ '