TAMKI TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 10

TAMKI TRAGEDY.

ELSIE WALKER MYSTERY SEARCHING INQUIRY GOES ON. MOVEMENTS OF COUSINS EXAMINED. With seven witnesses only out of 23 examined in two days, the inquest into the mysterious death of Elsie Walker, the 17-year-old girl who was found dead in some scrub at Tamaki on October 5, drags slowly on.

For the greater part of yesterday's sitting of the court, William Alfred Bayly, the 22-year-old cousin of Elsie Walker, was in the witness box. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., is the coroner, Mr. E. H. • Northcroft appears for the dead girl's relations, the Bayly family, and Mr. Douglas Mowbray represents Elsie Walker's father. Mr. V. R. Meredith, the Crown Prosecutor, is conducting the case on behalf of the police. Late yesterday afternoon the case was adjourned till 9.30 on Monday morning, when William Bayly will be crossexamined. Evidence heard after the main edition of the "Star" had gone to press yesterday, but which appeared in later editions is:— Mr. Meredith continued his examination.

After witness left the boardinghouse at about 10 o'clock on Tuesday, he went out to see his wife. He redirected some luggage at -the Newmarket railway station. He then came into the city, and had lunch. He bought some suit cases and we.»t to the pictures. Witness and I <! Were to S ether in the afternoon, v * * Y l " 7 bou ght some suitcases. They Sμ!? 1 a friend to the Pictures. On

You knew how far you had to walk from the concrete road?—l don't think any specific statement was given. You suggest, then, that your wife could go out two days running, six hours one day and nine hours the next, but not to Henderson ? —Yes, that is so. On the Wednesday morning you went to Henderson?—Yes. I had an early breakfast at the boardinghouse. Who did you see out at the farm? — A man named Dobbs. Mr. Hunt: That is the person you referred to as a boy a while ago?— Yes. Did you mention to Dobbs that you had been out on the Monday to see the place? —I may have done, or I may not have done. On the Sunday you had a visit from your father and Mr. Lusk?—Yes, sir. You were asked rfbout a key?— Yes. First News from His Father. Had you not known that Elsie Walker was missed? —No. Had you not seen a paper? —No, I had not. I did not know until my father told me. Did your father say anything about a key? —My father said the police had my key of the car but I told him I knew nothing about it. He wanted.to know what the police meant when they said they had any key. And Elsie Walker's fate was not discussed?— No. We talked about land and cattle. They left you and you came in later that night, having received word from the police? —Yes. I went to the boardinghouse. You mentioned to Dobbs that you were going in ?—Yes, I told him and said there was something important but I did not give the reason. Did you say anything to anyone? — No.

Did you say anything to Dobbs? —l just said I was going to town. Have you ever seen Elsie Walker drive a car, heard that she could drive, or taught her to drive? —No. It was generally accepted in the family that she could not drive. Had you ever taken Elsie Walker out in a car?— She was in the car on one occasion when we went to Rotorua. Except for a service car drive from her lome, which is south, she had never >een for a car drive further north than Tauranga. Had you ever been out with her alone ?—No, never. Had she any admirers?—l know of none. "Events Three Months Old." Mr. Northcroft (counsel for the Bayly family):, On the first occasion you gave the police all possible details that you could recollect at that time?— Yes.

And you made no notes? —No. So to-day you are speaking of events three months old? —Yes. Did you know that there might oe any possible suspicion or suggestion attached to you? —No. Are you well known in the Bay of Plenty ?—Fairly, I think. Is it likely that you could make a visit to your home at Papamoa and not be seen ?—lmprobable, I should think. And the police have had three months to check up on that ? —Yes. About three weeks or a month after the first interview you were again interviewed by Detective Kelly?—Yes. So he had had that time to look into your first story?— Yes. Did he question you again? —He asked one or two questions which I had answeied previously. Did he again question in detail?— Xo, Mr. Northcroft. Did anyone else interview you?— Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike, on the farm at Huntly. Previous to this you had heard of an attempt by the police to go through your belongings surreptitiously ?—Yes. Without search warrant?— Yes, as far as I know. Did Detective Bickerdike interview you alone ? —Yea.

The. Detective's Questions. What did he say?— That he was down to see about the poor aead girl. He said he was there in strict confidence and whatever I said would not go beyond him. He first found he *vas not overheard by looking in a room and then he asked if I was friendly with her. I told him there was no particular friendship, and he said he was there to conduct an investigation. He told me that whatever I said would be regarded as in confidence. Witness continued, saying that the detective told him that whatever was said would go to the grave with him. He said the girl was over 16 years and he said that if witness would say he had been intimate with her it would lift suspicion from everyone down that way. Mr. Meredith: It is nearly four o'clock and the case cannot possibly finish tonight. It was decided to carry on until 4.15. Bayly further said that the detective had said he could not possibly incriminate himself.

The witness had replied to the detective that he was not going to remove suspicion from anyone by saying he had done anything he had not done. The detective had said Elsie was rather a good-looking j*irl and that she would appeal to some people. Bayly had said he did not know anyone she had appealed to and that he had no reason to believe she had been With any young men.

"Did Not Suspect Me." All this talk had relation to intimacy that someone was supposed to have had and not to the girl's disappearance?— Yes. He said he did not suspect me of having anything to do with the girl's death, and that if he did he would be man enough to tell me. He said he was working to clear the girl's name, to show she had not been out with every Tom, Dick and Harry. "While 1 was in town for a few days," said Bayly, "detectives went out to Henderson. The man who was working there told me. They wanted to see my stuff. He gave me to understand they said they were friends of mine." Mr. Hunt: Did they look through them ?—No. Mr. Northcroft: You told Bickerdike about this?— No. I said it was after an attempt had been made by them to see my stuff. Did he endeavour to entice or cajole you into making an admission that you had been intimate with the girl?— Yes. Did he make any more reference to her attractiveness?— Yes, but I told him she was not to me. He said I had been in trouble before.

The Coroner: Were you? Witness: No. He said there were allegations made against me before and I told him a man was innocent until he wa s found guilty.

Mr. Northcroft: Perhaps I should interpose and say that the Judge stopped the prosecution and directed the jury to acquit. The Coroner: What was the charge? Witness: Carnal knowledge. Mr. Northcroft: Ami the Judge who heard the case directed the jury to acquit. Bayly went on to say that when Detective Bickerdike was leaving he said he was sorry witness had not said what the detective wanted him to, as it would have practically cleared everything up. Bickerdike then took a statement from him. When witness and his wife arrived in Auckland to get married his wife had about £26 and he had £14. The proprietress at the boarding house at which they stayed was his aunt, and they did not have to pay board. They had no difficulty in carrying on with the £40. Mr. Northcroft suggested an adjournment, remarking on the fatiguing nature of the case and the stuffy atmosphere of the Court. Minnie Jordon, a neighbour of the Baylys, whose evidence was interposed, said that Elsie Walker's character was good. The inquiry was adjourned until 9.30 a.m. on Monday.