GIRL'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 135, 9 June 1932, Page 8

GIRL'S DEATH.

CONFESSION ALLEGED. LABOURER SENT FOR TRIAL. UPPER HUTT TRAGEDY. (By Telegraph.—rress Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The preliminary hearing of evidence in the murder charge against Horace Frank Livermore, labourer, was concluded this morning, and accused was committed for trial. In evidence Detective McLennan produced a statement made by the accused to him 011 the night the body was found. According to this statement, the accused was improperly interfering with the child. He hit her on the head with an iron bar seven times, then picked, her up and dropped her down a bank. He did not wait to sec if she was dead. His reason for hitting her so was to prevent her from telling anyone that he had been interfering with her. He said he did it 011 the spur of the moment to keep her quiet. Further evidence was given yesterday by Henry Johnson Morris Hazelwood, motor driver, Lionel William Hobbs, gardener, and Stephen Thomas Bason, driver of a baker's van.

Frank lan Jones, sawmill hand, Upper Hutt, who took part in the search, said the child's body was found lying off a track and 011 a slight incline, with the head facing downhill. There was a deep gash on the head. Another witness, °who gave similar evidence, said that he found a piece of piping near the body.

Constable Stewart, Upper Hutt, said that the witness Wyett told him he had found the body and removed it to the top of the bank.

Constable Joss said lie took Livermore to his whare, wliere he told him he was suspected of murdering the girl Forster. Accused said: "Me? What would I murder her for? I thought sh-.; had fallen over a bank." Witness told him he would be detained until the arrival of Detective McLennan. Accused asked if he could change his clothes, saying ho would look more respectable. Hie trousers were wet. Witness told him to leave his clothing as it was. Witness said ho asked accused to show him his boots. Livermorc then inquired, "Have you got footprints?" He added, "Those arc not the boots I had on to-day." Witness asked him why he had changed his boots, and lie replied that tliey were wet. Accused produced a pair of wet shoes. He was taken to the Upper Hutt police station. Dr. P. P. Lynch, pathologist at the Wellington Hospital, said that as a result of his examination he had formed the conclusion that death was due to blows from a blunt instrument on the back of the head. There were indications that more tlmn one blow was struck. He did not think these injuries could have been caused by a fall. Dr. M. B. M. Tweed said he agreed with the findings and conclusions of Dr. Lynch.