TO-DAY'S EVIDENCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 21, 25 January 1934, Page 8

TO-DAY'S EVIDENCE

BOXES OF EXHIBITS.

DR. GILMOUR'S CONCLUSIONS. COURT CROWDED AGAIN. In anticipation of further evidence from Dr. Gilmour, the crowd waiting outside the Police Court this morning had been swelled by hundreds compared with those of the earlier part of the week. The queue was longer, and when the main door to the public entrance was opened tliere was a wild rush for positions at the back of the court, comparable only with the frantic scramble for admission on the opening day of the hearing.

In front of the magistrate's bench are two tables crowded with neatly arrayed exhibits which are frequently referred to by Dr. Gilmour in the course of his evidence. Upwards of 50 boxes, carefully labelled, and containing fragments of bone, charcoal, and bits of skull, lie ready to be identified. Particular attention has been paid to the classification of the various exhibits, and many of them are Contained in cardboard boxes, with glass tops and divided into two or three sections. Most of the pieces of bone rest, like precious stones, on a bed of cotton wool.

Continuing his evidence, Dr. Gilmour said he received an envelope from the police on December 9 containing small pieces of burnt bone and charcoal. He classified that under the heading "A." These bones could not be identified. On the same date frorn Detective Allsopp he received a cardboard box containing burnt bone. He divided them into three parts: (A) Pieces of charcoal and burnt bone which could not be identified; (B) three pieces of burnt bone consistent with human origin, the inner end of the right collarbone and two pieces of the shinbonc; (C) three pieces of burnt bone of human origin from the vault of the skull. Two of these pieces could be joined together. "On the same day I received an exhibit from Detective Allsopp," said the doctor. "This contained charcoal and a number of small pieces of burnt bone which could not be identified. The same day, from Detective Allsopp, I received a wooden box containing charcoal, amongst which [ found a number of unidentifiable burnt bone. I also received .from the same detective eight small bones; six of these were burnt fish bones. The other two are probably animal bones, one burnt and one unburnt."

Pieces of Skullbone. Numerous other exhibits received from Detective Allsopp were produced, Dr. Gilmour stating that examination showed some of these to be pieces of burnt and unburnt bone which could not be identified, and some animal bone. "Another exhibit in a large jam jar contained (A) pieces of charcoal, a large number of pieces of burnt and unburnt bone which could not be identified; (B) four pieces of burnt bone consistent with a human origin, consisting of the piece of collarbone, the piece of shinbone, the piece of skull, and piece from the sharp edge of the bone around about the eye, and (C) 25 pieces of skullbone of human origin. Contained also in this exhibit was Dne rivet from denims.

"On December 5 I received from Detective Allsopp another exhibit containing small pieces of burnt bone which could not be identified, a brace runner, a stud fastener, and a piece of cloth.

"I received from Detective Findlay on December 5 another exhibit containing (A) pieces of charcoal and many fragments of burnt bone, several pieces of dried unburnt bone, and some pieces of burnt cloth, none of these bones being identifiable; (B) 12 pieces of burnt bone of human origin. There are four pieces of rib, two pieces of thighbone, one piece of fibula, one of Hie boiies of the leg below the knee, four pieces of backbone; and one piecc of vertebra. (C) Six pieces of bone from the skull and one piecc of occipital bo!:c. This comes from the inside of the back of the skull. I also found portions of burnt cloth, three pieces of charred matter with the markings of cloth on the surface; two pieces of burnt leather, one with a nail in it, and one burnt sprig.

"In another exhibit containing a large quantity of wood ash, one piece of burnt bone of animal origin, one piece of human origin, one piece of portion of the atlas of the first cervical vertebra. It shows part of the foramen of the left vertebral artery and the groove for the artery, and part of the superior articular surface."

What is it?—lt is the bone on which the head moves up and down. Other things contained in the box were part of the superior of the articular surface and of the inferior articular surfacc, a.id the beginning of the posterior arch.

Collected Outside Separator Room. "The next exhibit I examined," continued the doctor, "consisted of a few tiny fragments of bone not identified." Do you know where these came from? Yes. I saw them being collected from the surface of the ground during ny visit to Ruawaro. They were found about 12ft from the door of the separator room, just outside the t.rodden piece of ground. "On December 20 I received an exhibit which contained (A) numerous small fragments of burnt bone, which could not be identified; (B) 13 pieces of burnt bone, consistent with hum ill origin, namely, three pieces of rib, one piece of vertebra, and one piece of a foot; (C) pieces of burnt bone of human origin, nine pieces of skull, of which three can be fitted together, tha head of a right radius, showing the reticulation with the humerus, the articular surface for the ulna. This pie-.-e of radius exactly fits the piece of humerus in another exhibit."

Mr. Meredith: What is the deduction from that? —That these bones either came from the same individual or from individuals of similar build.

What size are they?-—They are the size and build of an adult, and their roughness indicates that they are derived from a muscular individual.

Where do these come from ?—They form part of the elbow joint.

Piece of Wrist Bone. "The next exhibit I examined," continued the pathologist, "contained charcoal and a piece of burnt leather with nails in it, and burnt bone as follows: (a) Numerous small fragments which could not be identified; (b) six pieces consistent with human origin, namely, four pieces of long bone, one piece of rib, one piece of wrist bone; (c) one piece of human origin, which is part of tlio left petrous bone showing the internal auditory canal, part of the structure of the internal ear, and the canal for the allotted artery.

Where did that come from? —From the base of the skull inside.

On January 1 last he received from Detective Snedden an exhibit consisting of charcoal, small pieces of unidentifiable burnt bone, one piece of unburnt bone, one metal button from palmernap trousers, one burnt lace fastener from a boot, three sprigs from boots, one short nail and one staple from boots, two pieces of burnt leather, one piece of burnt cloth, two unburnt beads. In another exhibt was found wood ash and fragments of burnt bone, apparently fish bones. They did not resemble human bones. For some considerable time Dr. Gilmour continued to give his conclusions concerning the many exhibits examined. These comprised wood charcoal, unidentifiable burnt and unburnt bone, burnt stone, burnt leather, a sprig from a boot, a piece of metal and a piece of wood. No blood was found on the wood. Dr. Gilmour identified a box containing some of the hairs from the tuft, previously mentioned, which he had mounted in wax. The hair had been washed. The magistrate then took the morning adjournment.