MURDER OF A GIRL

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17984, 30 January 1924, Page 10

MURDER OF A GIRL

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BRUTAL CRIME NEAR GISBORNE.

NO CLUE TO PERPETRATOR.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PB2SS.")

GISBORXE, January 29,

A painful sensation was caused, today wlieu it became known that a girl named Gwendoline Kathleen Murray, aged nearly 12 years, had been outraged and murdered at the Makaraka Cemetery, three miles from town. It was under a spreading tree of the "Wellingtonia species that the girl's body was found this morijing. The place is a fairly secluded one, the spot being about three chains off the main Gisborne-Makaraka road. There is a road reserve there running down to the Tarulie'ru river, and at the bottom there is a footbridge across the stream, giving access to the Taruheru Cemetery, across which the little girl's parents live. Along the east side of the road reserve is a belt of trees and a fanee. About three chains from the main road there is a small wooden gate hidden by these. This gate is about two and a half chains away from the residence of the sexton, Mr Wm. Fleming. The grass alongside the trees is fairly long, and when visited soon after the girl was found, appeared to have been trampled down a good deal in two places near the gate. The tree that the girl was found under is not very large, but its branches come down to the ground outside, forming a sort of canopy over the centre.

The child was found lying partly oa her side and back right alongside the tree trunk. Her clothes were disarranged and torn. One supposition lending value to the theory that the child was suffocated is that no signs of blood were found. That there was a struggle seems evident from the fact that the basket with groceries that the girl was carrying had been upset, and was found about ten or twelve feet away from the body. The girl's shoes had either been kicked off or taken from her; they were found some feet away from the body. A boy named James Smellie was the first to discover the missing child. He was searching for hens' eggs when he came across the body. A Very Loud Scream. The story of the tragedy, as far as it is known by those except the actual perpetrator, was told by Mrs Fleming, wife of Mr Wm. Fleming, sexton at the Makaraka Cemetery. Mrs Fleming said that while they were inside their house last evening they sr o ldenly heard one very loud scream. She thought it was between 7 and 8 o'clock. Mr Fleming went to the door to listen, but heard no other' sound. The night was very dark, and they could not see far. Mrs Fleming added that often at night they heard joyriders go past the house in motor-cars, and now and again girls were heard to scream out. On the present occasion she thought that the sound must have come from the same source. The Girl's Movements. Gwen Murray had been a frequent visitor to Makaraka and during the past few weeks had often been seen in the township, which is a mile and_ a half from, her home. So far there is to be learned respecting the child's doing between the hour of her departure from home last night, and the time of the murder. The evidence has yet to be gleaned and pieced together, and the police were busy on this task this afternoon. It has been ascertained, however, that the girl left home at 5.30 p.m., when she was sent on an errand by her mother. According to the statement of her brother, W. J. Murray, who Is a baker employed at Makaraka, the mother told Gwen to go to Mrs Green's, where the brother boards, a few doors away from the Dixon's store and post office. Failing her finding Mrs Green at home, she was to go to the bakehouse opposite the store to her brother, and one of . them would see her home. From what can be gathered she failed to do this, and it is presumed she spent an hour or two playing, possibly with other children en route. Mrs Green states that she was late getting home from town last evening. It was just about 6.30 p.m., and she saw no sign of the little girl along the .road. She distinctly remembered looking down the lane by the cemetery as she passed, but saw no sign of Gwen Murray. "Where she was at this hour has yet to be ascertained. The child's brother, William, states that he was at the bakehouse all the time and she certainly did not come there.

The next _evidenoe respecting the child's movements is that of Mr and Mrs Dixon, of the Makaraka store and post office. They state that Given Murray visited the shop at ten minutes to eight. She came on an errand from her mother and for the mail. There were several letters, including on_£_for the little girl herself. There were several customers in the shop at tie time. Mrs Dixon states that she reminded tKe child that on her previous visit to the shop she had gone away without 10s change, which she gave her. She asked Gwen if her mother knew she was out so late, and if anyone was with; her. The child replied that he mother knew and she was all right. The child did not seem in a hurry, nor did she display any appearance of being afraid. The child's mother ' states that she was occasioned no great anxiety when her daughter did not return home, as she naturally assumed that she was staying at Makaraka with Mrs Green, as she had done on previous occasions. On his return from the scene, Inspector Hutton said that there was at present very little to add to the bare account of the murder. The police were of course scouring the country, but they had a difficult task ahead of them, in that there was no clue so far available as to the little girl's movements after 8 o'clock last night. Doubtless, when the account of the happenings appeared in the papers, someone would come forward who could throw some light on the matter. Possible Clues. Charles Pearce, residing at Mrs Bains's, about 500 yards on the town side of the cemetery, heard a piercing scream about 5.15 last night coming from the direction where the murder occurred. From half-past six till dark he had sat at a gate near the road, and no foot passenger had passed, which seems to indicate that the murderer came from the direction of Maka"Wallace Sutherland, who lives 150 vards on the Malcaraka side of the lane, said that shortly after 8 last night he saw a little girl, whom he identified as Gwen Murray, pass, carrying a basket. She was" walking on the side nearest his house, and when about 40 yards past his gate, he saw a man accost her. He could not definitely state from what direction the man had come. The man stopped the girl, and spoke to her, and she answered him, but he could not hear what was said. They walked off together. At the time, Sutherland thought it was possibly her (Continued at foot ,of next column.)

father or brother, and did not take much note 'of the occurrence. To him it appeared that the man was about sft Sin in height, well built, and he was wearing a dark suit.

Further investigations show that on Sunday morning at 6 a.m. a swagger called at Mrs Bains's, and asked for a meal.. He said that he had come from Hicks Bay, and spoke in a rough manner. He stated that he was making for the Waipaoa Freezing Works. This morning he had only readied Waiherere, live miles away, and his movements are now being investigated. Dr.. Gunn performed a post-mortem examination of the girl's body this afternoon, but the result of the examination is not yet- known. . A preliminary inquest for identification purposes will be held to-morrow. (PRESS ASSOCIATION- TOT.nr.IHM 1 GISBORNE, January 29. Marks of violence were plainly visible on the girl's throat and body. The police on searching the body discovered that the ten shillings the girl had been given at the store had been stolen. The pclu'a have a difficult task, as the vicinity of the crime is covered in grass, and no footprints can be seen. Up till a late hour to-night no arrest had been made. The victim was an attractive-looking girl, and wo? popular'with her fellow scholars at Te Hapara school. Sho was fairly well- built for her age,-'and might easily have been mistaken-for being a year or. so. olda?^