MURDER CHARGE AT NAPIER

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21449, 15 April 1935, Page 9

MURDER CHARGE AT NAPIER

PRELIMINARY HEARING CONCLUDED , ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR. TRIAL IPaiSS 13SOCIATIOH TII.iCQF.ASi.I NAPIER, April 13. The preliminary hearing of the charge against Charles William Price of murdering Evelyn Mary Madden was concluded this morning. The principal witness to-day was DetectiveSergeant James Bickerdike, who produced a statement made by accused shortly before his arrest. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike said he went to Argyll East on February 1G and saw accused near the scene of the alleged crime with two constables. When informed of the nature of the police investigations Price said: "I knew Eva Madden. I left her at the Hastings Hotel on February 4." Accused returned with the police to Hastings and was interviewed by witness and Detective Coddington. He was told that the police had been informed that there was a woman in the car in which he travelled to Taheke. Accused said: "There was no woman in that car and you can't prove it." Witness said he only wanted to be clear on that point and accused again declared there was no woman in the car. Clothing belonging to Miss Madden wns shown to Price, who identified it as hers. "There is no doubt in my mind that they are her property," he said, "as I have seen her wearing them at Lowry'f."

DetectivC-Sergcant Bickerdiko read a statement made by Price at the Hastings police station just before his arrest.

Price said he and Miss Madden had quarrelled in the Hastings Hotel on the evening of February 5, when sho accused him of being drunk. On the following morning accused approached Miss Madden and said, "Why don't you bo friendly?" She: replied, "I am finished with you." Request for Loaiii Price said he left Miss Madden at the Hastings railway station. Shortly after ho was approached by a man seeking a loan, but accused said he was not "holding" and asked the other if he knew where he could get a good man who owned a blue sedan car.

The man said he did not and Price asked him how much he would want to drive him to Taheke. The man replied it would be £l, and the offer was accepted. The man, continued Price, was a stranger to him. Ho was not a taxidriver. He thought he would Know him if he saw him again. No woman accompanied them on the journey to Taheke, and if anyone said there was a woman in the car he war. not tolling the truth. Price also denied ihat any woman or girl had been picked up during the journey. Continuing, witness said he asked Price what sort of a girl Miss Madden was. Accused replied that she was a very respectable girl. Witness also asked him if there had been any intimacy between him and Miss Madden, and Price replied "No." After the arrest of Price on a charge of murder witness went to Marshall's farm at Argyll East and took possession of Price's kitbag, in which he found a bunch of keys. Two of the keys fitted suitcases in the possession of the police. On February 20 witness took possession at the Hastings railway station of u cabin trunk bearing the initials "E.M." Two days later some of the contents were identified by Jamieson and Mrs Lowry as the property of Miss Madden. Charles August Copland, a dress r abric specialist, said he had tested the material of Miss Madden's frock and pieces of material found in her cabin trunk. They were identical. Accused was committed for triai.