Chandler Interviewed For 10 Hours

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30133, 17 May 1963, Page 11

Chandler Interviewed For 10 Hours

IN Ji Prtu Cvnngnt) SYDNEY, May 16. Geoffrey Arnold Chandler was interviewed by police over a period of 10 hours on the day the body of his wife, Margaret, was found near the Lane Cove river, the Sydney Coroner’s Court was told today. Chandler had told police .that a “particular friend” at a Balmain party he had visited while absent from a Chatswood New Year’s Eve party was a woman, Henry Norman Parsons, a detective-sergeant, of Chatswood, said at the inquest into the deaths of the New Zealand scientist, Dr. Gilbert Bogle, aged 39, and Mrs Chandler, aged 29.

Parsons said Chandler had told him he left the New Year’s Eve party of Mr and Mrs Kenneth Nash about 11.30 p.m. and returned during supper about three hours later. Chandler had said he left the Nash party alone about 4.15 a.m. He then visited several other places around Sydney and returned to his home in Crpydon after 10 a.m. Mrs Charid|er and Dr. Bogle were found dead some hpum after the party, Parsons said he interviewed people who saw Chandler after he left the Nash party and they verified what Chandler told police about the route he took. Earlier witnesses have told the inquest that Dr. Bogle and Chandler left the Nash party separately about 4.30 a.m. A youth saw Bogle’, body near the Lane Cove river about 8 am. Mrs Chandler’s body was found later.

Parsons said today the police interview with Chandler began at 3 p.m. on New Year's Day. The recorded part of the interview lasted from 9.20 p.m. until 1.5 a.m Parsons eaid Chandler readily answered all questions and was ‘‘willing and anxious” to help police inquiriea into the river bank deaths. In hie statement he thanked police for their efforts. Parsons said his inquiries and analytical tests satisfied him that Mrs Chandler was not intoxicated at the Nash >arty as another guest had bought. He agreed if she looked abnormal, intoxication was not the cause.

At today’s hearing, the Coroner (Mr J. J. Loomes) refused to give records of police interviews in connexion with the deaths to Mr W. D T Ward, appearing for Dr Bogle's relatives. Parsons later told Mr A. D Collins, for Mrs Chandler's relatives, that a third unidentified person -at the death scene must have placed beer cartons over her body if she did not do it herself.

Correct Impression When the hearing resumed today, Mr K. R. Murray announced. that.Mi R. J. Birney was now appearing with him for Geoffrey Arnold Chandler. The Coroner said he would like to correct any wrong impression which may have resulted and to say that he had not found Mr Murray impatient a* all during the whole of the inquiry. The Coroner said he was indebted to all counsel for the way they had been carrying out their duty and assisting him. ‘ Parsons then resumed his evidence.

He agreed with Mr W. D. Ward (for Dr. Bogie’s relatives) that the area adjacent to Dr. Bogie’s body <a mud flat) was not a place a person would lie down on in ordinary circumstances. Mr Ward: Having rega.d to the terrain and countryside down Lane Cove, National Park, the area south of Millwood avenue would be a natural choice for someone seeking privacy to relieve himself?—lt would be an area of tha* sortBodies Not Moved Parsons said the bodies of Dr. Bogle and Mrs Chandler had not been moved after he had examined them qntil they were photographed, nor had the clothing been removed or disturbed. Dr. Bogle's car was driven to Chatswood police station at approximately 2 p.m. and no particular identification was made of the position in w’hich the car was parked but he was confident that he could indicate the spot at any time.

Asked whether he searched tor any sign of glass, as from a phial, in the area of the car, Parsons said he made a very close examination of the car and the ground where the vehicle was standing and found nothing of significance to the inquiry. He felt certain that if there were any tiny particles of glass unaer the accelerator he would have noticed them. Mr Ward: You noticed no strange smell?—l did not say I was looking for any strange smell, but I did say that during my examination I noticed nothing of an unusual odour. An examination of the battery was made to see that the acid was not activated by any agent. It Was made by Detective-Sergeant Clarke, The interior of the boot of the car was untidy to a deSee and It was very difficult r him to say whether or not the. contents had been disturbed by the removal of something. Mr Ward: The strange thing was the cardboard portion of the interior of the boot appeared to have been disturbed, didn't it? When he saw the piece of cardboard which he described as being at the back of the back seat, it was lying on

top of a piece of masonite and other articles, the detective said. • The piece of cardboard was entirely loose and he believed H was older than the piece of cardboard which covered the back of the back seat. Parsons eaid that after he had examined Dr. Bogie's body he covered it with the carpet and the suit “out of respectability.” This was not in the same position as Sergeant Andrews had found them. He had not placed the cartons back over Mrs Chandler's body to correspond with the description given to him of Uieir- original position. Parsons said he placed the cartons in a general position, to give a general Idea how the body was concealed. Asked if Dr. Bogie’s shirt showed signs that he ffad beer, sweating, the witness said he did not make a close examination of it. Interview Tinies Questioned by Mr Murray Parsons said he interviewed Chandler in the company of other police at Chatswood police station on the afternoon of the day the bodies were found. The interview began at 3 o’clock and the reported portion of it ended at I.S am. the next morning. During the course of the interview, he was in possession of or acquired during the interview information concerning happenings at the Nash's party and events during the night and early hours of the morningMr Murray: He told you that ‘he left the party some time around 11,30 tor the purpose of purchasing cigarettes?—Yea.

And that bis quest to find a shop open took him some distance afield from the Nash’s residence and he In fact finished up at a party at Balmain?—Yes.

Witness said Chandler told him he was aware the party would be on at Balmain and that he waa also aware that a number of his friends, one in particular, would be at it Chandler did not say he left the party about lam Parsons said he had spoken to people who were present at the Balmain party and who saw Chandler there.

From that party Chandler said he drove to Darlington (an inner suburb) then back along the Pacific highway to the Nash’s place, arriving there about 2.30 a m., witness said. Parsons said Chandler had agreed he arrived as supper was being served.

Mr Murray: And that he left the party again, alone, at 4 10 or 415 a.m.—Tn the first instance he informed me that he believed he left the party at approximately 4.30 a.m He then informed me Parsons said, he believed it was 4.15 a.m

After further conversation Chandler told him that after he had left the Nash’s party on the second occasion, he had been travelling in his car for approximately five minutes when he checked the car clock and aaw it was registering 4.10 a.m. Chandler also told him that after leaving the - Naeh’s osrty, he had driven across the harbour bridge a second time There was an accident on the bridge and he (Chandler) was held up a few minutes. The time then, according to Chandler, was about 4.15 or 4.30 a.m

Parsons said Chandler told him he went on to Darlington. and after some time drove to the home of hie parents-in-law at Granville, a western suburb, where he picked up his two boys. Parsons said that after looking at a copy of the recorded interview »he recalled Chandler saying he arrived at Granville about 530 a.m. After soma time he left Granville and returned to Darlington where he arrived about 6.30. Chandler, he said, told him he remained at Darlington until about 10 a m., when be went home to Croydon,

Route Verified Parsons told Mr Murray that independently of what Chandler told him he had interviewed the people who saw him and recognised him slang the route. These people verified that Chandler had taken the route about which he told at the Interview , The second interview at Pymble Police Station where he met Chandler by appointment on January 11 recorded all relevant matters discussed with Chandler orally. " Parsons said police made an examination of Chandler’s home. No medicines, poison* or pills or anything of any assistance to the Inquiry were discovered. The witness told MAD Collins (for the parents and brother of Mrs Chandler) that Mrs ChandTer Was seen with a handbag at her mother’s residence on New Year’s Eve But after she had arrived at the party she was pot seen to have a handbag, purse or similar container.

Mrs Chandler had made her preparations to* go to the party at her parents* he oe. No purse or any such container had been found in Dr ale’s car or its vicinity, nor any sueh container which could in any way be identi-

fled with Mrs Chandler been found in the area of the river bank. Parsons agreed with Mr Collins that inquiries by himself and other police showed that Mrs Chandler's parents and brothers were person* held in the highest respect. It appeared evident that within the family there was a close association maintained and very strong affection for the only daughter, Margaret. The Morphetts (Mrs Chandler's parents' had shown him and other police every courtesy and co-oper-ated with all possible aaaistanc* they could give to find out how the tragedy occurred. In his dealings with the family be had been met with frankness. Mr Coilins: Have you been told by them that they associated closely, and were on close terms with Margaret and that so far as they eould see. she was perfectly happy, and a devoted housewife and mother to her children? My inquiries revealed that there was at one stage anxiety. He said he was referring to a statement made by Mrs Morphett that she thought that at a family reunion on Christmas Day Margaret looked a bit off-colour Amount Of Drink Parsons said he had made careful inquiries as to the amount of drink which Margaret Chandler had on that evening and also had the benefit of certain analytical tests which were subsequently carried out. “With the knowledge I now have I am, satisfied that Mrs Chandler was not intoxicated,” he said. Mr Collins: So from your inquiries, if Mrs DayHakkar’s observations were accurate, something other than intoxication produced the abnormal appearance?— That would be correct. As a result of information received from people who were interviewed, the police h«. oen able to interview people who had failed to come forward, he said. He could not be sure If he was in a position to state accurately the number of people who were in the area Some Attraction He agreed with Mr Collin, that the area provided some attraction for persons who had an interest in observing the activities of others. •In his view if wm possible for Mrs Chandler herself to have placed the eartons which concealed her body It was at least equally possible tor some other person to have done so Parsons told Mr Collins he agreed having regard to a woman’s natural modesty, that a woman w-'tild be more likely if she had the physical ability to move, to try to readjust her clothing rather than cover herself up with cartons

Mr Collins: Assuming that the cartons were placed in the way they were so as to conceal Mrs Chandler's body by somebody other than herself, does that involve the proposition that there was some third parson there on the scene whoee identity has not been revealed to the police?—Yes To Sergeant Goode. Parsons said he felt that Mrs Chandler's exercise of her natural modesty would be

guided by the degree her reasoning .as affected at the time. Records Asked For Mr Ward then asked Mr Loomes -to make available records of the interview by police with Chandler on which Mr Murray had crossexamined Parsons. He also asked that records of interviews with people at the Balmain party be made available. Mr Ward suggested to Mr Loomes that he would appreciate that a question and answer account had been given In evidence of the interviews that must have taken nowhere near as long as the four hours of the recorded interviews. Mr Ward said that if the record* were made available, it would assist and possibly shorten the inquiry Tlie Coroner said the statements were not necessarily the evidence that those persons would give “I un not prepared to make the< statements you refer to available to you." he told Mr Ward. Mr Loomea asked Parsons: "You were asked if a woman's natural modesty would mean that she would tty to readjust her clothes. “You used the words ‘in my observations' and then was stopped. Is there anything further you want to add? Parsons: Yes. In my observation of the female deceased when J saw her, I felt that at that time she would be aware of the fact ‘hat her slip waa covering the private portion of her body at least, and that this meant she had mode no attempt to bring the back portion of the slip down under her body. She would not have found It an easy matter to have lifted the brassiere?—No I would say to replace the brassiere back to its original oosltfon over her breasts she would have had to release the fastenings at the back, to bring It back Into position with any degree of ease.Parsons said it would have been easier to have pulled the brassiere down than to have pulled It up. Parsons said she would have been in a position to have placed a carton on her feet The Coroner: You gave certain evidence of the food at the party on New Year’t Eve Do you know if there was any evidence of mushrooms being served? Parsons: I have no recollection of mushrooms being served. The Coroner: I asked Sergeant Andrews were there iny of these cartone covering the body anywhere in the vicinity of the depression in which Mrs Chandler was found. The answer to that was, “No. with the exception of one small carton on the mudbsnk approximately three feet from the body of Dr. Rosie.” Do you agree with that?—O Not entirely, your Worehip. Mr Loomes said Parsons 1 had stated in his evidence that Geoffrey Chandler had gone to the Balmain party to see one particular friend. Mr Loomes: Was that friend male or female? Parsons: A female. The inquest wm adjourned to resume at 10 am. tomorrow