Judge And Jury Go To Where Body Was Found

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31289, 8 February 1967, Page 3

Judge And Jury Go To Where Body Was Found

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, February 7.

The trial of William George Wells, on a charge of murdering Lesley Margaret Soutter, aged 19, a waitress, at Auckland, on or about March 29, continued in the Supreme Court today. The 10-man and two-woman jury and the Judge visited Gillies avenue, Epsom, this morning, where Miss Soutter’s body was found last May 31.

Miss Soutter’s body was found by a detective under foliage at the rear of the badminton hall in Gillies avenue, two months after she was reported missing.

The jury travelled by bus to the hall before the trial resumed today. Mr Justice Gresson travelled separately. Armed with books of photographs, the jury, together with tiie Judge and Crown and defence counsel, spent about half an hour inspecting the rough, overgrown area about the hall. By this morning one of 49 Crown witnesses had been heard.

The prosecution case is being conducted by the Crown Prosecutor in Auckland, Mr D. S. Morris, and Mr W. D. Baragwanath. Mr A. M. Finlay and Mr R. L. MacLaren appear for Wells. Mother’s Evidence The mother of Lesley Soutter, Mrs Sally Dawson Soutter. of Argyle, Scotland, identified two shoes as belonging to pairs she bought in Aberdeen and sent to her daughter. She also identified two rings and her daughter’s engagement ring. While in New Zealand her daughter became engaged to David Angus, a seaman in the Rangitane. Cross-examined by Mr MacLaren, the witness said her daughter had not mentioned her pregnancy to her in her letters home.

She said David Angus had talked to her about Miss Soutter’s pregnancy and she believed that he was not responsible. The witness said she and her husband had given Angus permission to marry her daughter in September or October last year, and she understood they were going to keep the child.

Hair-do Planned

Linden Mari Matthews, of Mairangi Bay, said she boarded with Miss Soutter at Mrs Clorine Minnie Brown’s house in Devonport On March 29 they walked to the ferry and before they parted it was arranged that she should do Miss Soutter’s hair that night There was no change in the arrangements that day. She never saw the girl again. Miss Soutter had been wearing a grey jersey, grey skirt and grey duffel coat with a hood. She was carrying a black handbag. Cross-examined by Mr MacLaren, Miss Matthews said the girl hardly went out at all and she did not make friends easily because she had a somewhat abrupt manner.

She was aware that Miss Soutter had met a man named Rick Lemmon in a coffee bar about Christmas, 1964. They went to a party and Miss Soutter became pregnant. Miss Soutter told her Lemmon was responsible. To her knowledge he left New Zealand shortly after Miss Soutter became pregnant and she was unable to say whether Lemmon was in Auckland on March 29. The witness said that at one stage Miss Soutter attempted to end her pregnancy by taking such things as hot baths, but she had quite decided to have the baby about three weeks be-

fore she disappeared. She had arranged to go to the witness’s parents in Wellington when the child was expected. Clorine Minnie Brown, of Devonport, Miss Soutter’s landlady, cross-examined by Mr MacLaren, said Lemmon had been to the house to see Miss Soutter.

Elvie May Bliss Hamilton, of Devonport, said she was on the ferry on March 29 with Miss Soutter and she noticed that the girl was reading a book called “Drum.” Near the 246 Building where they both worked Miss Soutter was stopped by a man whom she identified in court as Wells. Used Telephone She next saw Miss Soutter at work. The girl tried to use the telephone and mentioned the name “Linden.” Irene Jose Ennor, of New Lynn, said she was the manager of the coffee lounge in 246. During the end of January last year she and Miss Soutter discussed how long the girl should stay at work. Mrs Enhor said she understood that Miss Soutter was pregnant. On March 29 Miss Soutter asked her for the day off because she wanted to go for a facial and act as a model. Miss Ennor said she refused this request but 10 minutes later Miss Soutter asked for an hour off. This was granted provided she got back by 11 a.m. When the first request was made she appeared to be excited and very happy. When Miss Soutter left the coffee bar she never saw her alive again. James Brown, a detective, said he was taking Wells back in a police vehicle from a police station visit when Wells told him “it is better if I shut up and say nothing and let you do the work." Eric Maurice Beatson, of Onehunga, said he lived with Wells in a flat at Epsom. His mcther, who became engaged to Wells, also lived there, but not continuously. Noticed Book

He first noticed the book “Drum” after the police visited the fiat on March 31. Wells told him he had bought it.

Winifred Emma Beatson said she was due to marry Wells first in April last year and then July. The marriage had not taken place.

On March 30 she returned from Ngaruawahia to the flat where her son and Wells were living. There was no-

one in at the time but Wells appeared early in the afternoon.

He told her he had taken the afternoon off to be with her.

On the next day Wells went out at about 8 a.m. and returned at tea-time. That night he went to a St. John Ambulance Brigade meeting and during the time he was away the police visited the flat.

They left but returned later that night when Wells was at home. He went away with them and after he returned he told her it was about a girl who had travelled out on the same boat with him.

A few days later, after a police search of the flat, the two of them had discussed his movements on March 29. He said he had walked with Miss Soutter in Queen street and had not seen her since.

Wells claimed he was a beauty consultant, she said, and had on one occasion set her hair, although he did not do a very good job. Cross-examined by Mr Finlay, Mrs Beatson said that before she returned to the flat on March 30 she had told Wells, who was visiting her at Ngaruawahia, that she expected to be back on March 29.

Because of the frequency of the visits by the police to the flat—every other day—she and Wells called them the “society of friends.”