THE CHRISTCHURCH MYSTERY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1072, 10 March 1911, Page 8

THE CHRISTCHURCH MYSTERY.

CASE BEFORE MAGISTRATE'S COURT COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. APPLICATION FOR BAIL REFUSED. (By Telerraph.—Press Association.!

Christchurch, March 9. The adjourned I'olice Court proceedings in connection with the Cashcl Street mystery, in which Harry Alexander Jack and Walter Richard Sadler are charged with the murder of Ethel Hay Bradley at Christchurch on or about Tuesday, February 7, were resumed this morning before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. Mr. T.AY. Stringer, K.C., appeared for the police, Mr. S. G. Raymond, with him Mr. J. A. Cassidy, for Jack, and Mr. T. G. Russell for Sadler. Both accused were looking pale after their confinement,'but beyond this, and seeming worried, their appearance has improved since the conclusion of the inquest.

, Owing to the earliness of the hour at which the proceedings started, there was not the samo attendance of the public around the Court as there was at the inquest, but a large number of spectators gathered, nevertheless. It was at ten o'clock, when the Court building opened, that the sound of many scurrying feet

was heard in the passage leading to the Court room, and a moment later tho door

was pushed open, and an avalanche of men poured into the Chamber.

An Awful Din. So great was tho noise'that the witness giving evidence in the box could not be heard, and Mr. Stringer complained of the awful din interrupting the proceedings. Tho magistrate promptly gave instructions to the police to shut the door, and the human tide was stemmed. Evidence similar to that adduced at the inquest, was given by Ernest Bradley (brother of deceased). Clara Annie Bradley (wife of the previous witness) stated that the deceased had' informed her that she was keeping company with a young man. i'u Sadler s shop. The black hat produced was that worn by deceased on the Tuesday-witness saw her last. Witness knew it was the hat because she had trimmed it for deGeorge Thorngato Weston, solicitor, said deceased had been employed by, him as a housekeeper. Deceased left witness's house between 7.30 and 7.40 on the evening of Tuesday, February 7. That was the last time he saw her alive. She did not return to his house again that night. He noticed nothing peculiar in her appearance before she went out. Reginald Noble Bradley, a son of Ernest Bradley, deposed to passing deceased under Ballantyno's verandah at 7.55 p.m. on Tuesday evening, February 7. Deceased was going west. She had on a dark dress and dark hat. Alexander Maxwell Russell, taxi-cab driver, said he formerly kept the shop which was now occupied by accused Sadler, witness felling out to him last November. -Sadler had been in witness's employ, three years previous to that. Jack had also been in witness's employ for two years. Witness identified the photo produced as that of. a woman he had seen Call several times at his shop to see Jack. She seemed to be keeping company 'with him.

AVilliam Henry. Price, Richard Humphries, John Freeman, and John Maegrcgor Grant also gave evidence. Joshua Reuben Chapman, bookbinder, deposed to finding the body of deceased in Mystery Lane at 7.10 o'clock on the morning of Wednesday, February S.

William ' Henry .Tackman, accountant, deposed to beiug in Sadler's shon for a few minutes on the evening of Tuesday, February 7. Witness left the shop at 10 minutes past S. Jack came after him, asking witness to have a drink they went into the Zetland Hotel. After having a drink witness left the hotel, no was in Jack's company altogether about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. They came out of the hotel together, and, parting at the door. Jack went towards tho Casliel Street Bridge, and witness towards Colombo, Street.

Albert Charles Philpott, grain merchant, said he mot Price at 0.200n the' night in question in. front of..the Zetland Hotel. Trice was talking to Jack and another man. Upon Jack's proposal the four of them went into the hotel to have a drink. They stoppptl in • the hotel together about five or sis minutes, and then Price and witness went to witness's store. Jack and his friend loft beforo witnes? and Price did. Witness did not see Sadler come - into the hotel whilst they were there.

Searching the Lane,

Sergt. Bird deposed that on Wednesday morning, February, S, at about 2 o'clock, he and Constable Rough in their search for a drunken man searched the right-of-way, where tho body was subsequently found to within 20 feet of the Lichfield Street entrance, and then retraced their steps to Cashel Street. They arrived back in Cashel Street at about ten past two. Ho did not thiuk.it was possible for the body to have been there without his noticing it. Ho passed Sadler's shop at about 2 o'clock, and again a few minutes later, but saw no light in it. Constablo Rough corroborated Sergeant Bird's evidence as to searching tho lane at abbut 2 o'clock. Witness went through the lane , later from Casliel Street at about five past four. He only went as far as tho tank. Ho could not say positively that the body was not there then.

Constable Cudby' said that at about ten minutes past two on the morning of February 8 he was standing in Oxford Terrace, .directly opposite the establishment of Turnbull and Jones. It was a fairly dark night. His. attention was drawn to footsteps near the Zetland Hotel. Witness turned his bull's-eye in that direction, aud saw two men walking along Casliel Street, towards the corner of Cashel and' Durham Streets. Witness walked across to meet them at the corner:- The ' men turned down Durham Street. -

"What's Your Game?"

Witness hurried towards them, and sang out: "What's your game?" They then stopped. When he got up to them ho recognised them as Sadler and Jack. Witness said to., them: "Whero did you spring from this time of tho morning?" Sadler replied: "We've been out getting . sonic fresh air." Witucss i remained talking to thorn for a few minutes, • and then he saw a light at tho corner of Cashel and Colombo Streets. He asked them what light it was. as.ho would have to report it to the sergeant. Sadler said ho had been looking through the keyhole of the Zetland Hotel to see if he could see the porter to get a drink. Sadler asked witness what time he went off duly, and witness replied, "at live o'clock." They then left witness, after Sadler had asked witness whether he had a "taste" on him, as he felt cold. Witness asked Sadler where he lived, and Sadler replied that he lived on the South Belt. When accused left witne'ss they went south along Durham Street.

Annie Turner, domestic servant, said she had been well acquainted with deceased, and last saw her alive on tho afternoon of February 6. Sho had known Sadler very well for a long time, and Jack for about nine months. Witness first knew deceased and Jack were keeping company in May last. She had been with deceased several times when deceased met Jack.

Joseph Clark, porter at the Zetland Hotel, remembered Jack telling him in Sadler's shop on the second Monday in January of this year that he had got a girl into trouble, and would have' to get her fixed up or get hereout of it. Annie Murphy, wifo of James Murphy, crossing-keeper at Montreal Street, said she lived on the railway line near tho crossing. One morning recently she found a woman's hat between tho railway lines. The lime was about half-past six o'clock. Sho picked up the hat and gave it subsequently to Detective Gibson. She did not remember the dale.

To Mr. Russell: She did not hand the hat over to the police until a loi:g -while after sue found it,

Thomas Thomson, railway crossingkeeper, who relieves Murphy, .'aid that on the morning of February S .Murphy told him about lijs wife finding a hat.

Finding of the Body. Sergeant Miller repeated the evidence given by him at tho inquest as to the rinding of tho body of deceased in.Mystery Lane ou the morning of Wednesday, February 8. From the position of tho body, he concluded it had been placed there.

Detective. M'J.eod said that on tho morning of February ft be saw accused Sadler, who made a statement to witness in connection with the inquiries then being made. Witness took the statement (produced) do>vii in writing, and Sadler signed it. Sergeant Miller deposed to arresting, with Detective. Fade, Jack, on warrant on tho morning of February 11. When the warrant was read to him, witness cautioned him, and he made no reply. On the same morning, about an hour after tho arrest, witness helped to escort accused to the Court. Sadler said to Jack,

"You know you told tho truth, Harry; .stick to it and don't let them niako you tell any lies." Getting out of tho van at the Police Station on returning from the Court Sadler said to Jack, ".Stick to what you said, Harry. You know you're innocent, at least' I hope you are. I am." Jack had previously given evidence at the coroner's inquest, and also made a., statement to witness on tho morning -of February !), a statement which witness had taken down .in writing and Jack signed. Tho statement produced was the one in question. On February 21 Sadler was seen by witness at the Police Station. He made a statement (produced) which witness took down, in writing and which Sadler signed. Detective Snow said that on the evening of February 7. just after ten o'clock, ho F.aw Sadler "and another young man-stand-ing in the doorway of Boot's confectioner's shop in High Street. Sadler spoke to witness, and they remained talking together for four or five minutes. Jack then came up from Cashel Street, and witness left them together and weut away.

Detective Eatlo repeated his previous evidence given at the inquest as to the position of the body in the lane, the state of the clothes, and.the removal.to and examination of the: body at the morgue. The distance from Sadler's ' shop to where the bodv was found was 77 yards 2 feet.. The distance of Sadler's shop from (he Zetland Hotel was about 10 or 12 feet. Ernest Bradley (re-called) identified the photograph produced as that of deceased. Clara. Annie. Bradley (re-called). identified the handwriting of the post-card produced as that of deceased.

"Here's A Man Who Can Clear "it Up." Detective Gibson deposed to going to Sadler's shop on the morning of February 11 to subp/.ena Sadler for the. inquest. Bctectiv(i Miller asked Jack to accompany them to the police station. Sadler said to "witness: "Be'easy on the poor beggar, he's innocent of everything.' He then said: "Here's ' a man who can clear it up," and he called to a, man named Hanssen. Witness took Hansscn to the station and lock a statement from him. Witness served him with a subpoena to attend the inquest. Hanssen did not attend, and had not .since been «en. On the morning of the 10th, at 5.30, Detective Bade and witness vent to Jack's boardinghouse, in Walker Street. Witness searched Jack's room and found a post-card. Witness asked him it' ho knew Ethel Bradlev, and he said, "Slightly." On February U at 11.30 a.m., Chief-Detective Bishop and witness arrested Sadler. _■ »V itness read the warrant to him. Witness then recited Sadler's remarks and statement after his arrest, as given by witness in his evidence at tho inquest. Continuing, witness said that on February. 28 lie received the hat produced from Mrs. Murphv.' Sadler lived iat Huxley Street, Sydenham. Jack lived near the corner of Walker Street and Durham' Street, twentv-one chains north of the railway crossing It was a mile further south to Sadler's place from tho crossing.

Medical Evidence, William Heiu-v Sym.es, inrdieal practitioner, said that at 3.30 p.m. on February 8 he in ado a post-mortem examination ot tho bodv of Ethel Bradley. Rigor mor-. tU was present, but no marks _ot I violence, tht'rc being an abrasion on the right cheek and under the coin, probahlv caused through falling. There was aWi a bruise on the right chin and on the left tlrgh, also probably caused bv falling. Witness then described the condition.of tho body as detailed by him at the inquest. " Deceased was pregnant. The symptoms o: the body bore evidence of prussic acid poisoning. The symptoms ■\ivc nothing to indicate the size of the do=e. It could not have been a very small dose. The smallest dose of prussic acid was 0-10ths of a grain of pure acid, equal to 54 drops of diluted medical preparation. A dose like that would kill in from 2 to 20 minutes. The immediate effect to taking the minimum fatal dose was to cause paralysis of. respiration. A per=on might walk a short distance after taking it, nrobably fifty yards. Prussic acid poisoning was the cause of the death of deceased. Witness found nothing else to account for her death. • Alexander Augustus Bickerton, Government Analyst,, gave evidence ns to analysing the stomach of deceased and hr.diug it contained evidences of prussic acid poisoning. From the condition of the stomach witness considered it-a fatal dose. . Mr. Stringer said this was tho case for the Crown.

Defence Reserved. ■ The prisoners were then given tho usual cautlDn, and stated that they reserved their defence. Mr. Russell applied for bail for Sadier, and said that as far as he could sec tho case against. Sadler had not altered much. The other day in opposing bail being renewed Chief-Detective Hishop had said there was further.evidence against Sadler. The only fresh evidence that day had been that regarding the discovering the hat, and that hardly seemed to affect Sadler. As the ease stood at present, no jury- would convict Sadler. Sadler was as sure of being acquitted as the sun was of rising. Sadler, it' granted bail, could report himself to the polico authorities every day. Mr. Raymond applied for bail for Jack. Mr. • Russell's remarks applied to his client with equal force., • Sadler's last' statement may have been -beneficial to Sadler or otherwise, but in any case it had nothing to do. with Jack. Jack's position was equal at least to Sadler's. The. bail could be made substantial, aud Jack could report himself every day to the police. There was hardly a chance of conviction, and in the event of his client being found not guilty great hardship would be caused to him if bail was not allowed.

Mr. Stringer said that the question of bail of course rested" with tho discretion of the Court. Mr. Russell, however, was not justified in saying that as sure as the sun rose Sadler would be acquitted. If this were so his Worship might as well acquit accused at once,, otherwise he must treat the charge as a capital offence.

■The Court committed accused to- the Supreme Court for trial, bail . being refused.

The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court commence on May-15;