MYSTERY OF GIRL’S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 94, 15 January 1929, Page 10

MYSTERY OF GIRL’S DEATH

THE ELSIE WALKER CASE INQUIRY STILL UNFINISHED LONG EXAMINATION OF MRS. BAYLY Dominion Special Service. Auckland, January 14. “Could Elsie Walker drive a car?” Again this question cropped up when the inquest into the death of the 17-year-old girl from Papamoa, who was found dead on October 5, in some scrub near Tamaki, was continued this morning. Mrs. Bayly, aunt of the dead girl, was in the witness box most of the morning. Mr. F. K.' Hunt, S.M., is coroner; Mr. V. R. Meredith, Crown Prosecutor, is conducting the ease on behalf of the police; Mr. E. H. Northcroft is appearing for the Bayly family; and Mr. Douglas Mowbray for the dead girl’s father. . William Alfred Bayly, Elsie Walker’s cousin, after five and a half hours’ searching examination, concluded his evidence at 10.30 this morning. Mr. Northcroft continued his cross-examination when the inquest reopened at 9.50. Witness said there was no truth in the suggestion of the detective that he had threatened Trevor with a “hiding” if he said anything about his visit home at the time of Elsie Walker’s disappearance.

Mr. Northcroft: Had you ever been on any intimate or particularly friendly terms with Elsie Walker ?—“No sir.”

Did you know before she left home that she - contemplated doing it ?—“No sir; I have never heard from her verbally or in writing when I have been away from home.”

bid you see her after she left home on October 1?—“No.”

Had you any knowledge concerning her leaving home ?—“No.” Constance Ivy Bayly, wife of Frank Bayly and an- aunt of Elsie Walker, stated that she was in the house on the night of the disappearance of the dead girl. Elsie Walker was her niece,- and her position in the house was that of a companion, and as witness’ niece she was given an allowance of 12s. 6d. a week. Arrival by Service Car. Mr. Meredith: On October 1 Miss Audrey Bayly arrived by service car from Rotorua.—“Yes, about 4.30.” What time did.you have dinner?— “About .six o’clock.”

Elsie was helping to get dinner—“Oh yes.” Would she dish dinner ?—“Not always; she probably helped.” Elsie was preseat at the meal ?— “Yes.”

How was she dressed ?—“She was wearing the little dress that was found on her.” ■

After the meal Elsie and the little boy washed up?-—“Yes.” Where did you spend the night?—“ln the billiard room.” Who was in the billiard room? —“Mr. Bayly, Audrey and Godfrey; Trevor talked for a time and went out."

What time did he go out? —“I could nqt be certain; quite early.” ■ Did Elsie go into the billiard room that night?—“No.” What time did you go to bed? —“Between 10.30 and 11.” What time did the others go?—“Mr. Bayly and I retired about the same time.” v ’ , . . ’ ■■ ■/ Did you make any inquiry as to where Elsie was during the evening?—‘‘No.” You didn’t go to see whether she was in bed? —-“No.” . ’ Did she spend her evenings with the family?—“Yes.” • Would it be unusual for her to make no appearance - all the evening? “Yes. Next morning you were told by one, of the boys the car was stolen? —“Yes.-’. Which boy?—“My first recollection is that Trevor was at the door and he said: ‘‘Someone has pinched the car.” Witness said she thought at’first it might not be an .actual fact. She next told the boys to call Elsie. Thcv returned and said- she was not there. The police were immediately advised of the theft of the car and Elsie’s disappearance. Certain Money Missing. You found that certain money, was missing next morning?—“Yes, £3 15s. from Mr. Bayly’s pocket and about £8 from Audrey’s purse; I think also a watch.” -xu Did Elsie ever go with you in the car ? —“Practically every time I went out in it.” , ~ , o Did you think she could drive a car “I had no conjecture she was very interested ; I asked ’ her once if she could drive .a car and she replied that she thought she could.” Did you ever have a puncture or any trouble when Elsie was with you? °Who changed' the wheel? —“We all had a try; but .eventually Elsie went to get you have done .it? —“Y e s.” but it was too dirty and dusty aud I was ” Did you ever hear from any member of your family that- Elsie could drive „ car 9—“Only from my little son aged four. When Constable Jackson asked me if Elsie could drive and I re Plief‘No not to my knowledge, the little bov, who was sitting on my knee, said. ‘Her can drive car when you were down at station ’ I asked him where she had dJivenT and the boy said: “Her backed it out of shed to water tap. 1 e tap would be further away from the shed than the length of this Court. .... What did she drive it there for.— My impression was that she had driven it out. washed it, and put it back. Elsie didn’t draw her allowance regularly, did she? —“No.” She had an amount due to her' — xes» about £10.” u - r -rv “Xn She had not much use for it.' — Ao, she had made no request for money prioi to October 1 ; no, no request.” . , Was she happ.y at your piacer— 1 think she was happy, but I don t thinK she was contented ; if you understand she had everything to make her happy, but she always seemed to, be .waiting for great things to eventuate.” Check of Movements. Had she ever been to Auckland? —“No, not that 1 know of.” You were looking after Elsie practically in the capacity of a mother.' "Yes.” . ■ , , You would keep a certain check on her movements?— -"Absolutely.” You would know who her male friends were? —"Yes.” Did you know any man she was spooning with? —"She was a child.” ' Mr. Meredith: And wasn t old enough?—"She wouldn t have any male friends, except the ones in your own house; only those and people who visited us.” You know of nobody she was carrying on with?—"No.” Did you see .her correspondence?— "Some of it." Was Elsie open about that correspondence?—"Quite.” Did she receive any correspondence from others than her own family?—"l don't think so; she wrote to a young'fellow in Te Puke, but there was nothing secretive about it.” ±hat was the only one?—"Yes.” Had she ever received any injuries to her head?—“Just before, she left on the Saturday before she went she said she had bumped her head on the billiard room window, I looked at her head, and there was no cut and no mark; she went about her work as usual. How high from the ground would this window be'?—"l could not say; I bumped myself on one occasion.” Where was the bump on Elsie’s head? —“I should say on the top of the head. She did not indicate with her finger : she continued on through' Saturday and Sunday without being distressed.” Mr. Northcroft then started his crossexamination. "Elsie was essentially a member of the family.” said Mrs. Bayly. “Whenever I went out Elsie came with me, and it was tho-t liQUfi many

opportunities of observing the mechanism of the car.” An Unaddressed Letter. Mr. Hunt; How old was Elsie?— “Seventeen, as far as I know. She left a letter saying she was 17. The letter was unaddressed, but was to her sister.” Did the letter indicate any grievance? —“No, it was quite happy.” On being further questioned, witness said that Elsie Walker was far younger than her years. She was. almost as young as the little boy, Tom. Although she was 17 she was far too young for love affairs. When you bumped your head on the window did it cut the skin?—“No.” Yoji had an interview from Detective Bickerdike when he came to discuss Elsie’s clothing?—“Yes; he brought a garment, but it was not the one produced in court. The garments I saw had no blood on them. I don’t recognise either of the garments, and I don't remember ever having seen them.” Now, I want to know about the garment brought to your house by Detective Bickerdike?—“lt was neither of those” (produced). Mr.. Meredith: You don’t recognise either of these garments; do you suggest that they are not of the material or make that Elsie wore, or do you suggest that they were not Elsie’s?—“Yes.” Do you know they ■\yere taken off the body?—“l don’t think they were hers; they might have been.” Everything she had at your house was taken away by the police?—“Yes.” Mr. Hunt: You handled every garment that the police have got?—“Yes.” Then you say that the garments with certain stains shown you by Detective Bickerdike were not Elsie’s?—“Yes.” Mr. Meredith; Then you suggest that she procured another garment after she left from somewhere?—“Yes.” Mr. Hunt: There is no one you can suggest who would be likely to enable more lifht to be thrown on the mystery? —“No, no one.” Courtroom Packed. “Well, if there is,” said the Coroner,' “You let me know, for it is very unfortunate for you and your family. I’ll call any inquiry to be made.” Mrs. Bayly: Thank you, Mr. Hunt. The crowd, which fairly filled the court in the morning, had swelled considerably in the afternoon and the room was packed. Mr. Northcroft said at the start of the sitting that Mrs. Bayly wanted more time ■ so that she could make a more careful examination of the clothing. Mr. Hunt gave permission and told Mrs. Bayly to make a careful examination. Audrey Bayly, of Upton Road, Remuera, said she arrived at the home of the Baylys, her aunt and uncle, at Papamoa. on the afternoon of October 1. She arrived by service car from Rotorua, where she. had been staying for about eight days. She had seen no member of the Bayly family that day until she arrived at Papamoa. She did not know Elsie Walker before she met her at the Baylys. Mr. Meredith: Did you have a handbag with you?—“Yes, I put it on the sewing machine in the room I occupied.” How much was in i?—“£7 10s. IJd.”

Mrs. Bayly: Thank you, Mr. Hunt. The crowd, which fairly filled the court in the morning, had swelled considerably in the afternoon and the room was packed. Mr. Northcroft said at the start of the sitting that Mrs. Bayly wanted more time so that she could make a more careful examination of the clothing. Mr. Hunt gave permission and told Mrs. Bayly to make a careful examination.

Did you have any conversation with Elsie Walker? —“Only when I was introduced to her: once during dinner I saw her, and just before 8 o’clock when I went out to the kitchen to get a drink of water.”

Did you speak to her when she came in— ; “Yes, I told her I wanted a drink of water and she handed me a glass. She said she had been emptying buckets, but had no bucket with her.” Then did Elsie say anything else? — “Yes. she asked me if I had met Ann, and I told her that I had seen her in Auckland. After Elsie had dried the ?glnss I went back to the billiard room.” Witness said she did not see Elsie again after that. Witness had gone to bed about 9.30, and the others had gone about the same time. Talk in Billiard Room.

Continuing her evidence, Audrey Bayly said nothing had attracted the attention of witness while they were talking in the billiard room. Next morning she was told that Elsie had gone, and was told to see if any money was missing from her bag. He found that seven single notes and lid. had gone. Mr. Hunt: Who asked you to look in your bag?—“My aunt, Mrs. Bayly.” Mr. Mowbray: Did. you notice anything peculiar about Elsie Walker?— "No. nothing except that she had a slight giggling habit, which I thought was natural to her.”

Mr. Hunt: Nobody commented on the fact that Elsie was missing during the evening?—“No.” Mrs. Bayly, after examination, said she was now decided that the first garments found on the body, she recognised as belonging to Elsie Walker. The second was similar to a garment Elsie owned, and shown by Detective Bickerdike, but were not in the same condition. Mr. Hunt: Were any of the garments stained which you handed to the police? —“I noticed that one garment had a small stain ; all the other garments were clean.”

Mr. Meredith: Did Elsie have the use of the machine in the house?—“l made her dresses.”

You said this morning that she had two i'ugi silk garments?—“She was given enough material for two, but I don't know whether she made them up.” When Detective Bickerdike showed you the garments at the house did you say that, time that they never came out of Elsie’s things?—“No, I said I did not recognise them; I questioned them; I said I don’t recognise that lace, but I said that she. might have got it unknown to me”

Washing of Dishes. You said nothing further to them?— “No.”

Did you say to Detective Bickerdike: “No garments left the house in that condition”?—"No.”

You didn’t point out that what you handed over to the police was clean?— “No. I was too upset.” Thomas Clifford Bayly, aged 11, another cousin of Elsie Walker, said that she was not talking at all when they washed dishes on the night the girl disappeared. Elsie seemed to be angry that night. She was quieter than usual Mrs. Dorothy Teague, of Papamoa, said the Baylys were neighbours, and she had known them about 18 months. She had known Elsie Walker since she had lived at Baylys. Elsie had been to witness’s house on two occasions, once alone. Last time she was at her home was about nine months before she died. Witness bad seen her at neighbours’ about three weeks before she died.

Mr. Meredith: Was there any conversation about motor-cars that afternoon? —“Yes. Elsie Walker asked me how I got there, and I said I got h lift. Elsie r-rabbed my by the arm, and said. ‘I o-.u

Did anybody else hear that remark? — “I don’t think so, because she passed the remark very quietly, and the others were a little distance away. I took it as quite natural, and did not ask any questions, because so many girls j:an drive thesfi days.” Mr. Northcroft: Did Elsie say it in a boasting way?—“No, I think she said it more or less as a confidence the way she told me.” Evidence of Girl’s Father. The father of the dead girl, Charles de Renzy Walker, said he had three girls and three boys living at his farm at Ruakakura. In August, 1927, he made arrangements with Mrs. Bayly for Elsie to stay with her. He thought it would do he girl good if she went to his sister, for it was very quiet at his place. He had letters from Elsie, and the tone of them was quite all right. The last letter witness received from his daughter was on September 5. It was a general letter and in it she said that she would be home for Christmas. In the letter she said that Bill was going to be married. Witness said that Elsie knew two or three, men who were friends of his at Raukakaura. but as far as he knew there whs no boy connected with Elsie's life. As long as Elsie was with her father she could not drive a car. While she was in the district there was not one car there. If Elsie could drive at all she must have learned after she left Raukakura. Mr. Northcroft: There was no appearance of rancour about Bill Bayly’s marriage in the letter Elsie' wrote to you?—“Oh. nd. none at all.” After further evidence the inquiry was adjourned.