MAKARAKA MURDER

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 66, 18 March 1924, Page 4

MAKARAKA MURDER

ACCUSED MAN ON TRIAL

A PLEA OF NOT GUILTY

GISBORNE, 17th March. The trial commenced at the Supreme Court to-day, of Rqbert Henry Scott on a charge of murdering Gwendoline Catherine Murray, 12 years of age, at Makaraka, on 2tith January. Scott, it will be remembered, was arrested at Matawai, fifty miles from Gisborne, two days after the murder! lie went to a settler's home and asked that the police be communicated with. In a statement made to tho police on that occasion accused admitted interfering with the girl. He said that he had not been told, but he seemed to know the girl was dead, and that he fully realised the eneormity of the crime he had committed. In the Court this morning Scott, in a firm vnce, pleaded not guilty. Evidence on. the lines of that given in till lower Court was submitted. Medical evidence was given to the effect that the girl had been outraged. The cause of death was strangulation A Tolaga Bay sheepfarmer said that he picked up accused fn his car on 28th January as witness was coming to Gisborne from the coast. He brought accused to town. Other -witnesses stated that a man resembling accused was seen walking out- towards Makaraka on the l morning of 28th January. A' local sheepfarmer said he picked up accused when he was walking out to Makaraka and gave him a lift in his car.' Accused said he had no money, to get to Motuhora, where he expected to obtain work, Iso witness gave him same. Further evidence was given that oecused was seen in the Makaraka Hotel aL about noon on 28th January. He then started to walk back to Gisborne, being picked up by a car and taken to the outskirts of the town. Witnesses said that prisoner was in the Masonic Hotel bar at .Gishorne between 5 and 6 o'clock, and later a man resembling prisoner was seen at about 8 o'clock on the way to Makaraka again.

■ The hearing will be. continued tomorrow.