TAMAKI MYSTERY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 11

TAMAKI MYSTERY

SEARCHING INQUIEY

DRAMATIC MOMENT (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post."} ' . .' . AUCKLAND, This Day. A question put by. tho Crown Prosecutor (Mr. V. B. Moredith) to William Alfred Bayly provided a. dramatic moment at the inquiry into tho death of Elsie/Walker before: Mr. F..K. Hunt, S.M.,the Coroner, at the Magistrate's Court this morning. "Of course, Bayly," said Mr. Meredith, "you know that your movements have been questioned in connection with the death of Elsie Walker?" Before the question.'-coulcT be answered, Mr. Hunt, deciding that.the Courtroom had become stuffy, adjourned the inquest till this .afternoon'] When the j question was repeated. Bayly said lie knew his movements had-been subject to question. .--..,•• j The CroWjn.Prosecutor then questioned witness as to his movements on the Monday night. . Ho said he went to bed that night at 10 o'clock. ' . Mr. Northeroft (counsel for the Bayly family): "On the .first occasion, you gave the police all possible details that you could recollect at that, time?"— "Yes." ..'-•.. "And yoii made no-notes?" —"No." "So to-day you are speaking of events three, mouths:old?"—"Yes." ' "Did you kiiow that thoro might be 1 any possible suspicion: or suggestion attached to you?"—" No;".-., "Are: you well known in the-Bay of Plenty?"—". Fairly, I think. " .. "Is it likely that you could; make a visit to your home at Papamoa and not be seen?'.'—"lmpossible, I•" should think.'^ .■.".:■; .."•' ' ..,.-•' ■ . : . .;. "And tho police,' have.... had three months'to check up ontliat?,"r—'(Yes." "About three weeks or a month after the first interview you were again interviewed by- Detective Kelly?"— "Yes." ' - .-.,-■ ■ ,■•■•■- .-■'■■•■'.■ » "So he. had had tliat time. to look into.your first -story?"— ';' Yes." • . .. "Did he question you again?"—"Ho asked one or two questions " .which I had answered'previously..'1' .■:. . ' . "Did he- again question .you in detail?"— "No.'•'.-.- i'.''■l -;■-.'■■:■.•.•..•. "Did anyone else interview, you?'' —' '.Detective-Sergeant- .• Bickerdike, on the farm at Huntly." .- « ' •' .' "Previous to this; you, had heard of an attempt ; by tho police-to go through your ' belongings'. ■ surreptitiously?" — "Yes."-': ■'-'■'■ ■■■■.■■"'■-■'"■' -i' ':'■■ ■'■• '.-'■ ■'-..■■ "■ '' Without a '■■ 'search: warrant ?''—' "Yes, asfar-as Iknow;"- ■-' ; : '. INTERVIEW WiTk. DETECTIVE.

"Did-Detective Bickerdike'interview you alone!"—" Yea.-" • ' ' "What did he say?"—" That he was down to see'about- the poor- dead girl. He said he was 'therein strict confid-i eiice, and^vhataver..-I>saidvwould not go j beyond him., He .first I .found he,was not overheard by looking in the iroom. Then he asked if I was friendly with her. I told him there, 'was no'particular friendship, and ho said .he;.was.- there, to conduct an. inyestigation'.j,. Ho told .me that whatever.l .ssaid:. f would..bo'regarded as in confidence. I.'.^ ... '! .. ' ■''. : j Witness^' continued, .'saying .that the ; detective, told' him" that '.\vliateyer was, said would go to the grave with him.' He said the girl was over 16 years, and lie-said that if witness would say lie had been intimato with 'her, it would lift suspicion iroin.o.veryone down that way. , Bayly ..further. ,saicl. that the. •. detective- had said lie.could not possibly incriminate' himself. .Witness, had re; plied to tlie->detective- that-,he was not, going to remove-suspicion. from,anyone by saying he had done anything he had not done. The'detective-had said that Elsie was rather a good-looking, girl, and that she would appeal. ■to some people. 8ay1y.....had....5jaid....1i.0 did not know anyone she had appealed to, and that he, '.had- .no reason.; ./to, believe she had been with, any young man.

Mr. Northcroft:'"-All this talk had relation to intimacy that, "someone was supposed to have had, and not to the girl's disappearance? "—"Yes. He said he did, not suspect, me of having anything,to do, with ;.th'e girl's death, and that ■.if''hoj'did/:hie..'would. be man enough to'; tell'.me.'^^C,said. he. was working to' clear, the. girl *s, name, and to show shehad not been out with every Tom, Dick,'and Harry." : . '' While I was; in "town: for a few days," said . Bayly,' ' ; 'detectives, went out .to Henderson.':" The man who was working there to' Id ..'m.e.^tltey,. wanted to see my , stuff. He' gave^' nie. ,-to understand "they said':''fhey .were; friends of .mine. 1" '"' .•'..'.':■' ■■,'„."'■' .'." ■. .• ..' A

Mr. Norlhcroft: "Did they look through them?" —"No." | Mr. Northcroft: "You told BickerI dike about this?"—"l said it was after 1 an attempt had been made by them to see my stuff." Did he endeavour to entice or cajole you into making an admission that you had been intimate with the girl?"— "Yes." Further long evidence of the interview with Detective Bickcrdiko was given by witness. Then Mr .Northcroft asked Bayly questions which arose out of the Crown Prosecutor's examination. The matter of the money Bayly had when he came to Auckland was referred to, and Bayly said that besides his own £14, he had £26 which belonged to his wife. Mr. Hunt: "Are you likely to finish to-night? Mr. Northcroft?" "I'm doubtful, sir," said Mr. Northcroft. Minnie Jordon, a neighbour of the Baylys, whose evidence was interpose ed, said that Elsie Walker 's character was. good. . . The inquiry was adjourned until Monday., v ' '■ . ; ; ' ' ■ ■