MURDER CHARGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 137, 11 June 1940, Page 5

MURDER CHARGE

WAIKINO CASE

EVIDENCE FOR CROWN

POLICE SEARCH

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WAIHI, June 10,

The hearing of the case against pouglas Herbert Cartman, single, aged 22, previously employed as a trucker in the Martha gold mine, who is charged with the murder at Waikino on April 2 of Elizabeth Agnes Hamilton, a married woman, aged 27, was continued in the Magistrate's Court to-, day before Mr. W. H. Freeman, S.M.

The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. V. R. Meredith, with him Mr. N. I. Smith, as conducting the case for the prosecution, and Mr. F. McCarthy, Auckland, is appearing for the accused.

After the luncheon adjournment jWarie Elizabeth1 Owen Phillip, domestic, gave evidence that on. the evening of the tragedy she saw Mrs. Hamilton and Lloyd Moran leave the hotel and cross the road and walk in the direction of Owharoa Bridget The night was fine, but dark.

Catherine Mary Watt, married, Waikino, stated that shortly before 8 o'clock on the night of the tragedy, she heard and saw a motor vehicle with only one light burning approaching from Waikino on the Waitewhetu Road. The car continued on towards Waihi withput stopping. ~ John Joseph Moran, father of the deceased boy and now licensee of the Ellerslie Hotel, Auckland, stated that Mrs. Hamilton had been employed at the Waikino Hotel for three years before her- death. Since her husband went into camp she had been living at the Waikino Hotel. , .

Shortly after 7 p.m., Mrs. Hamilton asked Lloyd Moran, with Moran's permission, to go for a walk with her. •Lloyd failed to return home, and about 1 a.m. witness decided to make a search. He was accompanied by his wife and daughters and later made a further search in his car, but was unable to locate either Mrs. Hamilton or his son after searching all night.

Witness stated that Lloyd wore spectacles similar to a frame produced by .the police in Court.- Continuing the search early next morning, witness proceeded over the Owharoa Bridge and # found the body of his son. He also" found a woman's- white shoe in an olfi quarry opposite where his son's 'body lay. At this spot there was a good deal of blood. , ■

: Roberts Archibald Lindsay and Trevor Charles Marshall, employees of the Ohinemuri County Council, Paeroa, said that in the course of a bridge survey they found the body of Mrs. Hamilton. The body was almost devoid of clothing. . Constable William Harper, iWaimy ; gave evidence that, with Sergeant T. G. Dunn, he inspected the position of :Lloyd Moran's body. On the roadway above he noticed a good deal of blood. The boy's body was fully clothed, but was covered with blood and dirt. Witness stated that, in addition to the finding of the glass of the lenses of a pair of spectacles, he found fourteen pieces of headlamp glass of a motor-car about 300 yards from the Waikino Hotel. EXAMINATION OF CAR. : Detective H. F. Miller said that he examined a 1929-30 open coupe Nash, :, owned by the accused; at the accused's | home at Waihi. '-: .. - . :■',■■-■ ■ , f "We asked the ae'cusetf*ir*w;|"Sould| ;, examine the car," stated [Detective: "Miller. "He had no objection and factually helped us remove the carfrom the garage." ..- Continuing, Detective Miller stated "khat the right-hand headlamp glass ■and bulb of the car were missing. •; "When we pointed out the damage •to the accused, Cartman replied that .it had .been caused by a collision with "another car at Auckland on March 22 last," said witness. , On April 25 witness made another examination of the accused's car and under the right front spring platform found three small -strands of a woman's hair. Sergeant Dunn gave evidence concerning the finding of Mrs. Hamilton's body, which, he said, was practically without clothing, except for a green cardigan, a striped blouse, and a pink slip, frvhich were rolled rounS her neck. Detailing the "injuries to the body, Sergeant Dunn said there weise severe injuries to- the head and the left leg. A tyre lever, covered with bloodstains, was lying about six inches from the head of the body. : Detective John Hayes, Hamilton, gave evidence regarding the examination of the body carried out by Dr. L. R, Hetherington, Waihi. ; Detective Hayes said that on< May 1 he was present when the accused pointed out a certain spot in 'Willows Road, Waihi, and after daybreak witness and other searchers, after clearing the scrub at that spot, unearthed the missing skirt of Mrs. Hamilton. Later the same day witness found a black leather shoe at the accused's home. It was identical in every way with the shoes worn by Lloyd Morari on the night of the tragedy. The Court adjourned at this stage.