CHARGE OF MURDER

Evening Star, Issue 21013, 29 January 1932, Page 11

CHARGE OF MURDER

MAN WHO DISAPPEARED CASE OF LESLIE JOHN BROWN An inquiry was opened in Perth, Western Australia, recently, into the sensational mystery of the Murchison district concerning the disappearance of Leslie John Brown, better known there as Louis J. Carron, portion of whose charred remains and personal belongings, it is believed, tvere found in the ashes of a camp fire. John Thomas Smith, aged twentysix, alias “Snowy” Rowles, was present in custody on a charge of having .wilfully murdered Brown near J.83-mile gate on No. 1 rabbitproof fence : n May, 1930. Interwoven in the case is the disappearance of two well sinkers, James Ryan, aged forty-five to fifty, formerly of Kalgoorlie, and George Lloyd, aged about thirty, formerly of South Australia, who were associated with Smith and Brown in station life in the Murchison district. Lloyd and Ryan disappeared before Brown. Inquiries by Detective-sergeant Manning into the fate of the three men has extended over twelve months, during which time the search for evidence extended to South Australia and New Zealand. Dr William M'Gillivray, Government pathologist, said that one of the packets produced contained fragments of a human skull and bones. Cross-examined by Mr F. Curran, representing Smith, witness said he could not say whether the pieces of human skull were from an aboriginal skull or not. . ■Arthur William Upfield, author, now of Kalamunda, said that from October 1, 1928, to September 15, 1931, he was' employed by the Rabbit Department as boundary rider on No. 1 rabbit-proof fence, and from May 13, 1929, to June 16, 1029, he was stationed at Camel Station, at the 163-mile post. George Ritchie was working with him. Witness at that time knew “Snowy” Rowles, who sometimes passed through Camel Station 6n his way to outlying wells. He identified John Thomas Smith as the man. Rowles was then stockman on Nardee Station, which surrounded Camel Station homestead. Up to that time witness had written several novels, including one murder mystery. He had discussed matters concerning a murder mystery with Rowles and others. Witness wanted to write a novel without a corpse in it, one in which a human body had been thoroughly destroyed, so that in the novel to be written a murder would take place before the opening of the story. “ There would be no corpse or identifiable part of corpse in existence,’ said witness. “ I discussed the matter with Ritchie first, and then with Rowles and others. I eventually formulated a. plot and discussed it with Rowles on October 6, 1929. The plot set out that the victim was to be snot and the body burned. The ashes when cold were to be sieved for all metal parts and human bones. _ .. . , “ The metal parts were to be dissolved In acid, which, if it did not totally destroy them, would render them unrecognisable. The bones not burned were to be placed in a dolly pot and dollied to dust.' In order to divert suspicion one or two kangaroos were _ to be burned in the fire on the same site. Rowles did not take a great part in the discussion, but was present on several occasions. I eventually wrote the book, which was published under , the title of ‘The Sands of Windec.’ Witness said he met James Ryan when Ryan was camped at Chalh bore, twenty miles south-west of Camel Station homestead. Ryan possessed a motor truck, in which he went south to Burracopping, toward the end of November, 1929. About December 4, 1929, Rowles came to Camel Station m an old motor car inquiring when Ryan would return from Burracopping. Rowles later went south to the 100-mile post, where his car broke down, and he went on foot to the camp at 96mile post, where he met Ryan, Lloyd, and Ritchie, and stayed with them for the night. All of them came back to Camel Station homestead on December 7, 1929. , „ The inquiry was adjourned to Cue on February 3. [lt was stated that about thirty more witnesses remain to be examined. They include Mr A. W. Sims, dentist, of Hamilton, and two other New Zealanders. Mr Sims made a dental plate for Mr Brown and ho has identified the plate found near the charred re- J mains as the one that he supplied.l