GIRL’S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 23113, 12 November 1938, Page 30

GIRL’S DEATH

“GREEN SCARF" CASE MURDER CHARGE FAILS Four clays were occupied at the Old Bailey, London, in hearing the trial of William Whiting, aged 38, of Folkestone, who had been charged with the murder of Phyllis May Spiers, found strangled in a coppice near Folkestone on Slay 26 with a green scarf round her neck. Whiting was found not guilty, and immediately discharged. Witnesses had been called for the defence who said they saw Mrs Spiers alive after May 23, the date the prosecution alleged she was killed. The jury, on which there were three women, were two hours and 23 minutes considering their verdict. Mr Justice Wrottesley exempted them from service for six years. The Judge, summing up, said that,if the case rested merely on suspicion that Whiting had the opportunity of murdering the girl, it would he far from enough. They had to look at other evidence. What was most strongly relied upon by the defence was the evidence of the witnesses who. said they had seen Mrs Spiers after the time the Crown said she was killed. “ BIKD OF PASSAGE.”

After being in Whiting’s company on May 23 she disappeared. The jury must remember that she had no settled home. She was a “ bird of passage ” —here to-day and gone to-morrow. They must also remember that these witnesses were found by the police themselves, and honestly believed what they saw r . ■ The *Crowu said it was the case of people making a mistake, as people did when asked to recall when they last saw a person they did not know very well. But if the jury thought only one of these witnesses was not making a mistake, and that the girl was seen alive after May 23, they had no choice but to find Whiting not guilty. in evidence Whiting had denied that he had murdered Mrs Spiers. He had given her a green scarf on May 20, he said, but she was not wearing it when ho went out .with her for a walk on May 23. .She left him, and that was the last he saw of her. FIRM REFUSAL.

On the third day of the trial a note was sent up from the jury. Its contents were not made known, but the judge firmly refused the request. It has since been revealed that the jury wanted to go in the evening to a music hall, situated close to the bote! where they were housed throughout the trial.