WALKER MYSTERY

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 January 1929, Page 5

WALKER MYSTERY

WHO DROVE THE CAR ’

QUESTIONS AT INQUEST

(Special to “Star.”)

AUCKLAND, January 10.

At the inquest into the death of Elsie Walker, Frank Bayly, of Papamoa, the girl’s uncle, continuing his, evidence, said that of. his family, his son Bill could drive a car, Mrs. Bayly could, Geoffrey could, and Trevor could. As far as he knew, deceased never drove it. The key missing with the car was Mr. Bayley’s. Witness said when his son Bill came back in September he was married, but witness and Mrs. Bayley were not aware of the marriage. Witness described a visit he made to Auckland, during which he went to see his son Bill at Henderson, where he was working. “I had a conversation with the boy,” said witness. “I asked him if he knew of the trouble by reading the newspaper, but he said he had not heard anything about it. He had only got out of there on the Wednesday before.” '

Mr. Meredith: Did you ask him what he had been doing?—No, I asked him about the key, and he said he had left it at home.

Did you say anything about the Monday?—Not that I can remember.

Nor the Monday night?—No. Mr. Bayley, Monday night was a night fraught with some tragedy, and surely you discussed that night with him? —I remember asking Bill where he was on Monday night.

I put it to you, you asked him at Henderson where he was on the Monday?—lt is a long time ago; I can’t remember. I would not swear I had not mentioned it.

But you did talk of it with him in the boarding house when you saw him later? —Yes, I asked him then where he was on Monday. Bill told me he had been with his wife on the day of the tragedy. According to Godfrey Bayley, he passed through the washhouse at 7.30 on the night the car disappeared, on his way to his room. Although he did not remember seeing the girl, he thought she was in the kitchen. He switched the light on in a portion of the sleeping porch, where she slept, but she was not there. Next morning at 6.30 witness saw from his bedroom that the car was gone. Witness told his father.

The Coroner: Did he say, “Perhaps Bill has taken it”? —No. Witness said he had never seen Elsie drive the car, nor had she any opportunity to learn to drive, as far as he knew. She had never asked him to let her have a try at driving. Mr. Meredith: In fact, you would not suggest she could drive. —No, she could not as far, as I know. The hearing was adjourned till tomorrow. TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS. AUCKLAND, January 11. The inquest was resumed at trfh o’clock before a crowded court. Armitage, the bacteriologist, recalled, said it was impossible from a microscopic examination to tell the age of the stains found on the girl’s underclothing.

Trevor Bayly, aged 19, said that on the evening of the girl’s disappearance he went to a social in Tepuke, in a friend’s car.

Asked if anybody else was in the car, he said he didn’t remember. On his return home to Papamoa at 1.30 a.m. on October 2, he noticed the family’s car was gone, and asked his brother, Godfrey, if anyone had gone for a doctor, or gone out. Godfrey replied in the negative. Trevor did nothing more. At noon, Bill Bayly, the eldest son of the family, entered the box. A WEAK MEMORY. (Special to “Star.”) AUCKLAND, January 11. In the course of his evidence Trevor Bayly couldn’t remember whether he was in the front or back seat of his friend’s car, in which he went from Papamoa to a party at Tepuke. Neither could’ he remember whether they met anybody on the journey or whether there was anybody else in the car besides himself and his friend.

Coroner Hunt once or twice requested Trevor to try to remember. Mr Northcroft’s object in recalling Armitage, bacteriologist, was because of counsel’s objection to a newspaper paragraph that it was definite from his evidence that Elsie Walker had had a male companion between the time she left home, and the day she was dead. Armitage (as reported in the Press Assn, message) thereon stated it was impossible to say how old the stains on the underclothing were. They may have been antecedent or subsequent to her leaving Papamoa. MARRIED ON £l4. William Alfred Bayly, 22, married, said that when he went back to the family home, at Papamoa, on September 3, his wife stayed in Auckland, the family not knowing he was married. When he brought his wife to Auckland on August 22, to be married on the 29th, he had about £l4. He paid the marriage expenses, and had no further money from his father than the £lO the latter had given him (included in the £l4 above). When he came back to Auckland from Papamoa on September 13, he stayed two or three nights in Epsom, then went to Papakura and lived there, near Karaka, also at Kohi. He had gone from Kohi to Karaka by horse-back, but not by car. He came back to the city from Papakura and stayed at a boardinghouse until October 3rd. “You came in to see your wife also? —Yes.

And did a little shopping?—l didn’t go to the races, and eventually got a job at Henderson at £2 a week, with an unfurnished house. He added that on the Sunday before Elsie’s body was found, he was at the Auckland boarding house, spending a day and evening with friends, returning to sleep at tho boarding-house on Monday October 1. He went to see the place at Henderson without his wife. He was there less than half an hour, and saw nobody except some children, who directed him. He didn’t look over the

property. He could not produce anybody who saw him round-about except the children.

DETAILING HIS MOVEMENTS.

Witness said that seeing nobody on the Henderson property, he went back to Auckland and had lunch, but couldn’t remember where, though it way by himself and he didn’t see anybody he knew. He met his wife at three o’clock (on October 1.) In answer to the Prosecutor, witness said he didn’t see anybody he knew between lunch and three o’clock, wheron Mr Northcroft remarked: “He’s a complete stranger to Auckland.”

Mr Meredith: Why did you have lunch in town, instead of the boarding house. You weren’t too flush you know? —I often had lunch in town, and knew I could get more money if I wanted it.

Later, he said, he went with his wife to buy a hat for her. The colour was pink, and the price 19/11, but he didn’t know whether or not he got the invoice for it. They went down looking at the shops, and had light tea, but he couldn’t remember where.

Prosecutor: You have been asked previously where you spent October 1. —Yes, but not till a week afterwards.

Prosecutor: Couldn’t you remember better then. —No. I don’t think so. He said that after tea on Octobei’ 1, he and his wife went to see friends at Epsom. He detailed his movements and was emphatic that this was the night of Monday, October 1. They went to bed at the boarding-house at 9 30, and he got up for breakfast at the usual time on the morning of Tuesday. He did not change rooms at the boarding-house, but may have changed tables at breakfast, besides a man named Cashell. He didn’t know the names of anybody else at breakfast that morning. The Prosecutor: Of course, Bayly, you know youi' movements have been questioned in connection with the death of Elsie Walker. Before any answer was given, the Coroner remarked: I think we will adjourn. The room is very stuffy. The Court then rose till 2.35 p.m.