HATAITAI MURDER

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 November 1931, Page 5

HATAITAI MURDER

COATS’ TRIAL OPENED CROWN SOLICITOR'S ADDRESS [PEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, November 2. The trial of George Erroll Coats, charged with the murder of Phillis Avis Symons, aged 19, on or about June 26 last,'was commenced in the Supreme Court, before Justice Blair to-day.

Despite the rain, a large crowd, including several women gathered outside the 5 Court at an early hour. They had a long wait of something over two hours, for they were not admitted to the body of the Court until all the formalities connected with the empanelling of a jury had been gone through. The Crown Prosecutor, in, opening, said that accused was a widower with six children in various orphanages. He

first got into touch with the dead girl when he was working on relief works in Mortimer Terrace where the girl’s parents lived. Early in March, the girl left home; and went to live with Coats. It was the Crown’s contention that the girl left home on account of her condition for which it was alleged Coats was responsible. Counsel detailed various acts and conversations which had taken place in regard to the girl’s condition and said that the accused had told one witness, Glover, that if Phillis did die, she could easily be buried in a gully, on the Hataitai relief works, where Coats was working. Later, Coats had been seen digging a hole at Hataitai. “There will be no doubt in your minds gentlemen, that when Coats was digging that hole, he intended to murder Phillis and bury her there.” Counsel referred to an incident, where it was alleged that Coats had hit- the girl over the head with a piece of pipe but she had recovered. The Crown contended that Coats made arrangements to have a shovel left out at Hataitai on the night of June 25, so that he could kill and bury the girl that night. Unexpected visitors, however, prevented the carrying out of the plan that night, but on the following night, the girl and accused were heard to leave the house where they were living. The Crown alleged that the pair walked over to Hataitai, where Coats hit the girl on the head with a shovel several times, and buried her. In answer to inquiries about the girl, Coats had said that the girl had gone home, but the girl was not seen again since. A taxidriver named Melville, had found a letter from the girl and as a result of him handing it on to the girl’s father, the police had seen Coats. After a search, lasting some days, the body of the girl was found at Hataitai covered by a sack which the Crown would definitely establish came from the house where Coats and the girl had lived together. Counsel’s address lasted nearly an hour.

MANAWATU SHOOTINGA MAN ARRESTED. PALMERSTON N., October 31. Following inquiries, the police arrested Norman Robert Decke in connection with the tragedy at Karere on August 24, in which Edward John Blakeway lost his life. Decke is a resident of the Palmerston district. He will appear in the Court on Monday. Blakeway’s body was found at 7.40 a.m. on August 24, near his racing cycle on the Longbush-Karere Road, near Lockwood, five miles from Palmerston North, bearing bullet wounds in the head, chest and wrist. Blakeway was a prominent amateur cyclist, aged 26 years, unmarried. He was booking clerk at the Palmerston North railway station.

QUESTION OF BAIL. PALMERSTON N., November 2. Norman Robert Decke, farm hand, aged nineteen, -appeared before Mr Stout, S.M., charged with on or about August 23, at Karere, with the murder of Edwin John Blakeaway. The police made application for a remand to November 10. Counsel for accused asked for bail, under section 368 of the Crimes. Act. This, he said, left the granting of bail for a charge of .murder to the discretion of the magistrate. The present case was not one he contended, in which bail could not be given without permission of the Supreme Court. The police strongly objected to bail. “We will be ready to proceed in a week,” said Senior Detective Quirke. “Unless there are special circumstances, I do not think bail should be granted .for this class of crime,” said Mr Stout, who refused the application. The remand was granted.

AUCKLAND CRIME. . INQUEST”OPENED. AUCKLAND, November 1. No further development had been reported this afternoon, in connection with the murder of the chemist, Blomfield. An inquest was opened and was adjourned sine die yesterday, after the son of deceased, Norman Clyde Blomfield, had identified his father. It is understood that when being bandaged, Blomfield was heard to say: “Don’t do it!” and “Get away!” One of those present thought Blomfleld said: “Don’t do it George!” or “Joe!”

MAN PUSHED FROM STEEPLE. HEAVY INSURANCE COLLECTED AMSTERDAM, October 30. A diabolical murder was revealed when a slate contractor wap sentenced to imprisonment for life, for pushing a workman from a steeple of an Amsterdam church. The contractor had insured the man for £5OOO. When- the man fell on March 29, 1929, the contractor collect-, ed the money. A year passed before any suspicion was aroused. Then the contractor was arrested. He now has been convicted of thrusting the workman from the steeple in order to collect the insurance.