“SHARK” INQUEST

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 June 1935, Page 7

“SHARK” INQUEST

SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE

DEAD HUSBAND’S DISCLOSURES

[BY GABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

SYDNEY, June 14. The inquiry regarding James Smith in connection with the tattooed arm disgorged by a shark in the Coogee Aquarium was continued to-day. Mrs Inic Parker Holmes, widow of Reginald Holmes, said that James Smith was employed in connection with the building of a block of flats for her a. few years ago.' Both Smith and Patrick Brady had repeatedly visited her husband at his boat-build-ing yards, and conversations went on at his office. The last occasion on which she saw Brady was about 8 a.m. on April 9, when he asked to see her husband. Brady was extremely agitated. Both of his hands were bloodstained. Mrs Holmes was then asked whether her late husband had discussed with her the disappearance of James Smith, to which she .replied that he had not until last week. She said: “He told me Brady had murdered, him.” ' Doctor Evatt, counsel for Brady, objected to the admission of this statement, contending that as Holmes was now dead, it was impossible to test the accuracy of his -widow’s statement.

The Coroner overruled the objection. He said that for the purpose of this inq,u,iry, her evidence would be admissible. Mrs Holmes said that she had asked her husband what Brady did with the body. Her husband told her that Brady put it in a tin trunk, and then in a boat, and tipped it over in the sea, and that this had occurred on the night prior to his visit to Holmes’ house, April 8. She said that about April 26, her husband went to Melbourne, leaving £5. He told her to post it to “Mr Jamieson, Post Office, North Sydney.” She knew .that .Brady called himself Jamieson, find also used other names. A person later telephoned her. He asked her whether there was anything for him. She presumed that' it was Brady, and she told him that there was a letter at the Post Office for him. Dr Evatt again protested. He said that, the woman’s evidence was against all the principles of fairness. Cfoss-examined, Mrs Holmes said that she was not aware that her husband had commenced divorce proceedings, or that Mr Young, the architect for her flats, had been named as the co-respondent. Mrs Holmes added that Young and James Smith were associated in building her flats six years ago. Mrs Holmes was then cross-examin-ed about the sinking of the yacht, “Pathfinder.” She said she believed that it was covered by insurances.' James Smith was the only . person aboard it when the yacht ; sank. He rowed ashore'. The insurance company had refused to pay the insurance. She was not aware of the amount. She did not think that her husband claimed the insurance on the Pathfinder. She believed that her husband had an overdraft at the bank, but he was not in financial difficulties.

Dr. Evatt asked the witness whether she went to the police' after her husband had told her that Smith,, had been murdered. She replied in the affirmative, stating that she learned that her husband had already made a statement to the police. Dr. Evatt: Did you read his statement?

Witness: No; but he told me he told the whole truth. That was only last week.

Several times Dr. Evatt objected to the Coroner receiving evidence implicating Brady, and he declared, at the close of the proceedings, that much of to-day’s evidence would not be admitted in another Court.

The Coroner replied: You need not tell me that! Dr. Evatt: This evidence is being sent by the Press throughout the world, and it shou,ld not be admitted! The Coroner: I am running this Court. I know what is admissible. Percival Forbes gave evidence thta Brady, under the name of Williams, rented his seaside cottage at Cronulla at the end of March, and for part of April, and that at the expiration of the tenancy, he discovered that a mattress had been replaced by a new one. Witness had also discovered a kerosene tin containing something resembling blood, which -possessed a horrible stench. Witness also noticed that one of his trunks had been replaced by a new one. The hearing was adjourned until Monday.