A DEEP MYSTERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10728, 27 October 1928, Page 11

A DEEP MYSTERY.

YOUNG GIRL’S DEATH IN OLD QUARRY.

HOW DID SHE GET THERE?

FOUL PLAY SUGGESTED BY FATHER.

It is more than a fortnight ago since the body of Elsie Walker, a sixteen-year-old girl. was found in the scrub near an old stone quarry adjacent to the Knox Home, between Tamaki and Pamnure (Says the Auckland “Star”)!' So far the cause of her death has not been established. Whatiiss the secret which this quarry hoidsjc How did this young girl, who woodworking at the home of her unMr. Frank Bayly, at Papamoa, near Te Puke, get to the lonely quarry? As far as is known she could not drive a car, yet it is stated that she probably drove her uncle’s' car '2OO miles, abandoned the car at Papatoetoe about mid-day on Tuesday, October 2, the day after she left her uncle’s home, and then walked seven miles to the quarry, where she either took her own life or else died from exposure. , ■■* ABSENCE OF MOTIVE, Here are all the ingredients of a first-class*, mystery. Motive, if motive there was. for the girl’s sudden disappearance from home is difficult, indeed, to find.-- Even more difficult is it to find a motive for abduction.. The, father of the dead girl, AH'. D’Renzy Walker, is at' present in Auckland. He is greatly worried, because of 'reflections that remain on the character of his daughter. Air. Walker called at the “Star” office for the purpose of giving some information which he hopes will assist in clearing the matter up and also to establish, the good name of his daughter. » FATHER. S UGGESTS F 0 UL PLAY. “Despite, what others might say and have said, I am quite convinced, knowing my daughter as I did, that she met wdth foul play,” stated Air. Walker. In support of this he advanced a number of reasons. He said that- it had been definitely established that Elsie was last seen by a cousin after dinner at the home of the Bayly’s, at Papamoa. on the evening of October 1. : Sho had just finished her d'ay’is work and was dressing in a house frock, over which she wore a reddy, brown apron. She was not wearing a hat! When last seen she was taking out some scraps in a'bucket. Deceased was not missed from Mr Bayly’s. house until 7 o’clock the next morning, it was Trevor ‘ Bayly who first discovered that the five-seater car was missing from.the garage.* This was at 1. a.m, oiyffctoher 2, when lie arrived home Min a dance. . Ho also*' noticed that nhe gates were loft open and inquired front his brother whether' anyone had taken ill. When * told that lio one had been taken ill, ho thought no more about the matter'and wefit to his Tdom. ' ' .. ’ ’ ■ V'b ‘ Early on the morning Of. Tuesday, October 2, the girl was missed; and the Te Puke police were notified while the girl’s father was advised on the same afternoon • ■ : LABORER FINDS BODY. _ The’next phase was the finding of the body by a laborer on the late aR ternoon of October 8. According to the doctor’s finding death had taken place about 72 hours before ,suggesting that death occurred on the afternoon of Tuesday. ' • >■ . '“Elsie was found dressed exactly sc Air. was when last seen at tho

exception that she was wearing a boy’s (her cousin’s) coat. He Ts about 12 years old. There was a pool of blood under her head. It is known that she had a wristlet watch of her own. Nothing is known as to whether this is missing or not. The girl was supposed to have had in her possession £ll and some silver, Jtbis money being missing froiii the house, and Trevor vßayly’s. watcli. , There is no proof that she took tliese, lis none of the articles have been" found. The, girl was, not assaulted in any way. '

“There'is no motive for her suddenly leaving her aunt’s place, dressed as slie was. when she had plenty of good clothes m her room. She was very careful and methodical in her, habits and dress, so it kUunhkely that- had she left of her own, accord she would have departed in her working clothes. Only the previous Sunday I received a letter from Elsie. It was quite a cheerful letter. It was arranged that she was to meet me at Mr. Bayly’s on Thursday, October 4. J liad a business appointment at To Puke, and I told my daughter that I would call and see her then, and remain, at Air. Bayly’s the night before going on again. She was always happy at Air. Bayly ; s', andjond of her relatives there. - \Yhen home in April last she told us that she was happy there. -In fact she was very anxious to get back.‘ She was quite happy at home, and one of the reasons she went to Mr. Bayly's was to help Airs. Bayly. : YYI-IO DROVE THE GAR? “11l the first place it is suggested that she left her aunt’s place, taking the car with her, and that she drove over 200* miles from Papamoa, through Te Puke, through Rotorua', to P’apatoetoei, abandoning the • car there and walking seven miles to thespot where she. was found dead, and that she* took either her own life or died as the result of exposure. As proof that; she drove the bar, the police -suggest that this is confirmed by reason of the fact that the impression of the’clutch was found on the breast of the left sandshoe,”-. continued Air. Walker., A “To my knowledge, she Inis never, driven a car in her life! (The- only times'/she has been in motor cars have been thrice in a service car to her home from Te Puke and on a number of occasion's with Airs. Bayly. On no Occasion has. she driven this car to Mrs. Bayly’s ..knowledges The only evidence that she could drive a car is understood to have been obtained from Charles Bayly, a boy of four. This child is stated to have said: ‘Elsie drive car out of ■garage, washed it, and then back again.’’ Concerning this, it is pointed out that, assuming this child’s statement to have been correct,- she might have sat in the car, released the brakes, and allowed it to run a yard bi* two down tho isniall incline out of the garage to wash * it. ■ It is a natural thing for a non-driver in this operation, of Washing' a car. 1 to sit in and let the car run, in such a way. In fact'Witli-feome'people,' particularly with a girl of 16, it would lie .au intriguing novelty to do this;” “NEVER LEARNED TO DRIVE.”

“She is supposed to have driven through desolate country,- a distance of over 200 miles, and reached Papatoefcoe-' early on ‘Tuesday*' afternoon, despite the fact that she; had” never been , nearer to Auckland .than Rotorua. She had oply beiiir there dime.' She never saw a car until two,'years ■ ago'. . Slip came’, to' Ilaukokorb’ wlien two ybars old. There is no 'road to withinHO miles of her home, tins distance leaving to be covered on horseback-. She never saw a car until she was 14.” . v: “Can it be suggested then, when it is borne.in mind that the "'Bayjys never allowed hef to attempt to learn

up in the backblocks. drove this modern car over a road she had never previously traversed, and, what is more, at night time, and at an average speed of 31) miles an hour? The car was known to hold only six gallons of petrol when it left Atr. Bayly’s garage. Someone must have got petrol, and il iso, they must have been seen bv .somebody,” said Air. Walker.

5 WHEEL CHANGED GN JOURNEY

“Another mysterious .feature of the case concerns' the changing of the spare wheel on the journey. “Another' point—-the - state of the girl’s hands. Were they blistered after such a long drive?

AIR. WALKER’S OWN THEORY

“Aly theory is that she discovered (someone, taking the ' car when she went out with the bucket of slops, and that she tried to prevent them taking the car. She may have been struck on the head, or else the person who drove the car away thought that by doing so he could, cause suspicion to rest with the girl for taking the car. Another point is this: Presuming that a iiian or men, were caught while attempting to steal the ear, knowing that the house was connected by telephone with Te Puke, live miles away, and Tauranga, seven miles on the other side of Papamoa, they would know that they could not branch off either way. mg through the towns. .TheyHimy have been afraid of getting eimglif and have decided to take with them, either injuring her then and there, or afterwards. They could not abandon the girl on tho road until they 1 were ready to abandon the car themselves.

“It is known-that the Baylys were in the billiard room* and that a thief would be able to get through the rooms while; they Were in the billiard room, which is at the end of a long passage. When the door is closed it is shut off from the,house.

'“On Saturday afternoon, 'September 29, Elsie had two friends at>*Mr. Bayly’s house to play croquet • with hei. She.-’was then quite well and cheerful. The .next day, on Sunday niglit she went to church,” said Air. Walker. “She never went away anywhere on her owii.”

AIONEY .AUSS/NG FROM. HOUSE

A point which Air. Walker is greatly perturbed over i.H - the, sugr gestioii that she took some money from the '.house. V . He belibvbs that isomoohe I must have carried out a robbery. there. on the ’Monday. ' night. “Why should a child want, to steal £7 from a purse in Air. ; Bayly’s room, £B-15s from Air. Bayly’s trouser pocket in the; same room, and then, from another room, take Mrs. Bayly’s purse, -containing .'ssrin cash, a key, and. a, laundry ticket? And; again, asiSuming 'that she did leave Alt; Bayly’s, and m the car, why would she go over a Yoad’ ; that was strange; to her - and in the dark ? If 'She did steal the'money, where is it? Either? islie*. spent it, or someone, took it from her. That has not yet been traced ■/ v • ~\ ■ ■ 1 INJURY ON- JAW , . The! inquest, which was adjourned sine “die: jaftpr evidence of identification had .' been. taken at- the opening, ' has not yet been 4 coficluded. - Foi* the past few ? days 1 Detective-Sergeant Belly : has ’ been at Bapaiijoa; and Te Puke conducting, investigations, and the inquest will* not -he ’cpntinued until ho rctu-ms. When interviewed, ' Dr. Murray, who carried out a post-mortem examination on the body of the- deceased, stated that there, was an . injury on the girl’s jaw. He is not prepared to istate -what' 'might hjive - caused. the injui-y, hut says .that tlicTo was

POLITICAL FIGHT. PAIOTIjiS ANI^OANDUMTES. ■ NORTH ISLAND. H ; The list of candidates to date is given’ below:—■ BAY, OF ISLANDS. *A. Bell (In t li). ' H. M. Rushworth (Coun. P.). A. M. Shugar (UR. ' MARSDEN. *W. Jones, (KR. A. J. Mlurdoch (UR.. A. H. Curtis (In.). AV. H. Ohethani (Lab.). ‘ KAIPARA. *J. G. Coates (Ri.). J. G. Barclay (Lab.). AUCKLAND CENTRAL. *W. E. Parry (Lab.). J. Joiner (Ind.), EDEN. *V. H. Potter (R.). formerly Roskill. A. J. Stallwortliy (UR. W. T. Anderton (Lab.)* O. E. Burton (Oliris-Soc.). GREY LYNN *F. N. Bartram (Lab.). J. S. Fletcher, (UR, ROSIvILL. Miss Ellen Melville (It.). A. S. Richards (Lab.). G. C, Munus (U.). PARNELL, *J. S. Dickson (R.). J. AV. Yatnall (Lab.). LI. R, Jenkins (UR, ' , MANUKAU ' *W. J'. Jordan (Lab.). W. T. F. K. Mason (UR. B. Bunn (R.) AUCKLAND WEST *M. J. Savage (Lab.). G. W. Hughes (In. Lab.) Ri. B. Spiers (UR. Frank Adeanc (R.). AUCKLAND EAST. *J: A. Lee (Lab.). ,1. B. Donald (U.). Mrs. C. B. Maguire (R.). AUCKLAND SUBURBS *H. R. G. Mason (Lab.). E. R. Allen (UR. Sir J. Gunson (Ri.). WAITER AT A *A. Harris (R.). A. G. Osborne (Lab.), R. H. Greville (U.). HAURAKI. (New seat) E. Allen (U.). A. W. Hall (R.).' O. R. Petrie (Lab.). THAMES. *'A. M. Samuel (1t.)., for Ohinemuri F. A. Carlislie fin.). W. J. Taylor (In.). J. S. Montgomerio (Lab.). EJ. McGregor (UR. WAIKATO *D. S. Reid (RR. P. Keighan (Coun. PR F. Lye (UR, HA .MILTON *J. A. Young (RR. S. S r G. Lye (L. Lab.), F. W. Schramm (Lab.). TAURANGA. *C. E. Macmillan (RR. D. C. Chalmers (Lab.). Thos, Lochh’ead (UR. FRANKLIN, G. T. Pafvii'i (LR. C. K. Lawrie (UR. H. O. Mel 1 sop (Couu. PR. J. N. Massey (RR. •=■ RAGLAN Walter Seavill (RR. *AV. L. Martin (Lab.). WAITOMO. *J. O. Rolleston (R.R., W. J. Broadfoot (UR. C. Croall (Labßl J. Georgetti (Coun. PR. ROTORUA ' ■*F. F, Hockley (RR. A. G. Christoplier (Lab.). S. H: Judd (Conn. PR. 0. H. Clinkard (U). BAY OF PLENTY. *K. S. Williams (RR. W. A. Moncur ’(Lab.). GISBORNE. *W. D. Liysnar (RR. W. D, Coleman (Lab.)., W. L. Clayton (,U.).--WAIMARINO. *R. W. Smith (UR. F. Langstone (LR NEIW PLYMOUTH. *O. E. Bellringer (RR. S. G. Smith (UR. AV. A. Slieat (Laliß. W. G. Simpson (Lab.). EGMONT. *O. J. Tlawken (RR. C. A. Wilkinson (UR. STRATFORD. *E. Walter. * W. J. Poison (In.). PATE A. *ll. G. Dickie (1t.),, J. D. , Hi slop (UR. WANGANUI. *W. A. Veitch (U.). N. G. Leivis (R.). W. J. Rogers (Lab,). RANGITIKEI. *W. Glenn (It-). ; ‘ . OROUA. , • *G. J.Elliott (RR. ■ i J. G. Cobbh (UR. ; • . PALMERSTON. *J. A: Nash' (It.). W. Bromley (Labß. O. A. Lpughnan (UR. ** MANAWATTJ. *J.. Linklater (R'.). H. J’. D. McManaway. (Ind, RR. P. J. Small (UR. ' .... J, H. Taylor (Lab.).,' ’ , ■ HAWKE’S BAYM; *H. M. Campbeß l (RR* "■ John Lyon (Lak^

‘ ■ NAPIER. *J. Mason* (ILL W. E. Barnard (Lab.).. WAIPAWA. *Sir George Hunter (RR. „D. BL, Kent (UR, ■ • ~R; \ . PAHIATUA. *B, A. Ransom (UR. Joseph Whittle (Lab.). G. H. Smith (RR. MASTERTON *G ; . R, Sykes (RR. B. Roberta (Labß. WAIRAItAPA. *A. D, McLeod (ItR. T. W. McDonald (Ind.). OTAKI. *W. Field (RRA. B. Sievwright (UR, HUTT. *T. M. Wilford (UR. Walter Nash (Lab.). WELLINGTON NORTH. *Sir John Luke (It.), C. 11. Chapman. (Lab.). ' WELLINGTON CENTRAL. *P. Fraser (Labß. Dunbar Sloane (RR, WELLINGTON EAST. *T, 'Forsyth (RR. R. Semple (Labß. J. J, Clark (RR. WELLINGTON SOUTH *R. McKeen (Lab.). M. I\ Luckie (RR. John Burns (UR. WELLINGTON SUBURBS. *Tt. A. Wright (It.). - T. Brindle (Lab.). K. McLennan (UR. SOUTH ISLAND. *ll. Atmore (In.). W. W. 0. Smith (RR. / , MOTUEKA. *R. P. Hudson (RR. C. Black (UR. WAIRAU. •W. J. Girling (RR. E. F. Healy, UR, BULLED. *H. E. Holland (Labß. WESTLAND. *T. E. Y. Seddon (U.). J. O’Brien (Lab.). HURUNUI. *G. W. Forbes (UR. b. R. C. MacFarlane (HR. KAIAPOI. Mrs. E. R. McCombs (Lab.). R. W. Hawke (UR. J. A. Flesher (RR. R M. Speirs (In. Labß. MID-CANTER BURY, (New seat.). G, AV, ltussell (LR. H. M, Jones (LR. ' D. Jones (RR, Morgan Williams (Labß. R. W. Wightman (Ind.). RICCARTON. *H. S. S. Kyle (RR. G. IT. Thompson (Labß. A. A. McLachlan (UR. LYTTELTON, *J. McCombs (Labß. W. T. Lester (UR. (?) J. O. Coop (RR. CHRISTCHURCH NORTH *H. Holland (RR. Rev. J. K. Archer (Lab.). CHRISTCHURCH EAST. #H. T. Armstrong (Labß D. F. Dennehy (UR. J. B. Batchelor (Ind.). CHPMSTOHURCH SOUTH *E. J, Howard (Lab.). E. H. Andrews (UR. W. 11. Manliire (RR. AVON. *D. G, Sullivan (Lab.) F. B. Hughes (RR. TEMUKA , *T. b. Burnett (RR. TIMARU. *F. J. Rolleston (RR. Rev. Clyde Carr (Labß. WsAITAKI # J. Bitchener (RR. F, R. Cooke (Lab.). 0 AMARU. *E. P. Lee (RR. P. R. Needham (Indß. CENTRAL OTAGO. (Formerly Wakatipn.) R!. Ritchie (RR. W. A. Bodkin (UR. j. Bennetts (Ind. RR; W. P. Cotter (UR. \ • CHALMERS A. E. Ansell (RR. N. Campbell Labß. J. Loudon (U-). Wi. A. McLachlan (Ind. RR. ♦ DUNEDIN NORTH. *H. L. Taplcy (RR. J. W. Murno (Lab.) G. S. Thomson (Ind. Lib, Lab.). DUNEDIN WEST. *\V. Downie Stewart (RR. Rdlph Harrison (Labß. O. M. Moss (Lib-Labß. DUNEDIN! CENTRAL. *O. E. Statham (In.). J. Robinson (Labß. DUNEDIN SOUTH. C. Todd (RR- v R, W. Hall (Labß: W. B. Taverner (UR. CLUTHA. *F AVaite (R'R. t J. AV. Fenton (Labß. 3VIATAURA. *G. Ji Anderson (RR. > ci /tt s I-

WALLACE.' «A. Hamilton (R-). W. E. Taylor (U.). AWARtJA. *J. R. Hamilton (Hi.). P. A. de la Perelle (U.). . W. C. Denham (Lab.). INVERCARGILL *Sir Joseph Ward (L.). . S. M. Macalister (Inch R.). Willesden Magistrate: Is lie a young man? . . Woman: Oh, no; Quite a married mnn. —* i

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