ALLEGED MURDER

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 22 November 1927, Page 7

ALLEGED MURDER

BOAKES ON TRIAL. THE BURWOOD MYSTERY. NEW FEATURES BROUGHT OUT.

(BY TELEGRAPH - PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 22. The triai of Charles William .Boakes on the charge oi having murdered Ellen Gwendoline Isobel Seal'll at Burwood, was continued in the Supreme Court to-day. The public galleries were again crowded. Eric Horace Mugford gave evidence as to the Eliding of the body. To Mr. Thomas witness said that after lie saw the body he first saw Mrs. Delamain, a storekeeper, who told him to go to the Rev. Mr. Tobin. Mr. Thomas: Did you find someone else at the body? —Yes, at the head.^ You told Mr Tobin about this man r Ygs . What was the man doing?—He was kneeling at her head. You told Mr. Tobin the man had his back to you?—Yes. As you came in and made a noise the man jumped to his feet and rushed off into the broom?—Yes. You did not see his face? No. He was a smaller man than Boakesr —Yes. You realise the tremendous importance of your evidence —Yes. And what you have told the jury is true ? —Yes, sir. You told Mr. Tobin within a few minutes of finding the body ? Yes. And you told the police about this man? —I'es. Mr. Thomas asked the boy to tell him how far he was from the man, and paced backwards across the court--101110 till the boy told him to stop. The boy stopped Air. Thomas when he had gone about ten or twelve feet. To Air. Donnelly he stated that he had told Detective-Sergeant Young wliat lie hail seen and showed him where the man went through the scrub.

The Rev. Cecil A. Tobin gave evidence of Alugiord going to him, and of his returning with Mugford to where the body was. The body looked as if it had been moved. George Hunter AlcCann, staff Ser-geant-Alajor in the Defence Department, said that he had examined two miitary overcoats produced. They were ordinary iissue overcoats. To Air Thomas : The size numbers ol the coats were not distinguishable. They were approximately the same

size. ~ To Air Donnelly: An important difference between the coats was that of the length. One was about four inches longer than the other.’ Leslie George Alcßeth, a taxi-driver, said that he had seen Miss ' Soarff on the taxi stand on one occasion when she was booking for Boakes. He had on several occasions taken telephone messages for Boakes on the stand to ring up the house where Aliss fecarff was employed. Hr '"Thomas: Why, in the lower court, did vou sav you took telephone messages twice or three' times. It wns more than that. . You realise that this man n,s on trial for his life?—Ye®. Then, why do you do this? Have you anv explanation? —No, I have not. George Lewis, a fruiterer, and formerly a ’bus proprietor. said that from December 24, 1925, to October 16, .1926. Boakes drove one of his ’buses. Witness said lie saw the girl Scarff in the bus on one occasion. To Air Thomas: Boakes was ten months in witness’s employ.. He was not a hot-tempered man. _ Witness had never seen Boakes lose lias temper. He seemed to lie a kindly man.