ELSIE WALKER’S DEATH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 January 1929, Page 5

ELSIE WALKER’S DEATH.

CONTINUATION OF INQUIRY

MEMBERS OF BtAYLY FAMILY

GIVE EYHDENCE.

(By T*-.legrapn—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND', Jan. 14

The inquest concerning the movements of Elsie Walker, the 17-year-old girl who was found dead in the scrub near Tamale, on October o,> was continued to-day. > Audrie Bayly, niece of the Bayly’s, who was staying with them at the time of Elsie’s disappearance, said she saw Elsie in the kitchen just before eight o'clock oh the night of her disappearance. Nothing had attracted the attention of witness while they were talking in the billiard room. Nex,t morning she was told Elsie had gone and was told to see ifany money was missing from her bag. She found that seven pound notes and one 10s note had gone. Mr. Mowbray: Did you notice anything peculiar about Elsie Walker?— No., nothing, except that she had a slight giggling habit which I thought was natural to her.

Mr. Hunt: Nobody commented on the fact that Elsie was missing during the evening?—No. Recalled, Mrs. Bayly said she was not decided that the first garment found on the body she recognised as belonging to Elsie Walker. The second was similar to a. garment Elsie owned and shown by Detective Bickerdikc, but they were not in the same condition.

The coroner: When Detective Biclcerdike showed you the garments at the house did you say that they never came out of Elsie’s things?—No ; I said 1 did not recognise them. I questioned them. I said I didn’t recognise that lace, but I said she may have got it unknown to me.

Did you say to Detective Bickerdike, ‘Noi garments left the house in that condition’ ? —No.

Thomas Clifford Bayly, aged 11, another cousin of Elsie Walker, said she was not talking at all* when they washed the dishes on the night she disappeared. Elsie seemed to be angry that night. She was quieter than usual. Mrs. Dorothy Teague, of Tapamca, said the Baylys were neighbour* and she had known them about IS months. She had known Elsie Walker since she had lived at the Baylys. Witness had seen her at a neighbour’s about three weeks before she died. Mr. Meredith: Was there any conversation about motor-cars that afternoon?—Yes, Elsie'- Mallier asked me how I got there and. X said. I got a lift. Elsie grabbed me by the arm and said: “X can drive a. car.” Did anvbody else hear that remark ? —I don’t” think so, because she passed the remark very quietly and the others were a little distance away. I took at as quite natural and did amt. ask any questions because so many girls can drive these days. . , , The father of the dead girl, Charles de Renzy Whlker, said that in August, 1927, lie made arrangements, with Mrs. Bayly for Elsie to. stay with her. He thought it would do the girl good if she went to his sister, for it was very quiet at his place. He had letters from Elsie and the tone of them was “quite all right.” The last letter witness received from his daughter was on September 5. It was a general letter and in it she said that she would be home for Christmas. In. a letter she said that Bill was .going to be married. As far as he knew there was no hoy connected with Elsie’s life. There was. no trace or suggestion of Elsie corresponding with any boy friend. As long as Elsie was with her father she could not drive a car. There was no appearance of rancour about Bill Bayly’s marriage in the letter Elsie wrote to witneThe inquiry was adjourned till tomorrow.