ELSIE WALKER’S FATE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 25 January 1929, Page 9

ELSIE WALKER’S FATE

CORONER’S CONJECTURE GIRL OF GOOD CHARACTER. POSSIBLE THIEF’S VICTIM. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Jan. 24. The coroner, Mr F. K. Hunt, giving his verdict in the Elsie Walker case said the evidence satisfied him that deceased was a good girl, that she did not steal the watch or money from the Baylys’ house, that she did not intend to leave the house for long or she would have been differently dressed, that she could uot drive the car, and that the car was driven by a man. He was of the opinion that either the girl discovered a thief in the yard and he struck her, rendering her unconscious and took her away with him in the car or induced her, which was more probable, to 1 accompany him ■ for a short run in the car and then attempted to assault her, during wheh attempt she received the injury to her head, and the man drove through the night hoping the girl might recover. When she did not he sought a place to conceal the body and pushed it under the shrubs, and then drove the car, as far as time or light allowed. “Who that man was,’’ concluded the coroner, “there is not sufficient evidence for me to say.” The coroner commented Qn the police handling of the ease, saying it was possible that suspicion which might rest against a perfectly innocent man for the rest of his life might have been avoided had prompt and intelligent inquiries been made.