BURWOOD MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1927, Page 3

BURWOOD MURDER

BOAKES ON TRIAL

By Telegraph—Per Press Association,

CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 21

The Supreme Court was crowded today when the trial began of Charles William Boakes, a taxi driver, before Judge Adams, charged with the murder of Ellen Gwendoline Scarff on June loth at Burwood. .Mr Donnelly represented the Crown and Mr Thomas, with him Mr Burns, represented the prisoner, who pleaded “ not guilty ” in a firm voice. Mr Donnelly said it was a savage and brutal crime. He then detailed the movements of prisoner and the Mr Donnelly said the girl hYul been battered to death with a heavy motor ear spanner and the injuries to her head and face were of an exceedingly dreadful character. From the time that her watch stopped it would appear that the murder Took place at 12. < o’clock on the morning of June loth The doctors considered that the gir lingered from eight to twelve hours after she was struck. Mr Donnelly submitted that the relationship between Boakes and the girl Scarff teasonablv excluded the possibility of her murderer being any other person than the accused. Accused was on the facts that would be placed before the jury, the only person who had a motive of interest or opportunity for doing awav with the girl. MV Donnelly added that the case tor the Crown depended upon circumstantial evidence. There was no direct evidence. There was nothing mysterious in circumstantial evidence. It varied according to the circumstances. It was a network of facts round an accused person. He wished to present the case to the jury under three heads The first was the relationship of the girl with the accused over a number o years up to the end of last year, and from the end of last year till June Bth of this year,

The second head ho would ask the jury to consider was the movements of j the girl between June Bth ami June 15th, and her relationship with the accused during that period. The third head was the conduct of accused and his movements after the | murder was committed up' to the time of his arrest. Dealing with the first heading, Air Donne lly said the girl was about twenty when -s 1 1 0 died. Accused had known her since she was a very small child.

UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 21. An unexpected development was announced when Air Donnelly told the jury that a witness named King, alleging lie had been persuaded by Detective Biokerdike into making a false statement as to selling accused drugs, now denied the whole of his evidence given in the Lower Court. Ellon Martha Scarff, mother of the dead girl, was the first witness, giving evidence on the same linos as she gave in the lower court.