COATS’ TRIAL

Hokitika Guardian, 5 November 1931, Page 5

COATS’ TRIAL

FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD.

[by Telegraph, Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 4

At the trial of Coats, the evidence this afternoon followed largely on the lines of that given in , the Lower Court. Mrs Olive - Irene Smith,; 'who let a room to Coats, said that she heard Coats ,and Phillis leave early on the evening of June 26. She-heard footsteps returning after ten o’clock. She identified the sack -produced as one that she had obtained: yvith vegetables isonie time ago. It whA : one of six, only five remaining at her place.' The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow. f

THE GIRL’S PATHETIC LETTER.

At the conclusion of his opening address the Grown Prosecutor handed in the following letter, which had been found, he said, under the mattress in the room which Coats and the girl had occupied:—

1 “Dearest Dad,—l feel I cannot go on like this. Something has happened to me very dreadful which makes existence for me a- Hell. In short, in a very few months I am- to bel a - - mother. Many times I wanted to end all my pain and misery by suicide, but I cannot bring myself to do it— ■ , it seems so dreadful. I know want you must think of. me, but Dad, I am innocent. hunt for-good times witji[‘th| desire .to -keep V,. decent I have" fallen..: I have suffer-, ed and am still suffering. Every hour is torture, I have very little to eat. My clothing is in rags, so that I am afraid to go outside the door, I had a job housekeeping for .some ; time, hut the people left Wellington, and I was ■unable to pay my renit of 10s 6d weekly, and may at any time be put out. The father of my coming child Is George Coats, whom Mum so disliked. With your consent we could be married, but Mr Coats is out of w’ork, but does his best- to keep me in food. You could never imagine how., terrible;, life is. If only I could be back homo . receiving the'weekly letter from Jack, '■have: the-'oomfortabe bed .ah night and \ good food, and have work to do. How lovely it sounds. But that is not to ., y _ be. Dad, Mum, try .to forgive, me., Give your .consent, =so 1 1 can .marry, ■ and I will never come near you, as ; I know you could never understand. Maybe you’ll feel sorry for me if you could lie a witness to my misery day after day, night after night. I think I shall -go mad very soon 1 , .if things go on much longer as they are at present. I think . I shall dc.se now, and please forgive me.—l refnain, yours sincerely, Phillis.”

PATHOLOGIST’S EVIDENCE.

WELLINGTON, November 5.

Dr P. Lynch, pathologist at the' Weilmgton (Hospital, this morning described £ the position of the body ,of Symons, when he was called to the spot where it was found. ,j n<l In company with Dr Hector he made a post mortem examination of.:.the girl, ;< s :i who had been pregnant, a normal uninterrupted pregnancy. Describing the head injuries, witness said that: .although they we?’e?,deep-seat-ed. there was no fracture of- the underlying bone, r .