THE PYJAMA GIRL MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 4401, 6 October 1934, Page 2

THE PYJAMA GIRL MURDER.

IDENTITY STILL UNKNOWN.

AID OF SCIENCE INVOKED

Although some extraordinary methods have been adopted by * New South Wales police, they have . failed completely to establish the identity of the girl who was murdered near Albiirv nearly a month ago. Pictures of the girl based on . post-mortem photographs have been shown at the picture theatres throughout the State, but so far no one has eome forward with any information that has been of the slightest use.

For more than a week the police worked on the supposition that the girl was a recent arrival from New Zealand, but they have made little progress along these lines. Every “clue” so far has been unreliable, and the detectives are at a loss to understand the reason for the silence. In a special appeal th> Commissioner of Police, Air Childs, said: “W!e are sure that some per. son or persons could confidentially give to us the most necessary clues to the identity of the victim. It is the duty of that person or those persons to recognise their obligations to the public, and also to an outraged law.” The police have brought various branches of science to their aid and have now determined upon a scientific examination of portion of the girl’s hair. This is the first occasion in .the history of New South Wales crime that such action has been taken. Doctors were requested to examine the body at Albury, to establish,' if possible, the nationality of the girl. Two of the medical experts expressed the opinion that the girl had Chinese blood, although her hair was fair. The consensus of opinion, however, was' that the girl was Australian or English. The detectives engaged at the scene of the crime subscribe to this belief. t A Board of Health official stated that the texture and shape of the hair might give an important lead to the establishment of the race to which the murdered girl belonged. The hair of various races, he said, differed in circumference. The hair of a negro, for instance, was frizzy, chiefly for the reason that each hair was thicker in some parts than in others. That gave the hair a pronounced curl. In the case of a Chinese, however, each strand was symmetrical. It was comparatively easy to distinguish between the hair of the northern European type and that of the southern Alediterranean, even in cases-of fair-haired people.

Detectives have been active in Western Australia, as a result of requests from the Sydney police concerning attempts at identification. Afore than 20 reports have been received from people who believed that published photographs of the dead girl resembled girls they knew were missing. In all except two cases the girls were traced, and detectives are investigating the two outstanding cases.

POLICE INVESTIGATIONS IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Christchurch, October 4. EA'er since photographs Avere published of the drawing of the victim, the police at Christchurch have received numerous visits from persons claiming to recognise the girl. Mrs M. Knight, of 28 Grantley St-., North Beach, has claimed that the draAving is of Mollie Ryan, of Melbourne. When seen this evening Mrs Knight Avas emphatic as to the identity of the girl. She said that she had left Melbourne for New Zealand in December, 1923, and that Miss Ryan had come to the boat to see her off. Mrs Knight, had been living in Little Gore Street, Eitzrov, Melbourne, and Miss Ryan had helped her to look after her child; there. She had taken a prominent part in children’s reATies, and had been several times engaged in Williamson’s pantomimes. She Avas also learning dancing. Mrs ' Knight understood that Miss Ryan was expected to inherit soriie money from her mother’s estate Avhen she became 21. Another statement is that the murdered; girl Avas identical with the AvidoAV of a man who commit- . ted suicide in a city flat about two years ago. This Avoman afterwards left for the North Island Avith the intention of going to Australia and has not been heard, of since hv her relatives. Her sister Avas brought in x

from the Methven district to-day to vieAV photographs. She declared that the murdered girl bears a remarkable resemblance to her sister, a Mrs Cotton, formerly Miss Croat, also that the published description is definitely applicable to her sister. In this the Methven avoman is borne out by another sister.

Mrs Crouch. Mrs Cotton’s husband was a tram conductor.

Miss Croat and Mrs Crouch, when they suav the reconstructed drawings of the victim in a newspaper, saw a resemblance to their sister, and; went at once to the local police station at Methven. Mrs C otton last Ansited Methven in April, 1933. In October, 1933, Mrs Cotton was seen in Auckland by a cousin, and at the time she repeated the statement that she Avas proceeding shortly to Australia. She has not been heard of since. Mi's Cotton is described as an attractive, girl and musical. To-day, Avith detectives, Miss Croat visited various dentists in Christchurch, as Mrs Cotton had dental work done here in 1933 similar to that described in the police records. DESCRIPTION OF- PYJAMA SUIT V " The police forward the folioAving'

information concerning the pyjama suit:—i The pyjama coat found deceased is now described as being either maize or light canary colour, made of Shanghai crepe which contains a small percentage of artificial silk, and is a smlall woman’s size. Across the front of the coat a Chinese dragon is worked in white: silk, the tail of the dragon finishing on the left breast. The trousers are made of similar material but are white with yellow borders around the bottom with a white Oriental design on the borders. On being examined by the managing director of Eastern Industries, it was ascertained that markings on the seam are Chinese characters denoting the manufacturer’s name, and) on being translated these characters are found to be “Hung Shing Kee.” It is also stated that the colour of the garment is a very unusual one, being rarely found in pyjamas manufactured ini the East, which were first imported into Australia three years ago.”._