ALLEGED MURDER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 177, 30 June 1925, Page 5

ALLEGED MURDER.

- - OAKES BEFORE THE COURT. SYDNEY, June 29. The trial of Oakes for the murder of the girl Mona Beacher has commenced. Accused pleaded not guilty. In his opening address, the Crown Prosecutor said that the Crown case was that there had been a cold, calculated and callous murder, probably without equal in the annals of Australian crime. Pathetic scenes were witnessed -when the father and mother of the dead girl took the witness stand to testify against accused, both breaking down badly, but each was able lo identify Oakes as the man who bad “married'' their daughter. Oakes, in giving evidence, said the deud girl had known him for slightly over a vear. lie had taken her to parties and had her visit him at his home while his wife was absent in Sydney He then said that after his marriage with the girl she told him she was in a certain condition. After they had some wine at the cottage at Toronto she tv.hied him that he was not responsible for thal condition and asked him what he would do if she told his wife. Accused added that with the wine ho became raving mad and did not know- what he did. Afterwards, when he woke up in the morning, he was lying alongside the body. When lie saw the horrible sight he said: “Oh, God. what have 1 done?” In continuing, Oakes said he had only gone through the wedding servii-c for tho purpose of protecting the girl. He did not intend to injure her. lie sacrificed his wife in doing so. —Press Association.

At the inquest the police produced a statement alleged to have boon made by Oakes at the police station after his arrest, ill which it was alleged he said he “knocked about" with Mona. She told him she was in a certain condition and they agreed to get married. After the ceremony they went to Toronto and went to bed together about nine o’clock. About midnight ho got up while Mona was asleep and murdered her with a razor and hammer.J He then detailed how he tried to obliterate the traces of his crime. Ho added that he took (lie train to Sydney, sent a telegram to the girl's parents and then returned home. Ho did this as he knew he had done wrong, and did not want to bo found out.