FURTHER EVIDENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 41, 17 January 1929, Page 8

FURTHER EVIDENCE

ELSIE WALKER MYSTERY. TE PUKE CONSTABLE IN THE BOX. AUCKLAND, Jan. 16. The inquest concerning the death of tho gill Elsie Walker was continued this afternoon before tho Coroner, Mr F. K. Hunt. Alfred John Jackson, tho constable stationed at To Puke, said that on the Saturday morning, about 3.40. a telegram was received that the body of the girl had boon found at Panmurc. He went by car

to see Mrs Bayly without delay. Ho went again at 11 o’clock but Mr Bayly had gone. Mrs Bayly gavo a statement and on this occasion it was found that one of the members of the family, the son, William, was in Auckland. “I found out quite a lot from her m tho absonco of Mr Bayly,” continued witness. Ho said ho got possession of the keys of tho car, and one was missing. It was her key, and was taken from a little red box in her bedroom. The key she produced was Bill's. Asked how she came to be in possession of Bill’s key, she said he wont away to Auckland, and she went with him to the railway station. He left his key in tho enr when he _ got out. Witness next communicated with tho Hamilton police, and advised them about the key, Bill’s absence in Auckland, and also said ho suspected him. Witness said the father had left for Auckland, and would arrive at 11 o’clock that night. Ho suggested that they get Bill Bayly at onco before the father arrived, otherwise they would never find out anything about the case. He said to the police at Hamilton: “Ho is a shrewd man is Mr Bayly.” On the Wednesday, when witness saw Mr Bayly, he gathered that thero was something wrong. He was sitting in a chair between his wife and witness. " “MORE BRAINS THAN YOU HAVE.” While a statement was being obtained, Mr Bayly, stated the witness, said to his wife: don’t tell him too much mother; leave it to me, I’ve got more brains than you have.” Witness assured Mr Bayly that it was quite all right, and that Mrs Bayly was giving tho desired statement.

When tho car was found Mrs Bayly asked whether she could withdraw her information. Witness formed the impression then that something was wrong. Ho did not know even then that the son was missing. A little boy said that Elsie could drive the car all right, but Mr and Mrs Bayly pooh-poohed tho idea. “Leave it to me mother. I’ll fix it,” said Mr Bayly, referring to the withdrawal of the information. Ho said he had some influential friends. “I havo a complaint to lodge against Constable Jackson,” said Mr Bayly to Detective Kelly, when he and witness arrived together. Mr Bayly said that witness had stolen the key of tho car and thrown suspicion on a member of the family. Witness said that it was cheek on Mr Bayly’s part to make the suggestion, as he was trying to discover the lost car. “Look here, Mr Bayly, don’t talk to me like you did to your wife; you talked to her like a pig,” said witness in reply. Mr Bayly then apologised for what he had said. BILL BAYLY THEORY.

Mr Northcroft (counsel for the Bayly family) : I take it that you aro the author of the Bill Bayly theory. Mr Hunt: I think this witness is the brightest spot in the box so fan-. Mr Northcroft: That is as 1 expected. That has been your attitude all through. Witness said that when the car was found there seemed to he no desire on the part of Mr and Mrs Bayly to proceed further.

“I think we can look upon you as the originator of the Bill Bayly theory,” suggested Mr Northcroft. This witness denied, hut he admitted he was tho first to get tlie information. Mr Northcroft: This extravagant matter you have given was reported by you to your headquarters.—l submitted reports. Mr Meredith said that when the reports were asked for by Mr Northcroft they were confidential documents. Mr Northcroft: The conversations between the witness and his superiors have been related without tho police reports being produced. “To slander people from the witness box in this manner,” said counsel, “and to stop short of letting us see the official documents that contain these fantastic mattors is a gross injustice.” Again Mr Northcroft asked if the reports would be produced. The Coroner : I have no power to produce tho documents. * Mr Northcroft: I ask tho superintendent to produce the documents. Mr Meredith (Crown Prosecutor) interrupted and said the evidence was not his evidence. Questions had been put by tile Coroner, who was conducting tho coronial inquiry. Counsel said lie was not going to take the responsibility of interrupting the witness, as it would be improper and discourteous to do so. LEAVE THE PUBLIC TO JUDGE. Mr Northcroft: If Mr Meredith and the superintendent stand upon police protection against producing the documents I can proceed no further. I will leave the public to judge. Mr Hunt: You can call your clients and get thoir version if you like, and then tho public can judge. This poor girl is found dead, and I want to satisfy her father that this country is going to do all it can to find out how the body got where it was found. Mr Northcroft: An attempt had been made in the course of the inquiry to see whether by any chance a charge of murder could bo made against any individual. Now the inquiry has got about as far from tho death of Elsie Walker as it is possible to get, but tho Coroner has committed the gravest injustico to my clients. “What this witness has beon permitted and invited to say,” said counsel, “has been a vehicle of the gravest slander.” Mr Meredith: This witness has been called by the police, as inquiries have been made from tho railway, post office and other officials in tho district, which indicate after a most careful combing that there is no evidence of young Bayly being in the district at the time. In the face of that, tho insult to tho police is most improper and ungracious, and should ho withdrawn. Mr Northcroft: William Bayly’s movements on Wednesday- were questioned with tho greatest particularity, and whether or not the headquarters of the police know that Bayly had formed tho intention on the Sunday night to go to Henderson on the Monday, that fact was not known until it was got from the constable, even by Mr Bayly. The inquest was adjourned until to morrow