DID MEDICAL REPORT JUSTIFY CORONER IN HIS TAMAKI CASE FINDING?

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6849, 2 March 1929, Page 9

DID MEDICAL REPORT JUSTIFY CORONER IN HIS TAMAKI CASE FINDING?

Doctor Doubtful CONSTABLE SPOKE TO 300 OR 400 PEOPLE IN COURSE OR INVESTIGATION. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, March 1.

At the resumption of the inquiry with regard to the police methods in the Elsio Walker ease, Dr Gilmour, director of pathology at the Auckland hospital, stated that he visited tho morgue at Dr. Murray’s invitation. The stains on tho girl’s jaw suggested the possibility of poisoning. He also attached importance to a bruise on the scalp and the congestion of the brain. There was no sign of bleeding on the body. Ho had not then seen the girl’s clothing. He did net think that he saw ChiefDetective Hammond at tho morgue when the first post mortem examination was made. Had ho seen the girl's clothing at the time of the pest mortem it would have made a great difference to the examination. He subsequently learned the result of the microscopic examination of the clothing. Dr Murray and himself had not formed any intention of making an additional report, but they were making up their minds more definitely. As tho result of the post-mortem and other examinations, they decidod that their evidence at the inquest would correspond with the additions that they had made to their report. . They came to that conclusion on knowing that the examination of the clothing and tho analysis of -the stomach had not furnished additional evidence. They had not altered their original decision. After a visit by Detoctive Bickerdike on December 6 they made an addition to their report. Pressman’s Suspicions.

He was interviewed by a reporter who suggested that there had been foul play, but he neither agreed nor disagreed. Tho reporter referred to the blow on the head and produced a stick which he had found. A superficial examination of the stick showed no blood.

Witness was asked: Did anything in this theory of foul play coincide with your opinion? Witness replied: Yes in reference to the blow on the head. Dr. Gilmour said that immediately he saw the girl’s undergarments and the blood stains on them he realised that a blood sample should have been kept. There was no evidence as to the cause of death other than the blow on tho head. He was satisfied, from the condition of the organs that the theory of exhaustion was untenable even if the girl was out all night in the thinnest of garments. It was extremely unlikely that a girl brought up in tho country would die of sudden fear. That also would leayo entirely unexplained the marked congestion of the brain and the bruise on the scalp. “We determined,” he added, “that the only evidence we had pointed to ■the concussion as the cause of death. Wo could find no evidence of any other condition. This evidence of concussion however, was not sufficient for us to say absolutely that death was due to concussion.”

Let the Police Down? Dr. Gilmonr was questioned at length by the Commissioner regarding reports made to the police and particularly the second report, in which tho doctors’ opinion hardened in tho direction of concussion of the brain, as the probable cause of death. The Commissioner: Does it not occur to yon that in putting your own report right, you lot the police down?. —-No. Dr Murray had been frequently in tquch with the police all the time. '■ The Coroner found death was due to concussion? —Yes.

Do you think he could have been justified in coming to that conclusion you had stuck to your original rr p or t?_No. Iu fact, 1 do not think he ..as justified in finding that verdict O’i tho second rtport. Do you suggest the Coroner could possibly have arrived at that finding if yon had stuck to your original report that there was no evidence as to the cause of death?—l do not think he could.

Constable’s Evidence. Constable Collins gave evidence regarding the finding of the body at Tamaki and its removal to the morgue. He said that when he saw the body, ho thought death wa3 due to natural causes, or suicide. People had begun to collect when the discovery was known.

Mr. Leary: Do you think you could possibly have done more than you did to elucidate this mystery? Witness: I am sure I could not. I inquired everywhere I thought I could get information. ji speaking of finding the body. Constable Collins, questioned by Mr Currie, said he did not suspect foul play although there was blood under her head. He thought deceased had bled at the nose. Mr Currie: What was there to dispel the natural suspicion that yon, as a policeman, would have? Witness: The position the bpdy was in. Tho girl had no hat and was wearing an apron. There appeared to be no signs of a wound and goneril appearances led him to believe death was due either to suicide or natural causes. The position of the bushes also helped him to form that opinion. Mr Leary: What was the position .f the bushes? Witness replied that the girl looked as if she had crawled in under the bushes. If it were a caso of concealment, it certainly was a “ bungled job.” The Commissioner: Approximately

how many people did you interview iu the course of your inquiries? I doj not want yon to be accurate to a dozen or so. Witness: I should say I interviewed between 300 and 400 people during my inquiry. At this stage the commissioner adjourned till to-morrow.