DETECTIVE ON TRAIL OF BASELESS RUMOUR

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6851, 5 March 1929, Page 7

DETECTIVE ON TRAIL OF BASELESS RUMOUR

Elsie Walker Inquiry INTERVIEWED ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE ON CASE "NOTHING AGAINST SUSPECT,"Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. At the inquiry into the police meth* ods arising out of the death of Elsie Walker, Detective-Sergeant Kelly said that he was satisfied that all that was possible was done. The inquiries made by Constable Jackson had been of considerable assistance to witness; they had boon thorough and satisfactory. \ Counsel quoted a message telephoned by Constable Jackson at Te Puke on the morning of October 6, stating that the body of the girl had been discovered in the scrub and concluding: “She is believed to have been murdered." Witness said that it was natural that the constable should have been under that impression, but it was removed after the post mortem examination of the body. He knew that there was a difference between tjie message as recorded at Hamilton and at Auckland. Witness now knew that Constable Jackson was under a wrong impression regarding Mr. Frank Bayly’a visit to Auckland. Ho did not think that tho removal of the body to the morgue following his discovery made any difference to the inquiries made subsequently. Detective-Sergeant Kelly in continuing hi 3 evidence, said that in Ms opinion, thero was as much against the person ho interviewed then as there was against him now. "Thero is absolutely nothing against him," ho said. He considered it would have been quito wrong for him to have publicly interviewed that man during tho time witness was away in tho Bay of Plenty, he did not report to Auckland, although he was away from October 17 to 26. Mr. Currie: Do you not tMnk it would have been well for you to have reported T / Witness: There was nothing to report. Mr. Currie: Then you had drawn a! blank? With regards to the manner of this interview with members of the staff of Knox home, near where the body was found, witness said he interviewed the nurses together in the presence of the matron. Mr. Currie: But if one the staff had been out after hours with a boy and had seen something. She would be more likely to say so. 1 should think, if the matron and the rest of the staff were not there. To Mr. Findlay, witness said he found in the Bay of Plenty district a deop-seated rumour that a certain person was in some way connected with tho affair. Ho took statements when ho returned to Auckland and these were in the interest of this person, against whom, thero was nothing. The Commissioner: About how many people have you personally interviewed in connection with this case since October! „ „ Witness: Between 800 and 1000.Constable Jackson, of Te Puke, said that when Mr. Kelly was in the Bay of Plenty district, he was with hm practically all the time. Even now, he was still making inquiries. Evidence was also giyen by Detect tive White, of Hamilton, who transmitted to Auckland the report given to him by Constable Jackson. The Commissioner adjourned the case until to-morrow.