RUAWARO HORROR

Northern Advocate, 6 February 1934, Page 8

RUAWARO HORROR

CHARGES AGAINST BAYLY HIS HONOUR’S REMARKS. NEED FOR GREAT CARE. (Special to “Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. A case of outstanding interest is set down for bearing at the Supreme Court session which opened today. It is the double charge of murder against William Alfred Bayly. Mr Justice Kerdman, in his charge to the Grand Jury, said: “Bayly Is charged with murdering two people, a man named Lakey and his wife, it Ruawaro. The case is of groat importance, and you must consider the evidence with very great care. Each ease must be considered separately. Ido net propose to go into the evidence at great length, because I think it is undesirable I should do so, but I do propose to refer to it briefly.” In outlining the Crown’s allegations, the Judge said that expert medical evidence would be called to prove that Mrs Lakey had been struck a severe blow on’the chin and then placed in a duck pond —probably dragged, for he? clothes were up —and drowned. The duty of the Crown would be to prove that both Lakeys were killed. He had no doubt that all that the Grand Jury would conclude this was certainly a ease to go to a Common Jury. The evidence would show that not long after the discovery of the dead woman the accused suggested that Lakey, on coming back to the house and finding his wife dead, had taken to the bush with his gun. But two guns were found in a swamp on accused’s property. One was a shotgun belonging to Lakey, and the other ivas a pea-rifle belonging to another man, which was kept in Lakey’s house. The discovery of the pea-rifle was or great importance. The Judge said that when a pair of dungarees were seized by the police at Bayly’s place a cartridge shell dropped from a pocket, and expert evidence would be called to prove that the shell was fired from one of the swamp guns. Another point for the Grand Jury’s attention was evidence that, about the time Lakey disappeared, smoke was seen coming from accused’s property. There would also be evidence of apparatus which had apparently been used as an incinerator, and the Crown would allege that bone-dust was found in it. A considerable quantity of bone had been found on accused’s property, and medical experts would .say it was human bone. The judge mentioned also the discovery of pieces of a watch and a patent lighter on Bayly’s property. He said the Crown alleged that the lighting material in the lighter was manufactured from a piece of cotton which came from a work-basket at Lakey’s. In addition, blood marks had been found on the premises and on a vehicle, and it would seem an attempt had been made to remove these stains. It was suggested that a knife and stool found in accused’s possession ' were used. There were also track marks of some vehicle coming away from Lakey’s in the direction of Bayly’s. The judge concluded that there was ample material to warrant the returning of a true bill. NO DATE APPOINTED MAY BE SPECIAL FIXTURE. AUCKLAND, This Day. No decision has yet been arrived at as to when the hearing of charges against Bayly will come before the Supreme Court. No intimation has been received by the Crown Solicitor, nor by the Registrar of,the Supreme Court, as to when the defence proposes to apply for a change of venue, nor how long it will be before the preparation of the defence is completed. Bayly’s case is set down for hearing at this session of the Supreme Court, but it is likely that within the next few days an application will be made for a special lixture. i Although the Bayly case . was not called today, most of the witnesses to give evidence for the Crown were present at the Supreme Court. By special cars, Ruawaro farmers, who were witnesses in the ease, were brought to Auckland this morning. | Detectives prominently connected with the case were also in attendance, as well as experts, including Dr. Walter Gilmore, Pathologist at the Ancleland Hospital, Dr, Dennis Brown, acting Professor of Physics at the Auck- j land University, and Senior-Sergeant j W. F. Dinnie, in charge of the Crimi- 1 nal Investigation Branch, Police Headquarters, Wellington.