MURDER CHARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22179, 5 August 1935, Page 11

MURDER CHARGE

YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH LONG POLICE INQUIRIES investigations detailed evidence of detective i INTERVIEWS with accused [by telegraph—PllESS association] GItEYMOUTII, Saturday Investigations made in connection Tvith ilio Blackball chocolate poisoning tragedy were related by DetectiveSergeant J'. K. Holmes in the Greymouth Police Court to-day, when'the hearing of the charge of murder against John Skikelthorp Page, miner, aged 36, was continued. Page is charged that on September 24 at Blackball he murdered Margaret May Smith, and also that on September 22 at Blackball he attempted to murder Jean Kennedy Clark and Ethel Annie Bragg. Detective-Sergeant Holmes said he was stationed at Christchurch. On September 2r he proceeded to Blackball to investigate Miss Smith's death. Ho detailed his early inquiries and the receipt of various exhibits. .Referring to the anonymous notes, ho said both lie and Detective-Sergeant Knight considered that certain characteristics were similar in all. Inquiries wero made at Blackball to find a person who used block letters, and on October 6 ho called at a certain place and was shown writing over the signature of accused which ho considered had similar characteristics. Question About Block Printing On the following Sunday a hut at Thompson's mill was searched. Various bottles were, found, but none of tho poison mentioned or a phial which might have contained it. After a ; visit to Page's Roaring Meg camp Sergeant Knight gave witness gome brown paper on which there was chalk block printing. He later visited Page at Barrytown and asked him if he was in tho habit of block-printing correspondence. Accused replied that lie was not in tho habit of doing so, but that he could block-print. When requested, Pago block-printed and wrote several phrases and addresses. These, as detailed by witness, were •some of those occurring in tho anonymous letters. Witness added that Page was shown an envelope which was sent to the Blackball postmaster, and ho admitted that the writing was similar to his. He said ho had sent the envelope to the postmaster containing his unemployment book or letters and money for posting them. Accosed, when told that tho envelope contained an anonymous note to tho Atarau schoolmaster regarding Mrs. Christie, the Atarau postmistress, said ho had illfeeling toward her. Witness thought Page denied sending tho letter to the schoolmaster. " Had Been In Secret Service " During part of Detective-Sergeant Holmes' evidence, Page gazed at tho corner of tho Courthouse and muttered. Later, he weavod his finger in front of him as if writing. Witness added that accused was frank about his "early life, but wlion asked about his movements at Blackball lie was very evasive and hesitated before he answered. He said he did not know tho Misses Clark and Bragg, but knew Mjss Smith, who was one of tho girls at Blackball whom he respected. Accused stated that he had been in the Secret Service, witness added, and that iti 1924 ho applied to join tho New Zealand police force. Accused later said he suspected that a certain official at Blackball might have been connected with the poisoning. His' only reason for this was that when, on the day of Miss Smith's funeral, he called on tho official and passed a remark concerning the person who caused - Miss Smith's death, the official hung his head and would not look up again when tho remark was passed. Page said there was nothing else to , justify the suspicion. When asked by witness if that was not what a decent young man would have done after such language, ho said that it might have been so. Exhibits Sent to Christchurch Questioned again about block printing, witness proceeded, accused said: "Wouldn't I be in an awkward position if somebody had been practising my block printing?'' When told that the detectives were not satisfied with his explanation, he agreed to let them know if he was leaving Barrytown. x Page said that between September 21 and 24 he was at Thompson's mill and that he fed the mill horse during the week-end. He stated he had no recollection of-being at Blackball or Grcyniouth duri lg that period. On October 17 various handwriting exhibits were taken to Christchurch for submission to experts. Samples of writing and block printing were taken from many residents in the Blackball area, continued witness, hut the detectives had not been able to find a combination of characteristics similar to the exhibits. During inquiries they heard many rumours, all of which were investigated, but there was no substance in them. Subsequently the handwriting experts' reports were received and on May 14 and 15, with Inspector Comings, of the commissioner's staff, witness interviewed accused in Dunedin. When told that inquiries were still going on Page said: "I thought you would still bo digging into it." Later he said:'"! suppose you had to tag my movements. I was expecting you." Proceedings Adjourned When told that they would like explanation of certain things he said: "Jake.'Go ahead." When questioned b.v the inspector, Page said he passed the seventh standard and since leaving school had educated himself. He then produced an Army discharge, showing that he had been in tho Kent Territorials of the Royal Garrison Artillery, serving about four years. Ho also stated that he had been a member of the serret service. He added that he applied' to join the police in 1924 and admitted writing the documents concerned He said the application was his and also admitted his writing on • the Labour Department file exhibits. Page also admitted that the writing on the blotting pad was his. Questioned about the Waiuta Hospital, witness added, Page said lie was well acquainted with it and knew members of the stall' He had assisted to take men from the initio to the hospital and had received attention himself. He also said he was for a time a member of the committee of tho Medical Association and knew how to run a hospital. He added that it was possible the brown paper might have come into his hut through the firm where he made purchases. He admitted that his uncle was a chemist in England. Detective-Sergeant Holmes had not completed his evidence when the Court adjourned shortly before mid-day until Monday.