Contradictions

NZ Truth, Issue 1168, 19 April 1928, Page 5

Contradictions

"M V foster brother, Stanley Griffiths, or Bowen, was not a boy. He was a girl," said Peggy Griffiths. "My brother was a boy. It is ridiculous to say that he was not a boy at all," says the brother Mervyn. "After a partial examination of Stanley . Griffiths, and some questions I asked him, I'll swear he was a girl," claims Mrs. Vila, a friend of the Griffiths family. "My post-mortem examination revealed that Griffiths was a normal male m every respect," deposed Dr. Huie m giving evidence when t|he inquest into Griffiths' death was opened at Peak Hill m the closing days of 1927. Poor Stanley Griffiths has gone to a higher court, where the question that vexed himself and his friends will be solved, for him m the only final judgment that mortals can know.

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinii the relatives of Stanley Griffiths," said Counsel E. R. Abigail, of Sydney. The first -witness called was Charles Hando himself. He stood quietly m the box and *.ook the oath m a firm voice, although it was evident later that — when Counsel A.bigail rose to question him — he was palpably nervous and ill at ease. A deep and ugly scar disfigured hk« forehead, where the bullet of Stanley Griffiths had ploughed through the bone. Fairly tall, of pleasant features and athletic fouild, he seemed a healthy and normal young farmer. / He was more at ease when he was answering the questions of the coroner, telling briefly the toare details of that death struggle m the shed on his father's homestead, at McPhail on Christmas Eve. "My father woke me that morning at 5.15," he said evenly. "I got up and went to feed my horse. I went into the shed, and when V turned round I was confronted by Stanley Griffiths. "He fired a revolver shot at me, striking me m the forehead. I rushed at him and seized his arm. I don't remember any more. Then my father came and I was taken home." The Coroner: What became of Griffiths? . , Hando: I left him lying m the shed. I don't know whether he was dead or alive. Did deceased say anything to you before' ho fired the shot?— He just said "Ha" There was no conversation be-t-ween us. He never threatened before