NOTABLE TRIALS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27291, 18 January 1950, Page 3

NOTABLE TRIALS

“ THE PORT-HOLE MURDER ’

Trial of James Camb. Edited by Geoffrey Clark. Notable British Trials Series. No. 71. Hodge. i"s.

Just over two years ago a young actress travelling from Cape Town to Southhampton was found to be missing from her cabin. There indications of foul play and a steward was arrested and charged with murder. He was found guilty, but at that time capital punishment was in abeyance while the subject was being debated in the British Parliament and he was reprieved. There were a number of interesting points about the case—the absence of the body or any pary of a body was one. Occasion was taken during the trial to remove the population misconception that in the absence of a corpse the crime of murder could not be established. This and other features have earned for the case a place in the series, Notable British Trials, which include studies of trials from that of Mary Queen of Scots in 1586. These trial records are not just a compilation of reports, but a serious factual record in which the facts of interest to lawyers and criminologists are given detailed treatment. All readers of thrillers will not appreciate such a book —nor is it intended that they should—but the drama of the trial and in this case, the absorbing interest of the evidence of the accused himself under long crossexamination, the medical evidence and finally the damning summary of the evidence .by the prosecution all make this an absorbing study.