ELSIE WALKE CASE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18201, 28 February 1929, Page 2

ELSIE WALKE CASE.

THK INQUIRY CONTINUED. By Telegraph—Freer AiisociAiion. AUCKLAND, Feb. 27. The police inquiry in me itisie Walker case was resumed Lins morning. inspector llollis, answering a question, said he had no complaint to make about the Clnei Detective s work. He had kept the Chief Detective ,u *Jy lll_ formed as to the steps taken. i here was nothing in the conduct or methods of the investigation of any of the officers to call tor any comment by himself. Chief Detective Hammond did everything that could have been done. He though the co-ordinated control had improved the administration of the service. His reason for beliet that death was due to natural causes, was due to the absence of a motive, the condition of the locality, and the reports submitted. , _ Answering a question by the Commiesioner, he said Ho had rot known that a layman was present when the girl s body was stripped. Hjs theory prior to the inquest was that the girl went away because she Mas dissatisfied, tod took umbrage at. the arrival of her cousin. He thought, too, that- she was responsible for the disappearance or certain articles from Bay ley's, and had taken fright, and had possibly died ot exhaustion. , , After two days in the box, the ovilimre of Inspector Hollis was concluded this forenoon, and Chief elective Hnmmond’a examination started ]>isr before luncheon. . . _ Replying to the Commissioner, Inspector Hollis said his theory was that, the girl left because she was dissatisfied. He thought she had taken umbrage at the arrival of a cousin from Auckland, especially when she would be doing a housemaid’s part. He thought she had cleared out. There was her bed, which was unmade, and which supported the theory. There was also the matter of the key. No one puteide the house knew where it was. “ What did you think happened a.fter. she arrived at Papatoetoe? asked the Commissioner. Witness replied that the g lr) ■ knowing that she had done wrong, left the car abandoned there. She then wandered on not knowing wheie she was. There was a direct road practically from Papatoetoe to where the body was found. He thought that she had then wandered into the scrub, tired and weary, and died of exhaustion, or something like it. Witness said the main reason why Detective-Sergeant Biekerdike replaced Detective-Sergeant Kelly on the inquiry, was to have a fresh mind on the case, but also because Chief Detective Hammond was sick, and Sergeant Kelly was then senior. Details of the methods ot crime detection employed by police officers in the case were given by witness Tbe Commissioner had cleared the Court, and had made an order prohibiting the publishing of the evidence. The question of taking finger prints was discussed, and evidence was given by Detective-Sergeant Issell, finger-print expert. Mr Johnstone, to Inspector Hollis: “In your theory did you consider the dogs at the farm, qnd that they did not bark?” —“ Had a stranger been about the place they would have barked.” The Commissioner: Did you think the girl had driven the car all that distance at night over unknown roads?”-—" Yes, I am told that she could back a car and that if you can back a car you can drive it.” “ And you still hold your theory?" —“Yes.”

“ After having had all the known facts?” —"Yes, sir. It Is only my theory.” Chief-Detective Hammond then gave evidence. He said tliat when at home on the night of October 5 he was informed by telephone that a woman s body had been found, and that it Mas then at the morgue. He told Sergeant Cliss, who had telephoned him, to lea.vo things alone until the morning, when he would attend to them. Next morning at 7.45 he communicated with Dr. Murray and met him at the morgue at 8 15. ITe also sent a. message to Detective-Sergeant Kelly anti • telephoned to Mr Hunt (Coroner), who told him to get Dr. Murray to make a post-mortem examination in the morgue. They found the body stripped of clothing. He made no comment in regard to this, but was Surprised. . Witness requested Dr. Murray to look for certain things, and suggested certain causes which might have led to the girl’s death. He also told the doctor to preserve the contents of the stomach, for the analyst. He suggested that it might have been a case of murder, but it did not look like one. Witness said at that time ho did not know M’ho the girl M*as. A thorough external examination of the body was made by him and DetectiveSergeant Kelly. There w r ns no mark on the bodv to show that the girl had been struck, or had met with any violence, and his experience in such examinations* was large. Dr. Gilmour arrived at nine o’clock. An external examination of the body was made bv both doctors, who informed him that there were no external injuries likely to cause death. When at the Detective Office he read the report of act in gDetective Waterson, who had seen the bodv at night, and who had reported that ho suspected violence. He commented that- the acting-detective had been wrong in assuming violence. Tt Mas then that he knew the identity of the -deceased. The clothing found on the body was given to him by acting-Detective Waterson. It was damp, and was hung out to dry. Witness sent Detective-Sergeant Kelly. Detective Mills and acting-Detective Waterson to the scone at Tamaki, to search for any weapon and to make an examination of the ground. Apartfrom that he told them to examine the car at- tho enrage at Papatoetoe. Before the rl 4'ctivos left he obtained from Dr. Gilmour the result of the post-mortem examination, which was to the effect that they 'could find no injury any kind. Witness sent for Mr Frank Bavlv to come to Auckland, to identify the body. He had never seen anyone so upset at seeing a. body as Bayly was. Bayly was strongly of opinion that the girl had driven the car and had endeavoured to get homo I to Opotiki, but that when she got to Rotorua she missed the roads. He told witness the girl had j&ce started the car Moth the cranking handle, “and wo all know.” the Chief Detective said, “that if a. person can start a car until the crank handle he can drive it.” After talking with the aunt of a certain witness, at the inquest, u’itnos?> was satisfied that tbe man had not been away from Auckland. On examining the girl’s shoes, he saw a mark on the waist of the left shoe, M’hich indicated to him that she had used her foot for the clutch. Dr. Murray had mentioned a small bruise on the head of the girl. One night tlie doctor said to him : “I keep worrying about that bruise on the head. * I cannot understand though, whv there was no haemorrhage. I think there is a case on the point.” Speaking of the extensive nature of the inquiry in the case witness said • “.In all my 34 years’ work in the police department I can say that this case has received much more attention than any other case f have known in New Zealand.” The case lvd not merited the large inquiry it had received, because

I it was not murder ; nor did it have the elements of murder. 'The publicity given to it had caused a groat deal of investigation to be made-—investigation which was not warranted. Tho Commission adjourned until to-