BAYLY TRIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20314, 25 May 1934, Page 4

BAYLY TRIAL.

Evidence of Lakey’s . Neighbours. MOVEMENTS OF ACCUSED. (Special to the “ Star.”) AUCKLAND, May 25. The six witnesses heard late yesterday brought the total who have so far given evidence for the Crown in the trial of William Alfred Baylv, for alleged double murder at Ruawaro, to eighteen. Only a few more neighbours from the locality have yet to take their stand in the witness-box. One of the witnesses called in the latter stages of yesterday's proceedings was Mrs Gwendoline Stevens, who said that she lived a mile from Lakey’s and could see their house, but not the cowshed, from her home. Witness was helping her husband to milk on October 15, and about 4.30 noticed Mrs Lakey going from the house towards the cowshed, which was in a hollow. Lakey was following her, bringing the cows round. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr V. R. Meredith) : Did you see them after that? No, I didn't see them any more. The next morning at five o’clock I saw Lakey’s cows in the same paddock as the night before, fhe was looking for her own husband across to Lakey’s. * His Honor: Why?—Because of a conversation between my husband and me. Did you see Baylv?—Yes. I saw him on the ridge coming towards Lakey’s. At what time?—Between 8 and 8.30. Baylv disappeared on horseback down the slope of the hill, then being on his own property near the boundary. Five or ten minutes later Bavly reappeared on the ridge, this time riding on a sledge in the direction of his cowshed. Witness identified a hat produced as one like her sister had given Mrs Lakey years ago. Could Not See Sledge. Cross-examined bv Mr E. 11. Northcroft. for accused, Mrs Stevens said she could not see whether Bayly was riding bareback or with a saddle. She could not actually see his sledge, but she could see he was standing on something. You were very interested in all this and you made no mistake?—No. I am certain of this. When did you tell the police? About a week later. Why did you not tell them sooner? T could not get over to Lakey’s. His Honor: Why not?—l have three young children and I could not leave them. Mr Northcote: Did you tell your husband?—When he came home on the Monday night. Did you ask him to tell the police? Yes. He told them on the Tuesday or the Wednesday. I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, but I think Mrs Lakey was very excitable?—Yes. she was. With the evidence of Mrs Stevens completed the afternoon adjournment was taken. Another Ruawaro farmer, T oseph Gilmore, said he had known Lakey for eighteen years and Mrs Lakey for nearly as long. Pie visited their place frequently and last saw them on September 24. They were a very happy couple. He knew there were three guns —a single-barrelled gun belonging to Mrs Lakev, her husband’s double-bar-relled shotgun and a pea-rifle which be longed to Chris Moore, who once worked for witness. Moore left the rifle with witness and Lakev had borrowed it from witness’s wife twelve -ninths before. Witness had left a pair of brown boots at Lakey’s house for the convenience of using them to go to Iluntly. Pie picked them up when he wanted them. Pie rode over in gumbcots. left the gumboots at Lakey’s and put on the brown boots. His Honor: Did you leave a complete change of clothing at Lakey’s?—No. I took my clothes in a bag and put them on. but left my boots there. Joined in the Search.

Witness said he joined the others in the search for Lakev on October 16. At that time he had not been up to the house. When he did go up h*? went with the other men. Mr Meredith: You saw the wheels and frame?—Yes. They have been near the cabin of the launch for eleven years. Did you see them on the Monday? Yes. On my way home. They were under a wattle tree in a paddock adjoining Bayly’s. Witness said that when he first went to the house he looked for his boots, which were always kept just inside the door. He did not see them Lake3 r ’s own gun and the pea rifle were missing, but Mrs Lakey’s gun and another double-barrelled gun were there?. He did not look for his boots Would you know Moore’s pea rifle if you saw it?—Yes. The one shown me is the one. Under cross-examination by Mr L. P. Leary, witness said that Lakey had a dark brown suit with a light stripe which he used to wear to Huntly. Counsel pointed out that in the lower Court witness had said the suit had a brown stripe. “ Well, it was not what I meant to say.” said witness emphatically. “ I was staying with the Lakeys at Christmas time,” said Amy Hilda Venn, of Parnell. “ Ivan Baldick was also there. I gave Mr Lakey a cigarette lighter. This one you show me is something like the one I gave Mr Lakey. “ At the time when Bayly came over and talked to the Lakeys I was standing by the shed, but I could not hear what was said.” Clarence Ivan Baldick, a clerk, of Parnell, said he twice stayed with the Lakeys and was last there during Christmas, 1932. While there he help ed Lakey with his launch. Witne-: c used a pea rifle and a shotgun. lie got the guns at Lakey’s place. While he was unable to identify the pea rifle, witness said the one shown him was very similar to the one he used Argument Over the Fence. One day he saw Lakey and Bayly talking on opposite sides of the boun dary fence. He heard Ba\ r ly say that if Lakey came on his side of the fence he would fight him. Lakey said the same. Lakey then referred to an in jury he had, whereupon Bayly said that, if it‘were not for the injury, he (Bayly) would certainly attack him. Was there any reference to a bull that day? -Yes. Lakey asked Baylv to keep his bull off his place. I did not hear Bayly’s. reply. Were you there when Bayly rode

up with Stent?—Yes. I heard Bayly ask if Lakey would remove a certain fence across a private road. Lakey refused. Bayly said he would remove it himself. Did Bayly say anything about you 5 —He said someone had thrown glass on Bayly’s private road. 1 take it that he meant me, as I had been down there. Mr Northcroft: Well, the cause ot the argument was the fact that Bayly’s bull had got into Lakey’s, Mrs Lakey had chased it out and Bayly came to protest against the method Mrs Lakey used in getting the bull out? —Yes. When you were first there, which outlet did Bayly use?—Prior to the argument he went through Lakey’s, but after that he went out to the road through Furniss’s Some of the habits of the Lakeys were described by William John Stevens, a farm labourer, of Ruawaro lie said he had known the Lakeys well for over twenty years and had lived with them for four years. They got on well together. Lakev had two watches—a keyless watch and a windup watch. The large watch was unscrewed from the front. Witness had often handled and worn the watch and he remembered there being some scratch marks on the inside of the back. Lakey once showed him these scratches. . Lakey wore strong braces of the “ police ” brand. Both witness and Lakey bought pairs at the same time in Huntly. Mr Northcroft: What sort of belt did Lakey wear? lie used two kinds. I have here seven brace sliding clips, all marked .‘‘police.” Can you sav if Lakey’s were the same as these?—No But you can see the “ police ” clip on mine. We got our braces together the same day at Huntly. Counsel then inspected witness’s braces. Shortage of Cream. Alfred James Garry, manager of the New Zealand Co-operative dairy factory at Taupiri, gave details, of a shortage in the weight of cream left at Lakey’s stand on Monday, October 16. compared with the previous week Cross-examining witness, Mr Learv asked if two of the causes might be that the Lakeys had given some milk away or that the cows were uncomfortable. Mr Meredith: You have told Mr Leary that the cows being uncomfortable would be a cause for a shortage? —Yes. And I suppose that if the cows were frightened by something that would also be a cause?—Yes. The Court adjourned at 4.55 p.m.