SYMONS MURDER

Wairarapa Daily Times, 15 August 1931, Page 4

SYMONS MURDER

CHARGE AGAINST COATS SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. At the continuation this afternoon of the preliminary hearing before Mr E. Page, S.M., of evidence against 'George Errol Coats on a charge of murdering Phillis Avis Symons,' Dr. P. P. pathologist at tne Wellington Hospitaler" read and put in a report upon a postmortem examination of the dead girl. He had made the following deductions: That the deceased was struck a violent blow on the right temple, and that the deceased was struck a blow, or, he thought very likely, a series of blows, on the back of the head and neck. He thought it was very unlikely that a single blow would produce haemorrhage to the extent described. The injuries to the right side of the head were, he thought, caused same time, and he considered either would cause unconsciousness. In regard to the weapon used, all he could say was that it was a weapon with a broad surface, The immediate of death was asphyxia, clue to stomach contents' being vomited into the windpipe. He thought the scarf had been placed round the mouth to lessen the sound of stertorous breathing or otlieijjfc. noise. He concluded that death occurred in the attitude in which the body was found. Dr. C. M. Hector agreed with and confirmed Dr. Lynch’s report. Mr P. S. K. Macassey (Crown Prosecutor): “In your opinion, was this girl alive when she was buried?” —“In my opinion, all the indications point out that she was alive when she was under the ground. ’ ’ Mr Macassey: “Did the attitude in which the body was found correspond with the attempting of a person to rise from the ground?”—“Yes, attempting to rise against difficulty caused through weakness or superincumbent wjjj^A.” Detective Frank Hayhurst eiiee regarding the finding of the girl’s body. On the morning of July 14, witness and Detective Murray interviewed Coats in gaol and told him the girl’s body had been found. They told him then that the medical opinion waa% that the girl had been murdered and that he would jprobabiy'be charged with her murder. Coats was told that tho police had been informed that he had dug a hole at the relief works early in June, and that he had said it was for shelter and to bury a dog. “We told him,” said witness, “that De Maine had told us that Phillis had agreed that he should kill her and that early ip June he and Phillis had gone over to the relief woiks, and that he had hit her with a piece of pipe and stunned her. He was told that- lie had said to De Maine that after he had done it he did not Joel like doing it, and felt sorry for her.” After being told these and other things, accused was asked if he had anything to say, or any explanation to make. Accused replied: “No; nothing to say.” Mr Macassey: “During 'tlAt interview, how did accused appear™’—“He seemed quite cdlm and listened seriously to what was said.” With Detective Murray, witness was present on tho morning of July 16tli, when accused was charged with the murder of the I girl. He was cautioned in the usual way, but made no reply. Detective Nelson William. Baylis also gave evidence regarding the finding of the body and other details, and said that on the morning of July '6th Coats made a statement. Detective Murray was about to read this when Mr C. A. L. Treadwell (counsel for accused) interrupted and asked that he should bo allowed to read the statement first. Mr Treadwell was permitted to examine it. He then cross-examined witness as to the circumstances under which tho statement had been made. After the cross-examination had der veloped at some length, the Magistral* said lie wished to hear evidence from Constable 'Smith (who was present when accused was questioned) before deciding upon the admissa-wjs* of the statement. The Court adjourned until Monday morning. Copies of the statements will be available to Mr Treadwell, who said lie thought counsel for the defence were entitled to the intervening time for consideration of the legal aspect of the admissibility of the statements.