ARGYLE MUR

Wairarapa Daily Times, 13 April 1935, Page 4

ARGYLE MUR

CHARGE AGAINST LOWER COURT HASTINGS, Only three more witnesses are to 1™ heard in the Lower Court hearing _ of the case in which Charles William Price, alias Edwards, is charged that on or about 6th February, at. Argyll, he murdered Evelyn Mary Madden. This afternoon Detective Bernard Farquharson, of Hastings, who saw accused near the scene of the tragedy, detailed a conversation with Price and the events leading up to his arrest. On 23rd February witness and a constable found certain garments- of woman’s clothing near the pool where the body was discovered. The clothing and also the coat of the brown suit worn by the accused when arrested were handed over to Dr. Mercer, pathologist. — (P.A.)

TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS

ACCUSED SENT TO TRIAL.

NAPIER, This Day. Tho preliminary hearing of the charge of murder against Price was concluded this morning. The principal witness to-day was De-tective-Sergeant James Bickerdike, who produced a statement made by accused shortly before his arrest. Detective Bickerdike said in evidence that lie went to Argyll with Constable Farquharson on I(sth February, and saw accused near the scene of the crime, with two constables. When informed of the nature of the police investigations, Price said: —“I knew Eva Madden. I left her at tho Hastings Hotel on 4th February. ’ ’ Accused returned with the police to Hastings. Interviewed by witness and Detective Codclington, lie was told that the police had been informed that there was a woman in the car in which he travelled to Tahcke. Accused said: “There was no woman in that ear and you can’t prove it.’’ Witness said he only wanted to.be clear on that point, and accused again declared that no woman was in the ear. The clothing belonging to Miss Madden was shown to Price, who identified them as deceased’s. “There is no doubt in my mind that they are her property,’’ he said, “as I have seen her wearing them at Lowry’s. ’ ’ Detective Bickerdike road a statement made by Price at the Hastings Police Station just before his arrest. Price said that he and Miss Madden quarrelled in the Hastings Hotel on the evening of sth February, when accused him of being drunk. The following morning accused approached Miss Madden and said: “Why don’t you be friends?’’ She replied: “I’m finished with you.” Price said that he left Miss Madden at the Hastings railway station. Shortly after he was approached by a man seeking a loan, but accused said that he was not “holding,” and asked the other if he knew where lie could get a job. The man, who owned a blue sedan car, said he did not, and Price asked him how much ho would want to drive him to Talieke. The man replied £l, and the offer was accepted. The man, continued Price, was a stranger to him, and was not a taxi-driver. He thought he would know him if he saw him again. No woman accompanied them on the journey to Tahekc, and if anyone said a woman was in the car that person would not be telling the truth. Price also denied that any woman or girl had been picked up during the journey. Continuing witness said that he asked Price what sort of a girl Miss Madden was, and accused replied: “She was a very respectable girl.” Witness also asked him if there had been intimacy between him and Miss Madden. He replied: “No, it never entered my mind. ’ ’

Following the arrest of Price on a charge of murder witness went to Marshall’s farm at Argyll and took possession of Price’s kitbag in which he found a bunch of keys. Two keys fitted the suitcases in possession of the police. On 20th February witness took possession at tho Hastings railway station of a cabin trunk bearing tho initials “E.M. ” Two days later some of the contents were identified by Jamieson and Mrs Lowry as the property of Miss Madden. Acting-Detective Herbert Francis Coddington corroborated much of the evidence given by Detective Bickerdike.

Charles Augustus Copland, dress fabric specialist, stated that he had tested the material of Miss Madden’s frock and pieces of the material found in her cabin trunk. They were identical. Accused Avas committed to the Supreme Court for trial. —(P.A.)