Charge of Murder

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18406, 13 August 1931, Page 8

Charge of Murder

SENSATION IN WELLINGTON GEORGE COATS ON TRIAL. DEATH OF A GIRL. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Evidence was continued in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday In the preliminary hearing of the case in which George Errol Coats, labourer, aged 29 years Is charged with murdering Phillis Avis Symons. Mr Page, S.M., was on the bench. Mr Macassey appeared for the Crown, and Messrs C. A. L. Treadwell and H. J. V. James for accused. Violet Griffin, married, residing in Kent Terrace, continued her evidence. Mr Treadwell objected to witness being asked to identify deceased from a small photograph (produced). The objection was noted. Witness said Coats at no time said he was married He said that he had three children in an orphanage. Whila at witness’s house the girl was not in good health, and stayed in her room, and would not eat anything. She kept entirely to herself, and seemed very quiet. When Coats finally left he said he was taking a bigger house and Mrs Coats would look after the children. Stephen Tooker Parker Doidge, married, Brougham Street, a labourer, said Coats came lo stay at his place in March, accompanied by a woman. He recognised a snapshot. The pair only stayed a week. Coats did not have a dog. Arthur de Maine, waiter, said he had known Coats since about 1918, when the latter was a steward. When witness returned to Wellington on April 14 this year he renewed the acquaintance with accused, who was living at 140 Adelaide Road with a girl named Phillis Symons. Accused had a sister named Evie, and witness went with her to accused's room, and Coats introduced the girl Symons as his wife. Witness visited accused almost every day. After about five weeks accused spoke to witness about the girl Symons being pregnant. There was some remark made about an article given by Evie to tlie girl, but witness could not remember distinctly what it was.

Not Telling All Ho Knew. Mr Page said witness gave the impression that he was not telling all he knew, and when witness did not reply to stiil later questions Mr Macassey submitted that he was hostile. Mr Macassey, to witness: What did Evie say to Glover? Witness: If anything happened to Phillis would he help to bury her. What did Glover say?—He said ‘•What do you think 1 am?” Witness had said that he and Evie Coats used to play car<js at the house, and there was also a man named Glover there. Further questions regarding Phillis having come in one night about June 3 and lying down, and a reason having been given that she had a sore neck, were also not answered, and Mr Macassey made application that witness be treated as hostile. Mr Treadwell submitted that the court had no power to allow crossexamination of a Crown witness at such proceedings, and the court adjourned to allow counsel to produce authorities. After luncheon Mr James presented authorities to confirm his contention that a witness in preliminary proceedings could not be treated as hostile. He submitted that de Maine w,as not hostile, but was answering questions to the best of his memory. He also submitted that the Crown could not refresh witness’ memory. Mr Macassey submitted that it was clear th;«4 witness was Hostile, and that the same rule applied in this court as in any other. It was in the Magistrate’s discretion. Witness Obviously “Fencing.” Mr Page ruled against Mr James on the question of procedure. As regarded the more important question of whether witness was hostile Mr Page said he was obviotisly fencing. Mr Page said if necessary Ke would give counsel permission to refer to tlie statements previously made and ask his explanation of them. Witness was put back in the box. Questioned further by Mr Macassey in regard to the girl's neck being sore, witness said it was sore, also something about a hit over the neck. Pressed to answer, witness said that accused said he had hit her with a piece of wood, also that this took place at Hataitai. He said it just stunned her a little, that was all. Did he tell you why he had gone to Hataitai with Phillis?—l don’t remember. Good Place to Bury Dog. Mr Macassey: Did Coats make any reference to relief works at Hataitai the night he hit Phillis over tlie neck? Witness said that Coats had told him it would be a good place to bury a dog. Witness was then asked, “Did he make any remark about earth that came down in the tipping?”—"Yes, something about Phillis being there and hundreds of tons of earth coming down.” Witness said on June 25, he was assisting at a tobacconist’s shop in Newtown kept by Jack Glover. He met accused that afternoon. Coats asked witness to buy food for th? evening meal at his house, saying that he himself was going to see a friend at Hataitai to ask him to leave out a shovel with which to bury a dog. So far as witness knew Coats had never had a dog. Witness went to the Adelaide Road house. Accused returned at about 5.30 and in reply to witness said that he had got, on all right. His friend was going to leave out the shovel. That was tlie last time he saw Phillis. Tlie following night Coats visited witness at the shop, and remarked that Phillis had gone home. Mr Macassey: a day or two prior to the arrest did accused mention anything to you?—Yes, he said something about trying to get to Auckland. Mr Treadwell: With regard to these allegations of killing in the statement given to the police. How did you look upon what Coats was telling you? — I thought he was just joking with me. Knew Place to Bury Her. John David Glover, machinist, said he had known Coats for about a year, lip told witness he had six children in an orphanage. He first mention 'd Phillis when they were working outside her place before Christinas. He told witness some time later that the girl was living with him. Mr Macassey: Did accused say anything in reference to Phillis’ condition when they were in Adelaide Road?— He said he would use a needle on her

and if she did die he knew a good place to bury her. Mr Macassey: What did he say about the relief works at Hataitai?— He said hundreds of tons went over there every day. If you did put anyone there nobody would ever find them. Mr Macassey: When he talked to you like that what did you say to him ? —I told him the police might find out. Mr Macassey: Did he ever say anything about low tide? He said that if you buried a dog on the beach, in six weeks there would be nothing. After further evidence had been given witness said that Coats had asked him on a later occasion whether, if Phillis died, he would help to bury her. His reply had been: "What do you think I am?"

TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS.

COURT AGAIN CROWDED. ALLEGED ADMISSIONS BY ACCUSED (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The case against George Errol Coats for the alleged murder of Phillis Avis Symons was continued to-day. The court was again crowded. The examination of the witness Glover was continued. He said that de Maine was generally at accused’s room when he was there, and they usually played cards. Questioned about a conversation in regard to Phillis, he stated that on one occasion Coats said he had done something to her but would not say how he had done it. On another occasion Coats told him, “ I got a ' beaut ’ on to Phillis. The other night I took her out to Hataitai and tapped her on the head with a piece of pipe and knocked her out.” Coats said he waited till she came to. Coats told him Phillis said she felt cold all over, and he “ kidded ” her she was going to die. Mr Mac Cassey: Did Coats tell you what he hit her for?—He said just to knock her out. He told witness to “ keep it under his "hat.” Witness said he was at Coats' room on June 25. On that occasion Phillis said they were back in their rent and were going to shift at the week-end. That was the last time witness saw Phillis alive, and the last time he saw Coats before Coats was arrested. On June 30 he called at Coats' room. There was no one in the room. He turned a mattress on the bed and found the letter produced. On the morning of Sunday, July 5, witness handed to Phillis’ father the letter he had found under tlie mattress. Deceased Fond of Accused. Witness said Phillis appeared to be fond ol Coats, who appeared to witness to treat her fairly. She was nearly always willing to do anything for Coats, and she nearly always obeyed him if he asked her lo do anything. Mr. Treadwell asked witness if he was certain that the letter produced was the one he found. Witness said' he could not read i' when he first found it owing to bad eyesight. lie first knew tlie full contents when tie handed it over to Symons. He remembered something in it about suicide; she said Coats was doing his best to keep her in food and that she wanted her parent’s consent to marry Coats.

Robert Brockie, married, living in Grafton Road, Roseneath, said he had been employed on relief works at Ha taitai, commencing on April 28 and working four days a week from Monday to Thursday inclusive. He knew accused Coats by sight. Coats was employed on the same work as witness. Coats worked on the lower tip. Witness remembered the Hutt-Well-ington football match, played on June 3, and during that week he was working on the higher tip. Accused was working on the lower tip during that week. He saw accused excavating a hole in a bank. He did this every day when he was not xvorking. Witness identified the place where Coats nad dug a hole on a photograph produced. The hole was about live feet long an.' three feet wide and anywhere from two to three feet deep. The hole could be very quickly covered up by spoil being tipped over. To Mr Treadwell: Accused was working on the hole for about four days while witness was there. Sydney Penketh, married, of Island Bay, another relief worker, said that from June 1 to June 4 he was on the lower tip, with Goats as mate. Accused Seen Digging a Hole. Mr Macassey: On any of those days between the arrival of the trucks, did you see accused go anywhere?—Yes, I did. He was digging a hole into the bank, where they were tipping the spoil from the top. How far was that from where you were?—About 50 yards.

Witness said Coats did the digging on several occasions during four days. Accused told witness that the hole was lo shelter him from the wind, but witness never saw him in it. There was a plantation of trees nearer the tip-head than the hole, and this would have provided some shelter from the wind. One of the workers mentioned in Coats’ presence that the hole would be a good place to bury anyone. Witness could not say definitely who made the remark; it might have been Coats or witness himself. They were the only two present. Witness remarked that they would never find them there. Coats said the spoil from the tip kept coming down and filling up the hole. On one occasion one of the workmen asked Coats what he was digging the hole tor, and accused replied, "To bury a dog." Accused told witness that a chemist along the road often poisoned dogs and buried them there. Accused said he was living with a young girl who had told him that she was over 18, but he had found out that she was not and he would have to put her out before she got into trouble.

John Dunsmir, another relief worker. said on June 25 Coats came to where witness and another man named Cutfleld were working, and asked witness lo lend him a shovel, saying that lie wanted lo bury a dog. Witness said the best place was to dig a hole on the lop of the tip and bury it in soft clay there. Coals said tlie dog was still alive. In answer lo further questions by witness ami Cutfleld Goats said he was going to kill the dog by hitting it on the head. It was then nearly live o'clock and before leaving witness left a shovel under one of the trucks, also another left liehind by one of the workers. Ho did that to oblige accused. Usually the shovels were put in a shed overnight. While on the way home accused remarked that if lie could get a job he would go to Napier. Willoughby Brassey Cutfleld, a brakesman on trucks, corroborated the leaving of the shovel. He said Goa’s had some letters in his hand, and said ho was going lo Auckland for a job. He was undecided which route lie. .vould take, but might go to Napier by boat. » Proceeding.)