A GRIM STORY.

Waikato Times, Volume 111, Issue 18640, 19 May 1932, Page 12

A GRIM STORY.

SYDNEY’S DOUBLE MURDER TERRIBLE INJURIES. ‘ i STATEMENT BY ACCUSED. SYDNEY, May 5. One of the most tragic stories ever unfolded to a coroner was told at the Inquiry this week into the brutal murder of the young girl, Dorothy Ruth Denzel and her friend, Frank Wilkinson, on the night of April 5. ,The tragic recital of the circumstances of the tragedy gained in poignancy and drama as witness followed witness, each telling of some different feature of the crime. Then came the thrilling story of the chase and capture of the accused man, William Cyril Moxley, and his declaration, when cornered, “I did not kill these people, but I know who did.” In a dong statement Moxley declared that he did not intend to harm .Miss Denzel and .Wilkinson. “He had demanded money from them and he had stolen their car, and after Wilkinson had showed fight he could not remember .What happened. He did not recollect battering the two victims or firing at .them at close range.* His mind was ■a blank.

v Sydney Qreatjy Stirred. ' The tragedy is one that has stirred Sydney' like no other tn recent years, and a vast crowd waited outside the court for the arrival of Moxley. Most of them were disappointed, as he was taken into the court through a door at the rear of the premises, and while he awaited the arrival of the coroner ho calmly rolled himself a cigarette and smoked it while still handcuffed to two detectives. He had been a difflcuil man to catch and the police have not taken any risks with him.

Moxley was dressed. in a dark grey coat, fawn trousers, black shoes, 1 brown hat, and grey sweater, and through the proceedings he seemed quite unperturbed. , At-'the inquest there were far more tragic figures than Moxley, notably ■ Mt Charles Wilkinson, father of the murdered man, and Mrs Denzel, mother of the murdered girl. Both Were conspicuous in the dignity of their lonely grief, and although the evidence they gave was short and unimportant, they maintained an alti-

tude of stoic calm, Mrs Denzel walked steadily to the witness box, not glancing at, Moxley, who sat nearby, but exercising special care to see that no part' of her clothing touched him. Only once as she was asked to identify her daughter’s dress did her voice break with the surge of repressed emotion. When medical evidence \vss; being gtyen of the dreadful Injuries received by her daughter she bowed her head and left the court.

Another tragic figure among the crowd was. Moxlcy’.s sister, who resembled him in facial appearance. Size stood outside Die court, apparently friendless and weeping silently when, a police cor stable came up to her and escorted her lo flic public gallery. When Moxley was held at the detective office his sister was a frequent visitor lo him, and on the morning of the inquiry took him some food and cigarettes in a basket. However, she was not permitted to give these to her brother. Moxley did not appear to notice that his sister' was present in tho court, and all through the day she was the centre of public sympathy.

Frightful Injuries Inflicted. ’

The feature of Hie evidence was that given by the Government medical officer of- the frightful injuries received by Wilkinson. “I found at the back of the neck,” he said, “at the level of the line joining the lobes of the cars, a round hole, with darkened edges, apparently powder marks. This wound led into the cranial cavity, and the whole of the base of the skull and the upper vertebrae were smashed into small pieces. The whole of the rest of the bones of the head were broken up in an irregular manner. Within the cranial cavity there was found a large wad of shot cartridge, four small flat wads, and a large number of grains of shot, many of which wer# distorted in shape. A great many grains were found under the scalp, on the opposite side from where the wound was found.” In the front of the head, It was explained, there was a long wound starting from an inch from the tip of the nose, and running upward to the right side of the middle line of the forehead. The bone beneath this wound was broken in an Irregular manner. The upper jayv was broken along the tooth margin into three pieces, and above this into many pieces. The lower jaw was broken into three pieces. The injuries received by the girl were almost exactly similar dud it- was probably the gunshot wounds that caused her death. \ There was a dramatic interlude when Detective Sergeant Hill recounted his conversations with Moxley near the scene of the murders. Later at the detective office, said the witness, Moxley made a statement. It was to the effect that on the nisht of the tragedy he saw a car -parked on the side of the road. A sudden thought entered his head that ho wanted money. He went over to the car and saw the occupants seated on the grass, lie challenged them and demanded money. The man said he had only seven shillings. The .girl took the money out of his pocket and handed it to him. Moxley then walked round the car and the man rushed at him. They came to grips and a fight followed. The girl did not squeal. She seemed terrified. He told the girl that if she sang out he would hurt 1 er. Moxley then explained how he tied the man's hands behind his back and placed him In the back of the car. lie then entered the car himself and made the girl sit alongude him and show him how to start.

Moxley said he drove to Liverpool when the car ran out of petrol. The man in the back asked him what his objeot was and he replied that he must look after himself. They could not get any petrol so he asked the man and the girl to walk up the road with him, and ho would see 1C he could get enough petrol to take them back home. On the way the girl said she could not w ; alk any further. then bound the girl’s feet and left her with the man, and on returning released them both. As soon as the man was released there was another fight and Moxley said he did not remember really what happened. They had a good tight, hut lit- could not recall anything being said or done. They were struggling on the ground and from then on his jnind was a blank. Moxley said he had no Intention of (Continued In next column.X

doing the people any harm. Anything that happened was beyond his control. He had never seen the people before and he was very sorry for what he had done now lhat he could sec what had happened. His only explanation was that his father was shot and died with a gun. Moxley said that when he was a boy ten years of age, through no fault of his own, his brother was killed in front of his eyes by him with a gun. For that offence he was simply discharged at the Coroner’s Court. He now found that his own boy aged 10 was in “pretty well the same place," and had to face the same charge as he had done. He firmly believed that what had happened was fated to happen, and lhat nothing could slop it. Some two years ago he was shot through the head. He nearly lost his life for doing a service io the public and the police. The bullet nearly took his life, and since then he had not been the same man. He had been unable lo control temper. He. could only say lhat he had unconsciously done this thing. He suffered from pains in the head continuously and Ihe only relief he could get was from aspirin, of which he had been in the habit of consuming boxes. Some lime ago he was ordered lo have another operation, but he did not, He went to the war and had a clean discharge after .wo years’ active service.

“Snowy” Mumby,

In the course of -a prior statement to Detective Sergeant Hill? Moxley said. I will tell you all I know about the murder. I know the man who did it, and I will tell you his name I know where he lives." He gave the name of the man as “Snowy" Mumby. The police told the coroner that every effort had been made to trace Mumby So far they had not been able to establish definitely that there {was a man known as Mumby in the 13th Reinforcements. So far the police have not been able to find a Mumby who lilted in with the description given him by Moxley. Dctectivo Bowie corroborated the statement that two years ago Moxley was shot, thc bullet entering his right ear. Two men were charged in connection with the affair, but were acquitted. Moxley was committed for trial.