CLAY EXAMINED

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20784, 19 April 1939, Page 8

CLAY EXAMINED

TESTS BY PATHOLOGIST GRAVE AND GARAGE SAMPLES Kenneth Massey Griffin, Government analyst, said on February 27 he received from Mr Trethewey one sample of clay in a box marked “clay from garage at Avondale 22/2/39”, and one long-handled shovel. Witness also received samples of clay in separate envelope and marked as coming from 23 cemeteries in the neighbourhood of Auckland and also a sample from Shine's grave. Witness compared the samples with the clay from the garage and eliminated all hut four. Of the 29 samples he examined these four samples microscopically and found that the clay from the garage agreed in diatoms with the samples from the Waikumete grave. He compared tho two samples from Waikumete by sedimentation and pnrlicle count and found that the clay from the garage corresponded with that, from Shine's grave. He went to Waikumete on March 22 and took samples of clay from five different parts of the cemetery including that shown him as Shine’s grave. These samples were compared with the garage sample by the methods already mentioned and also b? examination of the specific gravity, the malachite green absorption and by the surface factor. “Agreed in Every Case” These tests showed that the clay from the garage agreed in every case with the sample from the grave shown to him as Shine’s. On March 13 he received from Mr Aplin a tin containing clay marked ‘‘clay from inside the coffin of Patrick Henry Shine” and also a jar marked ‘‘clay from two feet deep in the grave of Patrick Henry Shine.” He also received an envelope marked as ‘‘clay from 3 feet/deep in the same grave. He compared the samples with the clay from the garage and found that the latter agreed in every test with the clay from inside the coffin and that from two feet. down. The clay from three feet down showed slight variations.

From the handle of the shovel (produced > he recovered clay from where the wood joined the metal. He. also examined this clay and found it to' agree with that from the garage, the coffin and that from two feet down in the grave. Other Articles Analysed

While by counting the number of four different varieties of diatoms present in one tenth gram of clay in the various samples it was found that the counts showed that the clay from the garage, shovel and the coffin and from two feet deep all agreed in the four varieties of diatoms. The clay from other parts of the cemetery contained the same diatoms but in different numbers.

On February 27 he received a sack (produced) for examination. On the left-hand corner was a smear of clay. He examined this nnd found it had the same service factor as that from Shine's grave. It also contained the same varieties of diatoms in the same proportions. There was some dry grass in the sack. On March 13 he received a cardboard box of ashes, a burned wire woven mattress and a quantity of burned sacking and a quantity of burned wallboard. The ashes in the box showed traces of kerosene or benzine which were also found in the sacking. The wallboard was of plaster of paris and would not burn. He examined a similar piece of hoard and found that the surface paper did not give off any flame. Treatment of Bones From Dr. Gilmour witness received three pieces of hone, one described as a piece of the femur *bone. the other two being from the left ulna. He examined the markings and found that the black material was fused. The brown spots were iron oxide and the green stains, iron sulphate. The iron was fused into the centre of the bone described as part of the ulna. He experimented with iron and the hone, and one at 750 degrees Fah. and found that the iron would not fuse on to the bone. Witness obtained similar boneiron fusion by heating, the bone with a mixture of iron oxide and alluminium powder, known as thermite and giving a temperature of about 3000 deg. Fah. The fusion of the iron on to the bone in the mattress could not take place in the burning of an ordinary wooden house and the conditions would suggest that some chemical such as termite had been used. Dr. Gllmour ? s Evidence The afternoon session was opened with an examination of Dr. Walter Gilmour, pathologist at the Auckland Hospital, who said he received in March from Dr. Williams parts of a human body. These he examined in collaboration with Drs. Fowler and Kenneth McCormick. The portions consisted of pieces of bone showing traces of burning with some pieces of flesh still present. There was, for instance a large mass of flesh only partly burned adhering to the base of the skull and charred ilesh still adhered to the bone of the spinal column. He examined the bones in detail and sorted them out into boxes (now produced',. In the first box there was the greater part of the skull. Some of the parts had been fitted together but there were also parts of the vault of the skull which could not be fitted in place- In the box there was also a part of the lower jaw, still attached to the base of the skull when first received- Pieces of bone from inside the nose w#re included but almost all the bones of the face were missing and no teeth were found. Degree of Burning From the fact that portions of bones j from nearly all parts of the human 1 body were included he concluded that 1 a whole human body had been burned. The degree of burning was very unequal. Some parts of the skull and shoulders were only slightly burned, while other bones were completely incinerated. The degree of burning was consistent wilti the body having been wasted by diseast* and also having been drained of ali fluid as a result of a post-mortem examination, but even so the severe degree of burning at some parts indicated that it must have been exposed to a fair degree of heat. As regards sex no bones were found which were characteristic of either male or

female. The muscular markings of the bones, however, were more susgestivr of a male than of a female. Regarding age the bones were definitely those of an adult and from the appear-

ance of the skull he concluded the bones were those of a middle-aged adult*