“A GREAT SHOCK”

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20784, 20 April 1939, Page 10

“A GREAT SHOCK”

TALBOT DUMBFOUNDED |r ' ~ - ■ TOLD ABOUT EMPTY GRAVE McKAY DENTES IDENTITY At the office, continued witness Trethewcy, Talbot identified the ring as McKay's. When asked if he knew a man named Patrick Henry Shine, accused Talbot received a great shock and was dumbfounded. After about a minute he said “No.” Witness then told Talbot of Ihe empty grave and the belief of the police that the remains at Piha were those of Shine. To this Talbot said he knew the remains found at Piiia were those of McKay. Tt was absurd to think they were not McKay’s. After this Talbot sat almost in a trance for some 20 minutes while Detective-Sergeant Aplin was out of the room. Mr Aplin then returned with a warrant for Talbot’s arrest on a charge of interfering with the remains of Patrick Henry Shine. On this warrant being read to Talbot, said Witness, he slumped in his chair and after a minute said he knew nothing about it. When cautioned, he said he had nothing to say and he was then locked up. Talbot’s belongings were collected for him by witness who found among them an electric torch in working order. “My Name Is Not McKay” Witness described his visit with Mr Aplin to a house in Grafton Road. The two detective-sergeants had waited there until a car arrived. In it was McKay and a Mr and Mrs Jackson. The detectives went up to McKay, who was wearing a beard, and witness asked him if he was McKay, saying that he had a warrant for his arrest. In reply McKay said: “I don’t know what you are talking about. My name is Tom Bowlands. You are making a mistake.” Witness: I said, “You are the man who is supposed to have been burned to death at Piha on February 12.” He replied: “My name is not McKay.” Witness then asked him if he knew Jim Talbot and McKay said he did not know anyone of that name. He said he had been living three months at Grafton Road.

McKay then asked for a glass of water and they all went into the house. There, McKay refused to show the officers his room. Up to this time he was rational in every way, said witness. McKay went with them to the detective office and on the way he changed his attitude and “pretended to be silly.” At the office witness read the Warrant to McKay, charging him with improper interference with human remains. At this McKay said he did not know what witness was talking about. He was later locked up and witness and Mr Aplin returned to Grafton Road, searching a room in the front |)f the house. In it they found a handkerchief bearing the lettering “Gordon McKay.” In the room there was a bed, cooking utensils and foodstuffs and copies of a local newspaper. Evidence corroborative of that given bv other police witnesses was also given by Mr Trethewcy. At. the time of McKay’s arrest, said witness, McKay had in his pocket a pair of darkrimmed spectacles. He had no teeth at the time of his arrest.