THE MELBOURNE MYSTERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3333, 27 September 1911, Page 2

THE MELBOURNE MYSTERY.

CHARGE AGAINST DR. PEACOCK. THE CASE BEFORE THE COURT. During the hearing of the case of murder preferred against Dr Peacock in connection with the disappearance of the girl Davies, was continued last week. , Elizabeth Coleman, domestic servant, formerly employed by Dr Peacock, said there was a lot of rubbish in odds and ends about the back yard and the ■ scullery at Peacock’s place. Sydney Walter Lack, engineer, stated that ho had met Mass Davies and Poke after the girl’s return from Gippsland. He booked a room at the Victona Coffee Palace in the names of Mr and Mrs Nelson. On August 8 witness, .with Miss Davies and. Poke, went to Dr Peacock. P„oke and Davies remained outside, while Lack interviewed the doctor, wlio said lie would have nothing to do with it. Lack said, “I can get any amount of securities and disinterested parties, and- liaye no axe to grind.” Witness was employed as an engineer at the RoselLa Preserving Co., and received £2 7-s per week. Witness was not introduced to Poke, but another lady sent him to li-im. He was to receive nothing whatever for his visit to Dr Peacock. He did it for nothing—out of good-fellowship. He had done it on one occasion before for a stranger. He knew the object of his visit with Poke to Peacock’s. Witness suggested to Poke to give him £SO so that lie coif Id marry Miss Davies, hut Poke declined. He won trophies in cycling races in London, and had shares in mining companies. He had won about £3OOO or £4OOO in trophies. Mr Bryant (for the defence) : Where do you' keep your valuables ? Witness •.'That’s not a. fair question. Have you a banking account ?—No. Witness added that lie came to Aus-tralisi-in 1906.

Mr Bryant said that Lack was a great lulanthropist. Ivy May Davies, sister to the missing, woman, identified a ring produced as the property of the missing woman.