DEATH OF CHILD

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10303, 12 January 1927, Page 5

DEATH OF CHILD

THE INQUEST ON JOAN SMITH BOY ACCUSED OF MURDER. (United Press Assn.—Copyright.) . SYDNEY, Jan. 11. At the inquest on Joan Smith, her father gave evidence that he had had frequently to find fault with Hughes, who was at present in custody, and had finally been compelled to discharge him.. He did not tell the police why he discharged Hughes but told him he suspected the lad of murder. Dorothy Schmid, employed at another station where Hughes had been gave evidence that she told accused of the finding of the girl’s body and Hughes replied that she had been buried toe long to see any marks of violence. Witness had not referred to the marks, the suggestion - coming from Hughes.—U.P.A. HUGHES COMMITTED FOR TRIAL CHARGE OF MALICIOUS MURDER (Received Jan. 11, 10.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 11. The inquest on the body of Joan Smith resulted in the coroner committing James Hughes for trial on a charge of feloniously, and maliciously murdering the girl. Owing to the decomposed condition of the remains, and one neck hone being missing, medical men- were unable to state the cause of death beyond saving that no bones were broken and there were no signs of violence, and that it was possible the girl’s neck was' dislocated by a fall from a horse.—U.P.A. [On August 24, the six-year-old daughter of Mr Moss-Smith, of Poola- ' macca station, near Broken Hill, disappeared, and no trace of her was found till December 29 when an employee of the station, while gathering sticks a short distance from the homestead, saw a child's foot protruding from a shallow grave, and unearthed the body of the missing girl. It bore no signs of violence. Later, James Hughes, who left Mr. Moss-Smith’s employment shortly after the disappearance of the child, was arrested and remanded on a charge of murdering her. Hughes made a statement that the girl was .killed through falling from a pony. He was afraid to tell, and buried the body where it was found.]