Elizabeth Agnes Hamilton

On 3 April 1940 the little settlement of Waikino, at the eastern end of the Karangahake Gorge near Waihi, made international news when the bodies of 27-year-old Elizabeth Agnes Hamilton (nee McClung) and 15-year-old Waihi High School student Lloyd Moran were found three miles apart on Waitewhata Road, which is located near State Highway 2. Story researched and written by Debbie McCauley (5 April 2018) with acknowledgement to Gold FM.

Elizabeth belonged to the McClung family of Katikati. Her grandparents were Gilbert and Agnes McClung (nee Logan) from Scotland. They had left London for Auckland on board the ‘Lady Jocelyn’, arriving in New Zealand on 17 August 1878 before joining George Vesey Stewart’s settlement at Katikati.

Lloyd Moran was the son of the owner of the Waikino Hotel, licensee John Joseph Moran. Built in 1898 in nearby Mackaytown, a goldmining settlment near Paeroa, the Hotel was cut in two and moved through the Karangahake Gorge to Waikino on rollers pulled by bullocks in 1925.

Elizabeth had worked as a cook at the Waikino Hotel for three years and was friendly with the Moran family. In 1935 Elizabeth had married Lance Corporal Frederick Hamilton. They had a home of their own at Waikino, but on the outbreak of World War II Frederick joined up and was training at the Papakura Military Camp in Auckland. When he was at camp Elizabeth stayed at the hotel rather than at their home.

Elizabeth would often go for an evening walk with her friend and fellow employee Miss Shaw. Lloyd would sometimes join them. At 7.15pm on the evening of 2 April 1940, Elizabeth and Lloyd set off for their walk, Miss Shaw being unable to join them. When they had failed to return by 1am, a search party was organised which searched the main road to Waihi but failed to find any sign of Elizabeth or Lloyd.

At daylight Lloyd’s father was crossing the Awaroa Bridge when, looking down a steep bank, he discovered the body of his son lying against gorse bushes. A police constable was called.

On that same morning, three miles away from where Lloyd was discovered, engineering staff from the Ohinemuri County Council were inspecting a bridge at Butler's Hill when they stumbled across Elizabeth’s naked body about 15ft below the left-hand side the road. Elizabeth had sustained head injuries, her legs were badly bruised and she had been raped. A full police investigation was launched with a cordon set up around both areas.

Due to the geographical location of the bodies three miles apart, investigators ascertained that a car was involved in the murders. Police wanted to know whether Elizabeth had been dead before she was taken into the scrub, or whether she had been killed where she was found.

On 4 April 1840 the Auckland Star (p. 8) reported that, ‘The tragedy has cast a deep gloom over Waihi and Waikino and surrounding districts and much sympathy is being extended to the bereaved families. Waikino residents state that neither Mrs. Hamilton nor Lloyd Moran had an enemy in the district, which makes a shocking tragedy more inexplicable than ever. Both were of a cheery nature and general favourites. The boy took a great interest in sport and was very popular amongst his fellow-pupils at the Waihi High School. Prior to the tragedy the family was expecting to leave for Ellerslie in a few weeks, where Mr. Moran was to take over the management of another hotel. At the inquest this morning, the district coroner, Mr. W. M. Wallnutt, presided and Detective-Sergeant Walsh, of Auckland, appeared for the police. Evidence of identification of both bodies was given by Leslie Allen Cooper, tobacconist, of Waikino, who stated that he last saw Mrs.Hamilton alive about 4 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon and Lloyd Moran about 4.30 on Monday afternoon.’

On 7 April 1940 the public was told that both bodies had been roughly hidden in hollows off the road. Police asked the public to report any car with a damaged or broken headlamp or possible damage and blood stains on its bonnet or interior as it may have been used in the murders.

The New Zealand Herald reported on 25 July 1940 (p. 11) that Elizabeth had been run over by a car and a tyre lever stained with human blood for a distance of eight inches was found lying about six inches from her head on which there were severe injuries. The head injuries would have been fatal within minutes, and the cause of death was the injuries to the brain. The head injuries were inflicted whilst Elizabeth was still alive and she had been raped.

According to the pathologist, Lloyd’s death was due to fracture of the skull and laceration of the brain.

At the time of her murder, Elizabeth’s husband Frederick was in Auckland Hospital undergoing an operation for appendicitis. On his release, he was informed about the murder of his wife.

A £500 pound reward for information was offered. On 2 May 1840 newspapers reported an arrest in the case. A car had been discovered on which the right headlamp was missing, the front badly buckled, and what appeared to be bloodstains on the dickey seat.

Douglas Herbert Cartman, goldmine trucker of Waihi, aged 22, was charged with Elizabeth’s murder. The case opened on 24 July 1840.

On 29 July 1840 an Australian newspaper, the Morning Bulletin (p. 4), reported:

SCIENCE PLAYS PART IN MURDER CONVICTION AUCKLAND (N.Z.), July 27. Scientific investigation methods played an important part in convicting Douglas Herbert Cartman, 22, of the murder of Mrs Elizabeth Hamilton at Waikino on April 2. Pathologists, who stated definitely that the woman had lived after she and the boy Moran had been knocked down by Cartman's motor car, were largely responsible for the verdict Science also identified blood and human remains found on the car, and identified the car itself from pieces of broken glass and ironwork found at the scene of the accident. Addressing the jury, Mr Justice Fair said that the circumstances of Mrs Hamilton's death and the treatment of her body were very shocking. He was referring to medical evidence that the woman had been outraged. The position in which the tyre lever was found indicated that it had been used to strike blows. Medical witnesses, he said, agreed that the woman had received blows while she was still living. The disposal of the body of the boy Moran, who was killed when struck by Cartman's car, showed that Cartman knew what he was doing. Before passing sentence of death he said that be agreed with the jury verdict. When asked if he had anything to say Cartman tried to speak, but apparently was unable to do so. The trial has ended a reign of terror in the Waikino district. Ever since the bodies of the woman and the boy were found on the roadside after they had gone for a walk together on a lonely road on the night of April 2 women in the district had been afraid to go out alone. It is unlikely that Cartman will be hanged.

Cartman’s death sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life. Born on 22 October 1918, Cartman died in 1973 (reg. 1973/35199).

See also:

• Elizabeth Agnes Hamilton - Photograph New Zealand Herald (4 April 1940, p. 11)
• Scene of Waikino Tragedy - Photograph New Zealand Herald (4 April 1940, p. 11)
• Waikino Tragedy: Mystery Still Unsolved New Zealand Herald (15 April 1940, p. 6)
• Arrest Made: Waikino Tragedy New Zealand Herald (2 May 1940, p. 8)
• The Waikino Case New Zealand Herald (3 June 1940, p. 6)
• Murder Charge: The Waikino Case New Zealand Herald (11 June 1940, p. 10)
• Tragedy: Trial of Cartman Evening Post (23 July 1940, p. 9)
• Murder Charge: Case Opens in Auckland Bay of Plenty Times (24 July 1940, p. 5)
• Murder Charge: The Waikino Tragedy New Zealand Herald (25 July 1940, p. 11)
• Waikino's tragedy 78 years on (Gold FM)