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17 July 1951
Woman Smothered & Man Stabbed to Death In Double Murder at Kandos
A man and a woman were found murdered in a vacant allotment next to the Kandos Hotel on Tuesday afternoon. Police believe they had been dead for 24 hours before their bodies were found.
The victims were: Gladys Mines (38) a married woman living with her husband at Angus Avenue, Kandos, and Claude William Rogers (55) single, a labourer at the Kandos cement works, of Rodgers Street, Kandos. Mrs. Mines had a son aged 13. Police said Mrs. Mines had been smothered to death and that Rogers had been stabbed with a knife four times in the neck and eight or nine times in the back. Police cordoned off the vacant allotment and C.I.B. detectives from Sydney have searched the allotment for the knife. Inspector W. Crimston, of Mudgee, is in charge of investigations. Police were told that Mrs. Mines, Rogers and a young New Australian were drinking together in the Kandos Hotel late Monday afternoon. Mrs. Mines and Rogers were last seen alive leaving the hotel about 7.30 p.m. They left the hotel together, and the young New Australian stayed behind. The bodies were found by Sergeant S. L. Schaefer and Const. Wood, of Kandos, at 5.15 p.m. on Tuesday in the vacant allotment at the rear of the Kandos Hotel. Mrs. Mine's body was quite near a track which crosses the vacant allotment, and leads to the Kandos railway station. Relatives of Rogers reported his disappearance to the police at 3 p.m. Tuesday. About 4 p.m. a Balt migrant, who shares a room with the 21-year-old migrant who was seen with Mrs. Mines and Rogers in the hotel, reported to the police that a man had come home the previous night covered in blood. Two young new Australians have since been detained for questioning about the murder. Both of the men are Yugoslavs. One was detained at Orange and the other man was located riding a motor-cycle near Wallerawang some hours later. They have accompanied police to Kandos. The funerals of the victims take place today (Thursday), Mrs. Mines' to Rookwood, and Mr. Rogers to Rylstone cemetery1 .
Alleged Admission in Kandos: Murder Charge
KANDOS, This Afternoon. - A detective told the Coroner's Court at Kandos today that a New Australian had admitted having stabbed a man for hitting a woman, but had denied killing a woman. The coroner, Mr. H. L. Taylor, was enquiring into the deaths of Mrs. Gladys Evelyn Mines, 30, and George William Rogers, 58, both of Kandos. .
The bodies were found on July 17 under separate mounds of leaves on a vacant allotment behind the Kandos Hotel. Rogers had been stabbed 10 times in the back and throat and the woman had been suffocated with a handkerchief down her throat New Australian Error Djuro, 20, a Yugoslav, has been charged with the double murder. He was present in court this morning when the inquest opened. An official interpreter has been brought to Kandos for the enquiry. Detective A. M. Birnie, of Mudgee, said that Error Djiiro had made this admission when told of allegations that he had told a friend of stabbing a man and suffocating a woman. In evidence, Sgt. S. L. Schaefer, of Kandos, told of finding the two bodies at about 3.40 p.m. on July 17, after a man named Romanowski had come to the police station. The bodies of Rogers and Mrs. Mines were about 15 feet apart in a vacant allotment in long grass behind the Hotel Kandos. Det. Birnie said that when the 'bodies were found Mrs. Mines' brassiere and singlet were torn and her undergarments, shoes and stockings were missing. There was an indentation on her left hand ring finger where a ring, had been. Det. Birnie said that. Rogers' clothing was disarranged. He said that on July 18 at Bathurst police station he had questioned Djuro in the presence of a man named Romanowski and an interpreter. Through the interpreter Djuro was told it was alleged that after, drinking with Rogers and Mrs. Mines at the Kandos Hotel he had gone away with them and stabbed Rogers nine times in the back and seven times in the neck. 'Djuro was also told it was alleged, he had suffocated, a woman by placing his hands or a handkerchief over her mouth.
Denies touching woman
Det. Birnie said the interpreter replied: "Djuro said he had stabbed a man when he found him hitting the woman, but he had not touched the woman. Det. Birnie said Djuro. was asked if he had told Romanowski, who occupied the room adjoining his at the Kandos Hotel, that he had killed both of them by stabbing the man with Romanowski's knife and by suffocating the woman by putting: a handkerchief over her mouth. Djuro had said he had killed the man, but not the woman. Det. Birnie said Djuro had admitted having taken the wedding ring from Mrs. Mines' finger to remember her by. He. had said he had obtained a knife from Romanowski's' room and had afterwards thrown it away on his way to Orange. Djuro was also told of the police allegation that he had shown Romanowski bloodstains and had washed them off. He had then pointed to white marks on his overcoat and trousers. Det. Birnie said Romanowski had identified Djuro as the man who had spoken to him of the killing. Statement Produced.
Det. Birnie tendered a statement allegedly made by Djuro in which he said he had been drinking with Rogers and Mrs. Mines and that Rogers had asked Mrs. Mines why Mrs. Mines would not go with him. Outside the hotel Rogers had picked up "wood" and had hit him (Djuro) with it. Djuro's statement said:
It continued: "The woman tried to help me hit hi! and he grabbed this woman by the throat and put a handkerchief in her mouth.
When the woman fell to the ground I hit the man with the knife. When he fell to the ground I carried, him into the bush and hid him with the leaves and the woman, too." (Proceeding)2
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9 August 1951
KANDOS CORONER'S ENQUIRY INTO DEATHS OF GEORGE WILLIAM ROGERS AND GLADYS EVELYN MINES.
When the coroner's inquest into the deaths of George William Rogers and Gladys Evelyn Mines opened at the Kandos court house on Tuesday morning, the small accommodation was taxed. Many New Australians were present.
Eror Djuro (aged 20), a New Australian described as a Yugoslav by birth, was in custody at the inquest. He has been charged with the murder of Rogers and Mines. The Kandos Coroner, Mr. H. L. Taylor was assisted by Sgt. Joe Glover. Mrs. Zora Perich acted as interpreter. In evidence, Sgt. Schaefer, of the Kandos Police, stated that about 3-40 p.m. on July 17, 1951, a man named Romanowski had called at the police station and as a result he had left the station. Later, in company with Constable Wood, he had gone to the Kandos Hotel, and made some enquiries. He had then gone to a vacant allotment on the southern side of the hotel, which area is covered with bushes and long, dried grass. He had made an examination of the area and noticed a pile of grass and bushes, under which had been found the body of a woman, recognised as being Gladys Evelyn Mines. The body had been covered with a blue overcoat. Sgt. Schaefer said he had then made further examination and about 15 feet to the East had noticed another pile of grass and bushes. On close examination he had seen underneath, the body of a man, who appeared to be dead. He had noticed blood stains on the coat and collar. He had not disturbed the body, and had placed a police guard over the area. Later, the body had been identified as that of George William Rogers. After detailing the routine steps he had taken, Sgt. Schaefer said that the following day Detective Birnie had handed him a pair of grey trousers and overcoat, and had informed him they were the property of Eror Djuro. Detective Birnie, of Mudgee, stated that at about 7.30 p.m. on July 17 he had gone to the vacant allotment and had seen a pile of leaves partly concealing the body of Mines. Her singlet and panties had been torn, and shoes and stockings were missing. There had been a gold cross and chain around her neck, and indications where a ring had been on the left ring finger. Partly concealed also had been the body of a man, later identified as Rogers. An empty wallet had been found on the ground beside the body. Later, with Inspector Crimston, Detective Birnie said he had gone to the Sofala Hotel, and had seen a man named Romanowski, who had accompanied him and a man named Drobot to the Bathurst Police Station. There they had seen the man before the court, and he had said to Drobot (who was acting as interpreter): 'Tell him we are police, and are going to ask him some questions in regard to the death of a man and woman whose bodies were found near the Kandos Hotel last night." The detective said Drobot had informed Djuro of the allegations that he had stabbed the man nine times in the back and seven times in the neck, and that he suffocated the woman by placing his hand and handkerchief over her mouth. Detective Birnie stated that through Drobot, Djuro had replied that he had stabbed the man when he had found him hitting the woman, but he had not touched the woman. Djuro was then asked if he had said to Romanowski, who had roomed next to him, that he had killed Rogers by stabbing him with Romanowski's knife, and had suffocated Mines by placing a handkerchief over her mouth. Djuro's reply was again that he had killed the man but not the woman. Detective Birnie said that, through Drobot he had then asked Djuro where he had got the ring, and Djuro had replied he had taken it from the woman to remember her by. (Mr. Taylor committed Djuro for trial at Bathurst Supreme Court on October 16)3 .
4 August 1952
KANDOS MURDERER HANGS IN CELL
Bathurst Trial Recalled
SYDNEY, Sunday: Djuro Eror, who was serving a life sentence for murder, was today found hanged in his cell in Long Bay Gaol. Eror, who was 21, was found guilty in the Supreme Court at Bathurst October 18 on a charge of murdering George William Rogers (54), a miner, of Kandos, on July 16, 1951. The body of Rogers and that of Mrs. Gladys Evelyn Mines (39) also of Kandos were found on a vacant allotment near the Kandos Hotel on July 17. Eror was found dead in his cell when the morning inspection was made early today. His belt was around his neck4 .