Mr. Ludovic Kennedy Stands Firm The Evans inquiry in London heard yesterday how Mr. Ludovic Kennedy. the writer, compiled the facts for his book Ten. Rillington Place in which he expressed his conviction of Evans's inno- cence. Mr. Kennedy, giving evidence at the seventeenth day of the hearing said: " I have noticed one or two people in this case have clung to the belief that Evans nmurdered the child because they feel they are in some way responsible for an innocent man having been hanged ". He told the inquiry of an interview he had with Detective chief-inspector Jennings. the officer in charge of the Evans case at the time. .Mr. Jennings said he had not had any worries when he heard Christie had been arrested, but he had been shaken that there were two murderers in the same house. Mlr. Kennedy said he asked Mr. Jentiings if he had any recollection of the missing batch of time sheets of workmen at 10 Rillington Place. He told Mr. Jennings he thought it extraordinary that this batch was mtssing. A ' FAST TALKER' NIr. Jennings replied: " You are not suggesting I am dishonest. I hope. I am getting quite disgusted about the insinua- tions in this case and the questions about the sheets". Mr. Kennedy said that when he asked him about the workmen's statements that the bodies could not have been there when Evans said they were Mlr. Jennings replied that the workmen 'were "unreliable". Mlr. Kennedy said that when questioned by him about Evans's statement Mr. Jen- nings said that there were no questions asked. Evans had come straight out with it. Mr. Jennings described Evans as a "likable little chap". He had told Mr. Kennedy that Evans was a fast talker and Detective-inspector Black was a quick writer. This was in answer to Mr. Kennedy's assertion that the statement could not have been given by someone of Evans's mentality. Mr. Kennedy read to the inquiry notes of replies he had received in an interview with Detective-inspector Black. one of which read: "Could not get the statement down quickly enough. Had to tell him to stop. It flowed out." Three other notes read: " I am con- vinced than ever that Evans guilty; "All child he would have told me.". more con- vinced than ever that Evans guilty; "All I knew was that bodies had been found." MAN' WHO LIKED CHRISTIE' The interview, MIr. Kennedy said, lhad taken place at Scotland Yard early in 1960. He then described an interview with a Mr. Crump from the Director of Public Prosecutions' office. Mr. Crump had told him that Evans's guilt was never in dispute between counsel and the defence. He had also told Mr. Kennedy that the prosecution had not given the defence the workmen's statements because it had never occurred to them that it was material evidence. Also. it was not their job to think out a defence for the defence. Earlier. Mr. Kennedy had told the inquiry of a furniture dealer named Hookway who liked Christie. " He was one of the few men who did," he said. Nir. Hookway had told him that he thought Christie had had an affair with Mrs. Evans, with Evans's consent. Nfr. Kennedy said he did not think the story a very likely one because of the way in which Hookway had told it. Mr. Kennedy said to Mfr. Justice Brabin. the Chairman: *- Nl book was to put the case against Christie. I felt Mr. Scott Henderson had put the case against Evans. and I was putting the case against Christie.' The Judge asked him: "There is no secret about it, you are certain what hap- pened and nothing whatever will alter your mind? " Mr. Kennedy replied that when collecting material for his book he often wondered if he would find something which would prove conclusively that he was wrong in his view, but nothing had ever come to light. Cross-examined bv Nir. (ieoffrey Lane. O.C.. for We Commnissioner of Mletropoli- tanl Police, he said: " By and large. I still adhere to the opinions in my book." He said he wished to emphasize that he had never thought the police had tried to "frame" Evans. The tragedv of the case was that anvbodv at Notting Hill police station and every- one else at the time could. with the best possible motives and intentions, have felt clear that Evans was the person they were looking for. The hearing was adjourned until today. MR. LUDOVIC KENNEDY STANDS FIRM OPINION ON EVANS