Man Detained Following Woman's Death

Chronicle (Levin), 17 May 1948, Page 4

Man Detained Following Woman's Death

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.. CHRISTOHURCH; MOj 16. iTie bq'cty of a wofiian was found in a trenchjn a paddock about (J mile froni Papatua Prison, about 11.15 a.m..on Saturday and was later i'deiitified as that of Bertha iiessie Aniy I)ay, aged 27. This inoriiing a police launch met the Stoamer expreSs fiineiiiba ih the strearn in Wellingtoii Harfe'our and (Jhief Detecfive E: H. Cbmpton arrested William Albertus Ivan Stuck, buteh'er, aged abb'iff 40. 'JStuck will appear iri the Magistrate's Court at Wellington tomorrow moriiirig and Will be charged with murdering Day. It is understoocl that the police will ask for Stuck to be remanded to Christchurch. Two rabbiters'; Brrol Moncriel'f Tapp ahd Raymoild Cecil Janies Henley, both of New Brightopj were initially responsible for the clisco very of the body., They were* going tb the district for a- day 'S shooting and Stopped outside . the paddock. Henley notieed a brokeh set ot' .false teeth and shortly al'ter saw a trail of hlood. ' lle followed this to a shallow depression in the prtddock ahd tlieh beeame suspicibus when he notieed what appeared to bc a hole that had been filied in. The two men informed Arthur John Elwood, of Christchurch, who in turn hotificd the Superintendent of Paparuii Pris&n (Mr. C. B. Harrihgton) wrho telephoned detectives at the Ceiftral . ; Pbliee Stafion. Shortly after Senior I)etective F. d. Brady, Detective T. Thomson and Cohstablfe E. F. Sefton, were sent to the scene. The coronet (Mr. H. P. Lawry) and' tho patholo'glst at the Christchurch Piiblic Hospital (Dr. A. B. Pfeai'son), were also notified. Senior Detective Brady was ,in charge until further cars arrived carryiiig Sitpe'rintendent B, J. O'Niell, Ihspector T. Holmes (Chief Detective), - Sergeant • J. B. Kearton (Police photographer), Detective-Sergeaht A. A. HeTbfi and other meriiberS of "the Force. Mr. l.awry, Dr. Pearson ;ahd Dr. D. T. Stewart, another pathoiogist at the hospital, also went to -Papatua when the body was Uheafflied by the police. . . It was found to be thdt bf a woman. She was lying fabe Xip in a trench about two feet deep with her hands across her, chesf. The dead woman was wearing a red shoe on one fbdt nhd ahbther red shoc was l'otnid ih some nearby scrub. It appeared as if her head had been injured. "fhe caiise* of dbdth will not be known until the pathologists' report is available. The police had some difficiilty in establishing the identity of the woman. On Saturday, messages w'ere broadcast several times giving a description of hfcr. An inquest was opeiied bbfore Mr. Lawry this mornihg ahd evidence of identification was given by a sister of the dead woman, Jean Beatrice Smith. Police investigations on Saturday were intenSive and aftbr febrtain information had been received, detectives ih Wellington were notified and this eulminated in the airest of Stuck this morning.