Edney's Death Due To Blow On Head

Chronicle (Levin), 27 May 1949, Page 5

Edney's Death Due To Blow On Head

AUCKLAND, May 26. "I am quite satisfied Fredericl^. Edney was murdered on Friday night and that the cause of his death was an in jurv to the brain as a result of a blow on the head," said Mr J. Walsh, inspec tor in charge of detectives at Auckland to-night. "The police are, continuing to pursue their inquiries on those lines. ' 1 Inspector Walsh was commenting ofli .'ially on^a report which suggested that Mr Edney's death may have been duto barbiturate poison self-administered. The suggestion arises out of the disco\ ery of undigested tablets thought to be sleeping pills, in Edney's stomacl) when a post-mortem examination wacarried out by the police pathologists, as in all mured cases. The eontents of

klney's stomach were forwarded to thi Government analyst, Mr K. M. Griffin. for examination. This report will show the kind of drug and the quantity thai was consumed. It will assist the patli ologists in giving their opinion on th'. tause of death. Unitil he hears evidence on the cause of death, the Coroner, Mr A. Addison, will not assent to the eremation of thebody in accordance with Edney's cx press wish. The police said to-day that they have reason to believe that Edney had visi tors in his studio between 8 o'clock an>: 10 o'clock on Fridaynight. They are anxious to intervievv these people as the statement made by a man who lef; the preniises about 8 o'clock, is so far the latest report they have of Ednej being seen alive. It is thought the dead tnan had a light meal not long before his death. An indication of the immense amount of work performed by the squad of' in vestigators, is the faet that they have interviewed nearly 500 people since the murder was reported last Saturday evening. They have been working 15 hours a day with only two short breaks for meals. The posibility of Edney receiving his head injury in a fall, did not escapc the police but all evidence still points to his being attacked at the foot of tht stairs at the Queen Street entrance to his premises. There was nothing to show that his head had come into eontaet with a protruding objeet inside the building.