HUE AND CRY FOR THE MURDERER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1966, 24 January 1914, Page 5

HUE AND CRY FOR THE MURDERER.

THE BODY IN THE PIT, " EVIDENCE OF BRUTAL CRIME. Dy ; Toiejrraph—Prejß Aasoclation-CopyriEljt Sydney, January S;3. •• Mr. Walter Keeks, tho well-known Sydney naval architect, believes . that there is little doubt tlio murdered man,' vYhosc body was found in a disused pit, .near. Wolverhampton, in England, is his soil Koiit, especially as the cable .message mentions that he was visiting relatives named Kent.. His son left- Sydney three years ago as an . engineer aboard tho steamer Saxonia. His father understood lie was in Liverpool lust week; Tho only discrepancy is the Christian name. Sir. Kecks has cabled for further information. INQUEST ON THE BODY. , ''■ JURY. VISITS THE PIT. i. > ' . London, January 22. At, the inquest, Thomas Kent, an »nele, identified the body as that of his nephew, Reeks. ' ' ' He stated deceased reached England on Saturday from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and intended to obtain a British marine engineer's certificate before returning to Sydney. Keeks spent Saturday with him at Swintou, near Manchester, and returned to a Liverpool hotel in the evening. The inquest was adjourned to allow of further police inquiries, the Coroner remarking that a brutal .murder had evidently been committed. Tho jury inspected tho scene where tho body was found. There is a (iitch surrounding the pit shaft, which is two hundred foot deep, protected by a high wall, If deceased committed suicide, it is surmised that ho sat on tho wall, anticipating a fall into the shaft. The evidence, shows that this is highly improbable. His hat has not been found, and the wounds do not show signs cf burnt, powder. Tho pit is being searched for the revolver. ' SUSPECT IN FLIGHT. .' A ticket collector at Wolverhampton recollects two men arriving from Liverpool in the early hours of Tuesday, He believes'olio was Keeks. The police have a full descriplhn of the dress and, appearance of Rc-cks's companion, who is about thirty years of age. , it' is believed he caino from - Chicago, The Liverpool police are endeavouring to trace the man who booked fr'<m Midlands for Canada by a liner which sailed during tlio week. If he is a passenger wireless instructions will be sent to secure his detention. A booking-clerk employed by the North-Western Railway Company at Wolverhampton states that on Tuesday night- a man presented a voucher,-and booked a passage an the Grampian. The man's manner was agitated. His description tallies with that of Henks's companion. Tile Grampian sailed oil Wednesday, and in duo at St. John's 011 the 30th. A wireless message has' been .dispatched to the authorities there. . (Rec. January 23, 10.53 p.m.) Lcndcn, January' 22. ' Keeks had arranged to enter a marine engineering academy, but had explained that he would not begin for a fotv days, as he had other business to attend to. The .spot where the body was found was one of the gloomiest in the Black ..Country. Great steel works stood only ■300 yards off, but the nearest habitation was 500 yards away . - The captain of tlie Grampian lias wirelessed that 'he suspected emigrant 011 board his'ship denies all knowledge of Reeks, and says that there is evidently ft mistake somewhere.