THE RUNANGA MURDER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 46, 17 November 1917, Page 8

THE RUNANGA MURDER

ARRESTED MAN BEFORE

THE COURT

STORY OF THE HUNT

TRACED BY CANDLE-END By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Novombor IG. William Eggers Macmahon, arrested last night in connection with tho highway robbery on tho West Coast, appeared at the Polico .Court this morning, charged with tho murder of John Cotiltharcl, attempting to murder William Hall, attempting to murder Isaac James, and stealing tho sum of .£3659 16s. Bd. Chief-Detective M'llveney asked for a remand till Saturday, November 24, at Christchurch, and this was granted. THREADING AMAZEOF CLUES STORY OF THE ARREST. Groymouth, November 16. Having had little or nothing in the way of identification, tho police havo been working behind a maze of clues in connection with the murder and highway robbery. The police havo had a very trying and perplexing time. The search in the bush was continued all day yesterday, over 120 ■ miners from the State mino assisting. , With ■ regard to'the arrest of Mncnialion sit Christchurch, Detective Ward had had him under surveillance smco Wednesday last, when he was reported to havo said in front of a hotel that ho possessed an automatio revolver, and could firo it rapidly. Noxt suspicions wero aroused when ho arrived at tho hotel on Saturday evening. He said lie had just come from Christchurch, and that his luggage wan at Blackball. 110 disappeared from the hotel on Saturday night, and returned on Sunday morning with jus luggage. He left for Holritika at midday on Monday, taking a special car to Otira, where lie caught a coach. A search "was made of Ins room at the hotel, when the residue of ft candlo was found in a tin, Mid also a full candle and half a stick of liquorice. The candle is deemed to'fit in with a story about a man who occupied an empty house 111 tho vicinity of tho scene of the tragedy, and the liquorice with a. statement by the suspect that he suffered from a cold. Tho suspect is said to havo been on tho Coast some months ago. He was acting as barman at one of the hotels, from whence he and a barmaid disappeared some time ago. They aro supposed to bo married. . He claimed to deal in land and cattle, although very little is known as yet as to his antecedents. MAN'S REAL NAME' FREDERICK WILLIAM EGGERS

A SELF-STYLED SPECULATOR.

With regard to fiie arrest, of n suspect in connection with the West Const murder and robbery, it is understood that the name of M'Mahou belongs to the woman, and had beon assumed by the man. Tho woman is a barmaid at the Empire Hotel, where sho has been employed under the name of Lizalh M'Mahon since shortly before Carnival Week. She has been previously employed at several other hotels in Christchurch.. Superintendent Dwyer stated this afternoon that as the result of further police inquiries it has becu established that the accused's namo is not M'Mahon, but Frederick William Eggers. Ho is an American by birth, having been born in Now York. He has been associated with Miss M'Mahou during tho past four years. Tho police paid a tribute to the help rendered them in tho apprehension of the accused bv the licensee of tho Empire Hotel (Mr. Morgan O'Brien), his suspicions too having been aroused-in connection with tho accused, and ho helped effectively i> tho search. Although Eggers described himself as a speculator, he appears to have been engaged ins a commercial traveller,- selling "butter churns, etc." Although it has not transpired with which firm,, if any, he was engaged, tho licensee of the Empire Hotel expressed the opinion "that there was not a better dressed man in Christchurch than tho accused," adding "he was a sensible-spoken fellow too."

Only £43 Odd Missing, Of the amount in the possession of Mr. Hall, paymaster of the mine ,£3356 4s. Id. has beeii recovered,- leaving ,£43 lis. 7d. unaccounted for. A reporter had an opportunity to-day of viewing the booty. It filled the bottom of a fair-sized portmanteau, tho notes being done up in parcels according to their denomination, while tho coin was in b.igs with the amount therein contained noted. On a bag lying on the surface was an automatic revolver. The bag was found to be of uncomfortable weight, too heavy to be carried by any but a fairly strong person. A Cold-Blooded Proceeding,

Inquiries go to show that M'Mahon was in town on Saturday evening, the day after the tragedy. On Sunday he played cards with some young fellows, and viewed the train which was carrying the victim of the murder to the cemetery. ITc entered into a discussion regarding the tragedv, and gazed at the train, with othciß, through field-glasses from the balconv of his hotel.- He complained that ho had.a "head" through "booze" obtained while- at Blackball, where, he alleged, he went for luggage. , HMi's condition has slightly improved. James hopes to be about in the course of a week. • EGGERS KNOWN IN TIMARU By Telegraph.—Press Association. Timaru, November 16. Eggers was known to tho police hero in 1!)15 as Eggers. He wis supposed to make a living bv selling floor polishes and blacking! He left -Timani with a barmaid, who said she was his wife.