PONSONBY MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 23 March 1920, Page 4

PONSONBY MURDER

THE ARREST. FEVERISH ACTIVITY OE AUCKLAND POLICE. AUCKLAND, March 18. A period of feverish activity on the part of the Auckland police in picking up, arranging and following all available clues in connection with what is known as the Ponsonby murder, ended yesterday afternoon in tbe arrest of a young man, Dennis Gunn at a. locality in Nejyton, within a mile of the scene of the murder. A BUSY THREE DAY'S. Superintendent "Wright readjusted the duties of the police force so as to release the whole of tbe short-handed staff of detectives at present under Chief-De-tective McMahon for the murder detail. As finger-print expert, Detective-Sergt. Isell concentrated on getting all possible touch clues obtainable at the post office and the house, while DetectiveSergt. Hommand and Detectives Curamngs, Young, Sweeney, and McHugh got busy on the general work of detection, with a view to combining haste with thoroughness. The mass of detail which was gathered during three practi cnlly sleepless days and nights was sifted on Tuesday evening, when the general conclusions were confirmed by the laboratory work in turning suspicion in one direction. The result was that a house in Somerset place, Newton, was put under close surveillance in the early hours of yesterday morning, and in the afternoon, as Denis Gunn ieft the house and walked up Howe street Detectives Cum_ mings and Young left their observation post ranged quietly up in step with him, and arrested him, without any nesistance on his part. While he was e6 _ corted to the Newton Police Station the rest of the surveillance party carried out a search of the house and of some waste behind the building. TOOK THE CHARGE QUIETLY.

The accused is a short-statured, slim young man, of dark complexion, 25 ve ars of age, clean-shaven, and with well-cut features. When charged by Detective Cummings with having committed murder, he discussed the matter quietly. He has lived in Auckland practically all his life, being one of a wellknown family, and be has resided foi some years with other brothers and his mother at the house lie had left just prior to his arrest. Though not generally known as a waterside worker, he carried a ticket that indicated that his work was that of a watersider. About the time of his arrest lie walked with a sii"lit limp, and on inquiry being made about it, said that lie had -a bullet wound in his left thigh. His explanation was that about a month ago he was playing with a live cartridge, tapping the rim of it, when it went off, and the bullet went through the thigh grazing one of the hones. A suggestion that the cartridge was in a revolver at the time was scouted by him. It is believed that no revolver was found in the house yesterday by the search party.