ARAMOHO TRAGEDY.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1923, Page 4

ARAMOHO TRAGEDY.

THENEIGHBOURS' ACCOUNTS OTHER PREMISES ROBBED OX NIGHT OF CRIME. fl>V TELKOItAFII—I-ER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] wanganui, Opt. 29. Air I’cppor, in conversation with a reporter, said that Air and .Mrs Oates "'ere Ids next-door neighbours for admit two years, and during the whole of that period last Friday night was the only eeeasioti wiien the house was without someone in tenancy. As his house is (lose In Mr Oates's hnMle, anyone would lone heard Lll *• struggle. or perhaps heard the dog bulking. Air Do'nhin's house would he mo far away in near any di-turbanre. RACK-YARD 11.!.EM IXATED. A stronger. and perhaps- inure important. factor. that, assisted the murderer in Ins mission ir- that the kitchen light Irnm Mr popper’s house throws a clear and distinct hoain right am ess to the door of Mr Cates’s kitchen. ’lie fact has often been commented upon that Mr Pepper gratuitously lighted up Air Oates’ yard, yel on ibis oecasiun darkness was an added advantage in perpetrating the deed. T'pon Air Pepper and family returning Irom town and entering by his hack door. the switching on of the electric light revealed the pool of blond that had flowed from his neighbour's wounds when trying to get help. Air Pepper telephoned for .Mrs Oates's mother. Mrs Henry, of 'Palmerston Xorth, and the lat ter lady, a: cnmpnniod by another daughter. aKo a Airs Oates., tame by

iar to Wanganui. Air Dobbin. a next-door nrighiamr of Air Oates, when seen by a reporter this afternoon, stated that on ike night of tin' tragedy Mr Oates came to Ins house and knocked at- the door. lie was covered with blood, and Mr Dobbin did not recognise him at first. He remarked “Oh, my (bid! 1 have been hattered and robbed, and my poor girl murdered.’’ Mr Dubbin acted immediately and communicated with the police. He could not get into communication with All Oates's family doctor, so pot in touch with lii.s own medical man. He rung the police station tit four minutes to tell, end Ihe Inkier wasted no time i.t pettiup on the job. Alter that, Air Dobbin went into Air Oates's house. There was no one to be seen in the vicinity at that time. It is now evident that it Mr Oates had not been wearing his lt.nl he might have been listed among the dead. He was knocked down, and his assailant, v.ho was mi doubt bent on murderin': him, made several vicious hits at Into. It appears that Mr Oates pm up a pond lipid. and the murderer possibly thoupht it would be safe to beat a tet tea t. Til EFT FROAi SHOP Tl IT.. 'Whether lee euiueideuee nr otherwise, another robbery took place in a shop on Somme parade on Friday evemnp last. 1 ut lumtnuiolv for the loser the amount was small. When a reporter hoard of the matter to-day, lm interviewed the lady of the shop, which is situated on the center of Glasgow street 'and Somme parade. A man ettme into the shop during the niternoon and borrowed a, lead pencil irom the lad.v in charge. Enter that eveniltp lie returned with a £1 note, and tenderd payment for the pencil, which the lady refused. She laid her shop open later than usual that uipht. ami while in the sitting room, conversing a ith relative', she heard a noise. On eoininp out. site saw a man i.ukmp his departure, and ho did not slop in answer to a question : “Whitt, do you want !" The lady then discovered that

the till behind Ihe counter had been rol bed of all the loose change. Foriunalclv. the amount w.c not a larc'e ' i tie. Whether there is any rnnnexmn 1 penial am! llie one who robbed the till nrxFDix. Oet. ‘jo. | Mrs Oates, the victim of the Ai'tt- ) inolio tragedy. was edmrint! :n Duii ’- | din. her .parents r< siding iu .X'-rih | Dunedin.