A MYSTERY

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1930, Page 6

A MYSTERY

FOLLOWS A MULDER. WEALTH", '\.ANOH LOR DISAPPEARS. (United Press Association—By ElectricTelegraph.—Copyright.) (Received this day at .9 a.in.) VANCOUVER, Oct. .15. A ..mystery surrounds the disappearance of Cosen Spener, a wealthy British Columbia rancher, formerly a millionaire Australian film magnate, after fatally shooting] Edward Smith (his storekeeper) and wounding an-/ other employee-, W. Stoddart (who had -an arm shot off). The mystery is now i-o deepened that it is e-ven suspected that he may have managed to inakie In* way back:. 1 to Australia. Ait the time of the shooting, Spencer fled to the bush. A shot was heard but a thorough search failed to reveal the body. It was believed he was drowned, lot a search of Die lake was unavailing. Days later, neighbourin'.' ranchers repoiftfed (seeing an aercir.an - some miles away from the scene, the day after the tragpdy. Spencer ran a. twenty thousand, acre cattle ranch, .the'largest in Ilri - ish Columbia. After. coming here from Australia six years ago with a million made in ,Australian- films, he suffered a nervous collapse after heavy losses in a stock market ciash, but he refused to enter a sanatorium. It is revealed- .also that :Spenoc-r was worrying over his inability to secure money allegedly owing in Australia, and 'he was obsessed with the .fahe idea that his neighbours..were steal-

ing his prize cattle;-bred-in England.