A WEST COAST MYSTERY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1930, Page 5

A WEST COAST MYSTERY

MAN DISAPPEARS

FRIENDS EXPRESS FEARS OF

FOUL PLAY

(Times Correspondent)

GREYMOUTH, November 23.

What has become of Ernest Mansfield Burr? Eor four days now detectives and experienced bushmen have searched the dense bushland, with its thousands of abandoned mine shafts, which surrounds his house at Marsden, from which he disappeared on the night of November 7, but so far nothing has been seen or heard or him. There is some evidence that he may have gone away on his own accord, hut the ]K>1 ice are working on the evidence which would indicate that he had been callously murdered.

Burr, a thirty-year-old married man, was employed as a locomotive trolleyman at Ogilvie’s mill at Marsden t ten miles out from Greymouth. There he lived apparently happily until a few weeks ago domestic matters led to his staying at the house while his wife went away. He remained at the house alone until November 7, when with an acquaintance he visited Grey mouth. He returned home, after midnight, but when morning came was not to be found. BLOOD STAINS FOUND.

The neighbours, though mystified, did not place any, sinister meaning on ' the absence until a few days ago when one of them rang Mr Burr’s brother at Ngahere and told him. Inquiries were set on foot at once and the house was searched. In a hack bedroom, where Burr was accustomed to sleep, it was found that the sheets, pillows and mattress had been removed and the walls and bed were bespattered with blood. A bed in another room, witnesses state, looked as though some one had lain in it- . ■ RUMOUR DISCOUNTED. A search was commenced, but almost at one© came word that two men had seen a man answering Burr’s description riding a bicycle, near Runanga. This was discounted almost immediately, however, as it was known that Burr did not own a " bicycle, | though sometimes lie borrowed one from a friend The acquaintance in whoso company Burr had spent the night, Mr Frederick Tibbies a farmer of Nelson Creek, toicl the police, however, that Burr had mentioned to him that he was going away next morning early, and a neighbour, Mrs 1 A. (S-. Johnstone, stated that just ,ais dawn was breaking on November 8 she thought she heard sounds of movement at Burr’s place. POLICE SEARCH BEGINS. The police wanted an explanation of the blood stains, however, -so Detec-tive-Sergeant J. B. Young, and Detective J. -I. Halcrow, of Christchurch, were ordered to Greymouth to join Detective March, Greymouth. in investigating the problem, while uniformed men and civilians began the mien viable task of searching the locality for the body, which Mr Burr’s friends, at least, believe is somewhere hidden. Tn the meantime detectives are busy taking statements from various people. The stained bed clothes and wall paper, their most important clues so far, have been taken away for expert attention. A VISIT TO GREYMOUTH. Details of Burr’s movements on the night of November 7 are given by two people, Mr F. H. Tibbies states that he called for Burr about 7.30 Pmwith his car, and that the two of them went into Greymouth together. There they were joined at an hotel by Mi Tibbles’s brother 'and another friend, and spent the evening together. Mr Tibbies drove the four Pf them home, dropping his brother and friend at South Beach, a few miles out of Greymouth. ‘‘l intended staying the night nt Burr's” said Mr Tibbies, “hut when we got there he told me after we had been talking a. while that he was going away early next morning. He did not say where he was going, but I thought, knowing that lie hail drawn his pay the day previously, he was going hack to Greymouth. I decided that it wasn’t worth my while to stay there for the night as he was leaving early, so went on to Neisoti Creek” I thought after I left that it was strange that he did not say where he was going.” “Burr’s manner during the evening was j list as ivraal,” Mr Tibbies said, and be did not look ns though anything was wrong. HEARD SOUNDS OF MOVEMENT. Mrs A. S. Johnstone, a neighbour of Burr, told how she and her husband had seen the two men leave Burr’s together. Mr Johnstone went to bed after eleven o’clock that evening and heard a car draw up. A little afterward he fell asleep, but was awakened i again by the sound of the car going away. He did nfit know the t ; me.

Just as dawn was breaking Mrs Johnstone woke up and thought she heard sounds of movement from Burr’s place. She was rather surprised, knowing that it was a mill holiday, that anyone should be about then. She was not sure otf the sounds that she heard, as she went to .sleep again immediately. Later she informed his brother- that Burr was missing. Burr’s brothers are positive that lie would not go ajvay without . letting them know. He was very much attached to his widowed mother and eight brothers. Further they point out . that Burr’s larder had apparently only recently been restocked and that a bankbook and other articles had been left. The only things missing were the best

suit of clothes which he had been wearing that night. There were' other- intimate details about the house! .which, .in, ;£ dicnted that the owner did not intend to stay away- . ROUGH COUNTRY. 1

The part of the country which, the search will Cover is very rough, _ and in some places impenetrable. Thick forests with heavy undergrowth covers the old workings of what was once a prosperous goldfield, and old shafts are everywhere .Some of them are eighty feet deep, and all are halffull of water. Each' of these has to be examined if the search is to be a thorough one, and though the searchers, over twenty in number, are working untiringly even, they are doubtful oAhe success 1 of their'efforts; They have been further hindered by the weather, which has been very bad during the past four days. Only for minutes has the rain stopped falling, and the ground resembles a bog. An impetus was given to the search yesterday morning by the discovery that the big punt at the lake at the old Maori Creek dredging ground is missing, and men worked all day dragging the lake, but at a late hour this afternoon no success had been met with.