WEST COAST MYSTERY

Hokitika Guardian, 5 December 1930, Page 2

WEST COAST MYSTERY

DETECTIVES RETURN. NO TRACE YET FOUND OF BURR. (Christchurch “Times.”) After ten clays of inquiry into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Ernest Mansfield Burr, the West Coast mill-hand, who has been' missing since November 7, DetectiveSergeant J. B: Young, and Detective Hal crow returned to Christchurch on Friday evening. Their investigations have proved fruitless. The case is now just as it was at the beginning, though search parties are still out looking for a clue which the detectives, may. use as a starting

point. Though the return of the detectives may be taken as an indication that their investigations on the West Coast have for the moment come to a standstill it does not imply that they havp given up. all hope of solving the problem.

SEVERAL THEORIES. Any one of four things may liave happened to Burr. He may have gone away of his own accord- j lie muy have gone into the bush and have -met with' an accident; he may have done violence to himself; or he may have been murdered. Each of these possibilities had to he taken into consideration by the detectives who, consequently, have not been able to form any definite theory on which to work. Evidence points to only two of these, however, that lie has gone away, or that he has been murdered, and of these the seond seems more likely. Ernest Burr was an ordinary, hardworking type of man, who had earned the respect of his friends. He was of an affectionate nature, very much attached to his mother, brothers and sisters, and to bis children, whom be used to visit regularly prior to his disappearance. -It hardly seems likely, therefore, that lie should leave his home without saying anything of his intentions. Against this theory, too, is the way in which lie left. Only one suit of clothes was missing, and his larder was well slocked. Tn a work-shop at ilit- hack of lits home were some uncompleted toys lie find been making for ho; children. In ndd'tion there was his livestock. He had a cow, and some fowls, someh>f them sitting, and previously he had always asked neighbours to look after them whcii heV#?'nt away, fie'did not do so on this ndfasion. The sni:t>- arguments stand ..against the iln-orv "f suicide, • B’in-li troubles as he had. were not sufficient to cause a man of (us leiope.itun-ui p, do away with ••himself. ■ , ACC’IDF.‘ST POSSI BLE. . The. aecid.'iii theory n, a possible one thoiigli his friend > do not place much credence on i|, liner was an experienced hushuian who had been brought up on flic West Coasi. so that LhP.dangers which the wild country sun-oundingliis home would ji* , <'«eni to. a stranger, would not lioi,-I the Mime peril for, him. However,. there is the possibility that lie may lime gone ior an early morning walk through t he hu.sli und met with an accident. Lim strongest, evidence against this is that it had heen ra ning the day previous and the wet bush is far from pleasant to walk in.,

BLOOD STAINES FOUND. VVeit'iu.v-r evidence supports the theory .or .foul play, though- a definite motive •is hicking. The condition of tjii'- bedroom. in which Huit was accus-T-bumd t<> sleep is the main support for .'■tjiis theory. When the police and relatives entered the bedroom tor .the , first time following the disappearance •they Sound that the bed clothes—sheets. blankets, and pillows, —wel'e-mis ..ing. Closer examination revealed tbnte file wall at tile be;ul of tbe Sued was covered with liny splashes of blood, [be biggest uf them measuring an eighth yf an ineb across-. Tin-- spot;, were oil the v.-iili on limb sides of the bed and between [lie bar ai the bend. They seemed too numerous to be the result of i)ti accident. so tbe bed was examined. 1 1 wits a double wooden bed,-a t the head nl wb i'b three burs t'atl from the top to tbe lower bars in addition to the iwo side posts. On the side of the middle bar at the bottom there was a bloodstain several inches in .length. It extended on to the back of the lower bar where it was in one place over an inch in width.. BROTHER'S CONCLUSIONS T'ie floor of the room appeared to have been recently scrubbed and taking this into consideration the relatives came to the conclusion that their broth m- bad been murdered. Their theory was that their brother had been killed in his sleep and that after disposing of his body and the bed-clothes, which would be stained with blood the murderer came back and cleaned np tin- mum. This would account for ibe noises which a neighbour heard at dawn. Detective-Sergeant J. B. Young was sent for and with other detectives made extensive investigations. The results of these will be submitted to the Commissioner of Police (Mr W. G. Wohlmann), but the general public is not likely to hear of them until some tracers found of Burr.