MAN FOUND SHOT

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1931, Page 5

MAN FOUND SHOT

NEAR PALMERSTON NORTH. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association j PALMERSTON N., August 24. \ Suspicious circumstances surround the death of Edwin John 7 Brakeway, a clerk employed at the Palmerston North Railway Station, who was found dead this morning on a country byroad at Karere, six miles from the city,' with bullet wounds in bis head; chest and arms. The police are investigating. Blakeway visited some friends on Sun day— night r - who about a mile from the scene of the tragedy. He spent a pleasant evening, and then left to return to X’almeristou North at elev. eh p,m. The body lay on the roadside all night, to be discovered by a newspaper runner at 7.30 a.m. to-day, stone cold.

At first it was thought that he had fallen from the bicycle that he was riding, but his machine was not damaged, and it appeared to have been carefully laid on the road. The body was lying on the grass fifteen feet further on.

Foul play is suspected. The deceas ed was 26 years of age. His parents reside at Avonhead Road, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch.

APPARENTLY MURDER. FURTHER PARTICULARS. PALMERSTON N., August 25. The police are now convinced that Edward Blakeway who was found dead on Longburn-Karere Road in the early morning yesterday was murdered. A post, mortem revealed bullet wounds in the hand, wrist, chest, and head. It is believed the shots were fired from either a, lepeating rifle or an automatic revolver. Five empty cartridge shells were found on the scene of the crime.

At the time the crime was perpetrated, the deceased was cycling hack to Palmerston North. He was apparently hailed from the side of the road, dismounted and went , hack and was shot.

When deceased left the house of a friend nearby, he was wearing gloves. These were not on bis hands when the body was found, but were clasped underneath.

Indications point that deceased tried to prevent has assailant shooting him, this accounting for the shots in his hands and wrist^ Deceased is believed to have had a roll of notes in his possession, hut these .were not on the body.

A BRUTAL CRIME. PALMERSTON N., August 25. Five bullet wounds were found in the b:dv, .two on one. hand, close together, another on the side of the wrist of the other forearm, one through the chest and o le behind the bridge of the nose. It has been definitely established by the police that deceased was shot from the side of the road by his assailant, who apparently lay in wait, on account of the direction in which some of the bullets entered the body, but it has been fairly accurately determined that at least one was filed point blank from in front of deceased. When found the body was lying face downwards with the head facing in the direction he was proceeding. Tile body was stretched straight out, with the

exception of the neck,, which was hunched close to the shoulders, indicating the belief that after being shot, deceased was dragged or probably liftec under the arms to the place'where he •was found. ' . i . A significant feature is' the discovery of five einptv cartridges at the scene of the crime. Four were picked up alongside the cycle, wnieli was six yards distant* from the body. The bullet" punctures in' the body are from a. gun* of small calibre am are believed to have been fired from an automatic revolver or high poweret; repeating rifle.