SKELETON FOUND AT JACKEYTOWN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1624, 14 October 1916, Page 3

SKELETON FOUND AT JACKEYTOWN.

A gruesome discovery was made on (lie farm of Mr A. J. Gallic.lian, at Jackeylown, yesterday morning, says (lie Palmerston Standard. An employee of Mr Galliehan was ploughing a stumped paddock, w hilst another employe!', Thomas Morgan, was engaged in levelling the ground with a spade. The latter noticed a slight rise, and was levelling it; when lie unearthed a human skull. Morgan investigated further, and next brought to light an old revolver, and (he rest, of the skeleton hones which were lying in a heap a lew inches below the surface ol the ground. Tiie paddock in which the gruesome discovery was made faces Foxtou line. The remains were two chains from the road and about ten chains from Hamilton’s line, which branches off from the main road. The ground had never been ploughed before, and was formerly a bush section, the trees not long having been felled and slumped.

The police were communicated with, and ('unstable Gow went down and brought the remains to the police station. The only means of identification is the discovery of a silver card case 1 , hearing the inscription, "John ('ole, Palmerston N., N.Z.” The case is in good condition.

It is impossible to estimate the number of years the skeleton has been where is was discovered. The hones had all become detached from the human frame, and were in a state of decay. The revolver which was found with the remains was a six-chambered one of good workmanship. The steel parts have rusted with the course of time, but the. butt is in good condition. The hoots the man had been wearing were also unearthed, and give the appearance of having been well worn when death look place.

Tiie police nre making' further enquiries. The fact of Iho revolver being' found with I lie remains, and also that the latter were in what was some years back dense bush, point in the direction of self-de-struction.

According to the Police Gazette of 1898, a man named John Cole, 31 years of age, dentist, of Pelraerston North, was reported missing at that time. The remains are believed to be those of the missing man. Cole was a native of England, sft. Tin. in height, and of stout build, The Gazette states that Cole was report; ed to have purchased, a revolver. The late John Cole will be remembered as a dentist practising in the Square, Palmerston North, in premises near the Borough Chambers, in 1898. He disappeared in that year, and the only clue was the „id) ; -eluent linding of his clothes on the bank: of t)i,e Manawatu river, near Jackeytown.