A PALMERSTON SENSATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2092, 19 February 1920, Page 3

A PALMERSTON SENSATION.

MYSTERY ’CLEARED UP. , IDENTIFICATION OF A CORPSE. The body of the man which was found in the Mamiwatu River on last has been identified as that of William Henry Goodali, ahunt 33 years of age, and a son of Mr T. Goodali, 84 Peterborough Street, Christchurch. According to the Standard, deceased disappeared a month ago last Sunday. For a few days prior to that date —from the Thursday to the Sunday—the deceased had been staying with relatives of his, Mr and Mrs W, Dunshea, 2 Joseph Street, Palmerston North. On the Sunday evening he went out about eight o’clock, find failing to return, Mrs Dunshea notified the police of the fact two or three days later. Exhaustive enquiries were put on foot, with no result. However, the finding of the body led to Mr atuLMirs Dnnshea being communicated with, and the deceased’s kit bag, he being a returned soldier, was opened up. ’Small incidents frequently lead to important issues, and such was the case in this affair. The deceased’s false teeth in the lower jaw were broken at. one side, and he had remarked at one time to Mrs Dunshea tha.l the damage had been sustained at the war, hut that it, had not'inconvenienced him at all. In the kit bag the broken off piece was found, and on being placed beside the larger portion which deceased had in his month, was found to fit it exactly.

Two brothers, who live in Hastings, were also communicated with, and were able to give a substantial clue as to the identity of the corpse by the boots which dec-eased had worn. They were light tan boots-, which had been blackened over and had black laces. 1 After the long immersion the fact of the boots having been blackened over was.easily -apparent, and the brothers- remembered that (lie deceased had worn boots similarly treated. According to statements made by Mr and Mrs Dunshea to the police, the deceased had been working for a couple of days at the Longhorn freezing works before coming to slay with them on the Thursday. He was a returned soldier, having served with the Australian forces, and his nervous condition was rather serious. Ho had said that ho could not keep up wil'h other men at Longinmi, and had hetton “turn it up.” On the Sunday afternoon ho went out and remained out for lea, hut returned about eight o’clock in the evening. He seemed restless, and after about a quarter of an hour went to go out again. Mrs Dunshea said, ‘‘Surely yon ano not going out yet, are you?” Deceased replied, “Yes; I am going out for a walk, but I am coining back,” That was the last she saw of him trim*. The adjourned inquest into 'the circumstances 1 surrounding the death will be hold next Tuesday.