THE PONSONBY MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2106, 23 March 1920, Page 3

THE PONSONBY MURDER.

ARTICLES FOUND BY POLICE. MONEY, REVOLVERS. AND AMMUNITION. A uc kla ml, Yes t erda y. As a result of investigations in connection with (he murder and robbery a I Ponsonby, the pidice found in a, gully in the vicinity of Howe Street, among a dense growth of blackberries, three large calibre revolvers, a large quantity of ammunition, a burglar's jemmy, a. bout £25 in money, and oilier articles, including Mr Braithwaile’s private keys to Ids office and of Ihe strongroom at the Uonsonby Post Office; also tlit* key'of the front door of Ids residence, a cancelled postal note, known to’ be pari: proceeds of the robbery, and a £5 note. Only’one CO note was stolen from (lie I’osl Office. The articles were contained In three canvas hags, two of them such ns are commonly used in banks for holding coin. The third hag is believed lo be portion of ihe criminal's out fit, known as a sandbag. The detectives also have in (heir possession a handbag (hat: belonged lo Mr Brailhwaile, and which is supposed to have been taken by the murderer when leaving'ids victim’s residence. The hag, apparently, was found lo contain nothing of value, and was thrown over a fence in the vicinity of Mr Braithwaite’s house. As tin* result of exhaustive investigations, it is now believed that Mr Brailhwaile was first attacked when standing in the kitchen facing the mantelpiece, willi his back to the door, which was almost Invariably kepi open when either Mr or Mrs Brailhwaile was at home. On the evening of the crime Mr Braithwaile evidently had been in the house a few minules before lie was disturbed, and had deposited his hat, stick, and hag' in places Ihey were usually, kepi in. He wound up Ihe clock on Ihe kitchen mantelpiece, 'and it is surmised I hat h.e had finished with the clock when a shot was liml at ills hack', which missed him and struck the mantelpiece, Tl is believed lie lurned and faced the back' door, and received I lie Iwo shots' Ihai killed him. The I henry Iha 1 (be first slid missed the victim is su|>porled by tin* slaieineni of a person in an adjoining house, who says a cry wa.s heard after Ihe lirsl slml was fired. Tin' presence of Ihe key of Mr Brailhwaile's resilience among Ihe arlieies recovered by the delccliveon Saturday is accounted for by the fact Dial Mr Brailhwaitc always i arried the key of the front door. This, evidently, was taken from his pockets together willi die post office kevs.