BODY FOUND IN MANAWATU RIVER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4413, 11 February 1930, Page 3

BODY FOUND IN MANAWATU RIVER.

INDICATIONS OF SUICIDE

The body of a man, in a decomposed state, was discovered in the Manawatu river at Palmerston N. on Sunday afternoon, jammed under a groyne situated about 300 yards from the Manawatu bridge, on the Esplanade side. The body was removed to the morgue by the police and awaits identification.

At approximately 4.30 o’clock, Frank Stack, a pupil of the Palmerston North Boys’ High School and a boarder at College House was exploring the river bank in the vicinity of the Esplanade when he came upon the body, lodged in the groyne and immersed in water. He was, at first, not sure what the object was but, upon being joined by a party of other High School boys, it was definitely ascertained that it was a body in a state of decomposition. Vance Gibson, a member of the party, notified the police and arrangements were made to convey the deceased to the morgue.

With the pockets of the dark grey suit (Petone brand) filled with stones and the body giving the appearancee of having been in the waer for about a month, the indicaious point to suicide. The corpse is that of a middleaged man—about 45 to 50 years of age —and about 5 feet 5 inches in might, with dark hair and natural eeth.

Practically fully clothed, he was wearing the suit mentioned, grey woollen socks, and black boots about size six, showing signs of having been repaired. In the pockets of the suit was a soft collar, a mauve tie and a silk handkerchief of the same colour. One of the factors that should help greatly as a means of identification is the prominent tattoo marks on the arms and finger.

On the left ring-linger is tattooed a ring. On the right forearm is depicted a Japanese lady with sunshade, a dancing girl standing in front of a white ensign and the stars and stripes emblem, a large peacock crossed bands, a jockey’s head with cap and group containing a sailing ship in front of the setting sun, with a lighthouse and the inscription “Hands Across the Sea.”

On the left forearm is a large palm tree with a snake twisted around it, a woman with flowing hair and attired in a long wide dress, a bunch of flowers and yet another Japanese lady with sunshade.