SHOOTING OF JO SHUM

NZ Truth, Issue 1183, 2 August 1928, Page 2

SHOOTING OF JO SHUM

Police Find Important Clue In Goldfields Murder

VIGIL OF FAITHFUL SHEEPDOG

(From "N.Z. -Truth's" Special Commissioner.)

The tragic demise of Jo Leung Shum, the Chinese prospector, who was murdered two weeks ago near his claim on the Kyebufn gold dig' ings m Central Otago, still occupies the attention of the police department, whose officers are leaving nothing to chance m their efforts to bring the callous slayer to justice.

THE doubt raised as to why Shum, a powerfully-built and active man, did not defend himself against his assailant, lias found a probable solution m the fact that the visitor to the camp on the day of the murder posed very successfully as a policeman. When he accused Shum of the murder of a miner m the district — a fictitious charge — and asked him to produce any firearms he had m his possession, the stranger made a minute inspection of the barrel of Shum's repeating rifle under a pair of binoculars, searching apparently for signs of a recent discharge. Shum's answers to the stranger's interrogation concerning the claim werealso noted, the visitor scribbling m the inevitable notebook as though he were taking a

statement m the approved police style. ■ Shum was an athletically - built man, standing over

six feet m height and weighing fourteen stone, while he was known to have a good knowledge of ju-jitsu.

He also had the reputation of resenting "cheek" from anyone, but no doubt the successful acting of the visitor m the role of policeman accounted for his subjection and restraint.

On the other hand, he may have been suddenly attacked and his strength impaired by the shock of the first bullet which entered his body, thereby rendering him incapable of defending himself against his murderous assailant.

Did the murderer hope to find some hidden treasure or silver horde m or about Shum's hut?

If he did, his hopes were not realized,

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for Shum, unlike so many of his countrymen, kept little money about him or m his home.

The few pounds which were m his possession at the time he met his death were either not Avanted by the murderer or were overlooked.

Shum, it is learned, had a wife m China and had been m the habit of making regular — and, at times, substantial — drafts m favor of some of his people m the homeland.

Looal opinion supports the belief

that his claim was, even up till the present, far more productive than

Shum led his associates to believe, but he was-^-apart from his spasmodic gambling, proclivities — of a

thrifty disposition, a considerable portion of his earnings being transmitted to China.

"Chum's" estate has b3en taken over by the Public Trustee and it is estimated that his assets will materialize to the extent ' of

some £ 200 or

£300,

Though the perpetrator of this fouf

crime must have

been a man well ac-

quainted with the isolated Kyeburn locality, the extent of his likely plunder must have been pure presumption, for Shum confided m no one:

Even his most intimate friends were unaware of his earnings or the amount of gold he had from time to time hidden at his hut m German Gully.

An important link m the chain of evidence was discovered last week, when the search party, under Detective Ben. Farquharson,. found Shum's rifle, with which, it is alleged, the murder was committed.

The rifle was broken asunder, the stock from the barrel, one part' being recovered from a gulch below the track from Shum's hut on the way to Dansay's Pass Hotel.

The other portion was found m the snow tussocks above the track.

Feeling is very bitter m the Naseby district, where Shum was universally respected. •

He was a superior type of Chinese;

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Hidden Treasure

Rifle Discovered

both his countrymen and Europeans paid him a loyal tribute when his body was brought to Dunedin for interment. There was the usual crowd of inquisitive and morbidly curious people, who paid the murdered man and his friends a poor compliment when they had to be reprimanded for their levity at the service m the Carrol Street church. But many of the hundreds who lined the Anderson's Bay road were there to give practical expression of their sympathy for the dead man and silently record their indignation at the murderous assault which had sent him into eternity. Shum was a well-dressed and wellmannered individual, and, while partaking only seldom of the world's material offerings, he treated himself well when he was out. Qn the few occasions that he visited the city, it was the, best of everything lor him, but he was ever mindful of the lonely existence of his friends back m the wilds of Central Otago and never did he return to his claim without dropping something m the way of presents for the few children m the neighborhood.

The faithfulness of Shum's mongrel sheepdog is recounted by Sue Pee, Shum's mate on the claim.

. On the day of the crime, the animal followed its master's erratic course up the ridge, whence he struggled to acquaint Sue of the tragedy.

Unabte to explain Shum's unusual demeanor, the dog licked his hand appealingly and lapped the blood as it oozed from his wounds.

On their return to the hut, the dog

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refused to leave its master, who lay fatally wounded on his bunk.

When Sue left the hut, ostensibly to summon assistance, but actually to seek the shelter of the tussocks and the cover of darkness against a possible return of the murderer, the dog declined to respond to his enticement and had to be led away from its dying master on the end of a rope.

Owing to the large number of witnesses who will be called by

the Crown m support of the mur-

der charge against William John Hardie, who is accused of the crime, it will be some time yet before the lower court proceedings can be taken.

There, is a possibility that — to suit the convenience ,of witnesses—the hearing may take place at Naseby. ''Should the lower court decree that Hardie has a prima facio case to answer, it is extremely doubtful whether the accused will stand his trial at the Supreme Court sessions which open m Dunedin this month. An interesting legal point to be ruled upon by the court m connection with the trial will be the admissibility " as evidence of what Shum said to Sue while he lay mortally wounded.

Excepting the stranger, who, it is alleged, was by that time making his escape, Shum and Sue were the only human beings m the district.

According to Sue's story, as told m "N.Z. Truth" last week, Shum was able to tell him briefly what occurred between him and the Btranger from the time Sue left their company until the shooting.

The ownership of the two ounces of grold sold to the bank at Ranfurly the day following the crime, and the fixing of the' claim from which it came, will be another important feature of the case. It is likely that expert opinion m the form of miner witnesses will be called by the Crown

Lawyer Alf. Hanlon, of Dunedin, has been retained to defend Hardie

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