GHASTLY DISCOVERY AT MERCER.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 231, 1 December 1916, Page 2

GHASTLY DISCOVERY AT MERCER.

Headless Body Found. The sensational discovery was made at Mercer yesterday morning of the headless and decomposed body of a man. The remains were found about half-a-mile north of Mercernear what is known as the old tunnel-in a clump of willows on Mr P. Kelly's farm and a few yards away from the railway line, by a railway shunter named Austin Ullrich who lives in a whare near at hand The police were communicated with, and in the absence from duty of Constable Horan, who is on sicl; leave, Constables Taylor and Miller arrived from Tuakau and Pukekohe respectively. Accompanied by a " Times " reporter, they proceeded to the spot and found the body in a sitting posture on the ground, the head having apparently been shattered by some explosive material. The body, which was clothed in a blue suit of decent type, had reached an advanced stage of decomposition and very little -flesh was attached to the bones. In one of the pockets of the deceased's clothes was an undischarged plug of dynamite with fu-e attached, together with a sum of 3s OJd in loose cash and a purse containing 14s 9d in silver, and also the return half of a Btcond-clasi railway ticket issued from Auckland to Papakura bearing the date of October 24th last. Portions of the skull and the remnants of a black felt hat were found some six feet away from the body and alongside the trunk was a celluloid collar and blaok bow. A practically new pair of boots formed the deceased's footgear. There was no clue to the man's identity nor was it possible in the absence of the head to gain any idea of the deceased's age. The remains were conveyed to Mercer. It is assumed that the man met his death whether by accident or by suicide by means of a dynamite plug similar to the one discovered in his clothes, the explosion of which shattered his head. INQUEST OPENED. The inquest was opened at noon to-day, at Mercer, by the District Coroner (Mr 0. Koadley), Sergeant Cowan being ptesent representing the police. Evidence of the finding of the body was given by A. Ullrich, who mentioned that at no time had he seen the deceased in the vicinity. The witness added that for some weeks past he had detected a stench near where he discovered the corpse. Constable Taylor deposed to examining the body and to making a search around the spot. He found small pieces of the skull hanging to surrounding trees and a larger portion in the grass some distance off. The collar and tie he found bore marks as if forced off the deceased's neok by some violent means, such as an explosion, whilst a hat near-by was in ribbons and bore traces of similar violence.

The Coroner adjourned the enquiry to a future date for resurnptjpn at Pukekohe in order to give the police opportunity of making enquiries as to the identity of the deceased.