The Onewhero Murder.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 36, 13 February 1915, Page 5

The Onewhero Murder.

SEARCH FOR MURDERER.

WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF ADMISSION BY NORMAN KEALS'.

Per Press .Association. Auckland, February 12

Telegraphing from Onewhero, a Tieraid representative reported that the surrender or capture is hourly expected of the man wanted in connection with the murder of Mrs Edith Emma Reals, and the abduction of her baby. There is now no longer any possible doubt that the man in question is no other than Norman Reals, the younger brother of the dead woman’s husband. Conclusive evidence of the fact has now come into the hands of the police in the form of two letters written and signed by Norman Reals. Last night small groups of men were distributed about to watch every likely spot which a criminal might visit. In an old shanty, in which Mr Leslie Reals and his brother Norman lived, before the former’s marriage, were stationed for the night a constable and three settlers. They had with them a bulldog. About midnight the door was opened from the outside for a few inches, and just as the watchers had begun to calculate upon their chances of arresting the intruder, the hull-dog harked. Instantly the door banged to. BARE FOOTPRINTS ON THE GROUND. The man’s subsequent movements were only ascertained this morning, when tracks of hare footprints showed that Norman Reals, who is definitely known to he without hoots or socks, actually took the risk of walking, or creeping, to within a few yards of the back of the house in which Airs Reals was murdered. Within the residence were several police officers, while others were 100yds away at the side of the house, watching the orchard. None' heard a sound. The night was pitch dark, and it was impossible to see dx yards ahead. CONSTABLE FINDS LETTERS. His object clearly was to have a packet of letters, which was picked up in the rear of the premises by a constable soon after daybreak. The actual contents of the letters dre not available, but a Herald reporter was permitted to cursorily examine the package, and portions of what was written there were read to hif. It is clear that they were indicted during Norman Reals’ recent occupancy of the whare, perhaps last Sunday, the day before the murder.

The inscription on the envelope was; “To those who mourn my loss.” Around the edges a broad inked baud had been made, giving the package a rough likeness to a mourner’s envelope. the two letters being enclosed. One was addressed to the writer’s brother, Leslie Reals, and the other to their parents. The letter to the dead woman’s husband announced that the writer, Norman Reals, was in the old whare, and lie declared his intention of not leaving there again. In the letter to his parents occurred the sentence: “If 1 cannot live here, no one will stop me dying here. I love the old place too well for that.” RELIGIOUS MANIA MANIFEST.

Sprawled in the margin and then over the rest of the letter, were evidences of religious mania, some senteucs and a text, being quoted, including the following: “Hold the tort lor 1 am coming.” “Thy will be done.” “As we forgive others, so will be forgiven.” The entire tone of both letters, indicated strongly a suicidal intent upon the part of the writer. In the writing of th’e letters he had evidently had. lucid intervals, for he endorsed on the letter to his brother the following message, roughly sprawled in pencil; “1 cannot realise that 1 have done this. Forgive me. Put up the white flag at the gate if you want me to come in.”

As soon as Sub-Inspector Alcllveney perused the letters early this morning lie caused a white flag to be flown in front and at the rear of the Reals’ residence, on the chance that the hunted man might act upon the signal in the way suggested in the pencilled message.