CHINESE SLAIN FOR GOLD

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 410, 19 July 1928, Page 1

CHINESE SLAIN FOR GOLD

Central Otago Crime

WIDE NET SPREAD FOR MURDERER

Press Association,

DUNEDIN, To-day. ROBBERY has definitely been established as the motive for the murder of the Chinese, Jo Shum, in his hut at the Kyeburn gold-diggings, near Naseby, Central Otago. The man suspected of the crime was seen yesterday in Ranfurly (about 10 miles from the scene of the crime). A big police net has been spread throughout the district.

Gasping that he had been shot three times, Joe Shum, a Chinese, rushed from his hut at the Kyeburn diggings yesterday afternoon to where his mate. Sue Pue, was cutting wood, and collapsed in his arms. Shum, wh ois thought to be between 48 and 50 years of age, died this morninc as the result of his wounds. According to details that have reached the police district headquarlers Shum’s companion, Sue Pue, had <r on e away to cut wood before the shooting. A man arrived at their hut it 1 p m., on Tuesday, and was given a cup of tea. He then demanded money, but there was no money in the hut. The man suspected of the murder obtained 19 hours’ start through the murdered man’s Chinese companion, Sue Pue, being too frightened to carry to Kyeburn the news until next morn"in fear and trembling he stayed behind the closed door of the hut, afraid

to venture out in the dark. He arrived at the Kyeburn Hotel yesterday morning, having left the body of Shum in the hut. Constable Pox, of Naseby, and a doctor immediately proceeded to the scene, arriving at the hut some time before noon. It was thought that Shum had then been dead four or five hours. There was a bullet in his right arm, and another in his throat. A third bullet had entered below the left breast and passed out through the left thigh. Robbery has been definitely established as the motive for, after the shooting, Shum’s hut was ransacked by the assailant, who had demanded £IOO from him. The story of the dead man’s mate, Pue, is that about 1 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon a man who had visited the camp three week’s earlier, arrived and was given a meal. He then said he was a policeman inquiring about the killing of another man and the theft of £2OO. Shum was accused by him of this crime. Having ascertained that Shum had a rifle and ammunition the visitor picked up the rifle, suggesting that he and Shum should go out after rabbits. Pue, in the meantime, going away and chopping wood. Later he heard shots, then Shum struggled to him grievously wounded, telling him that the man had said he would kill him unless he gave him £IOO. Shum had handed over two ounces of gold, whereupon the murder took place. The man suspected was seen in Ranfurly on Wednesday, where, it is alleged, that two ounces of gold were sold to the bank. A big police net has been spread throughout the distriet. Kyeburn diggings is an old golddigging settlement in the Maniototo, and is about 106 miles from Dunedin, in the heart of Central Otago.