PONSONBY TRAGEDY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3439, 19 March 1920, Page 5

PONSONBY TRAGEDY.

NEWTON RESIDENT A-RRESTED.

ACCUSED BEFORE THE COURT.

(Auckland Star.)

A period of feverish activity on the part of the Auckland police in picking up, al‘ranging and following all available clues in connection with what is known as the Ponsonby murder, ended yesterday afternoon in the arrest: of a young man, Dennis Gunn‘, at a; locality in Newton, Within a mile of the scene of the murder. A BUSY THREE DAYS.

On these indications of a boldblooded murder having robbery as a.’ motive, Superintendent Wright was called to the scene, and he at‘ once readjusted the duties of the police’ force so as to release the Wholenof the short-handed staff of detectives at present under Chief Detective McMahon for the murder detail. As finger-print expert, Detective-Sergt. Issell concentrated on getting all possible touch clues obtainable at the post oflice and the house, While De< tective-Sergt. Hammond and Detec-2 tives Cummings, Young ,SWeen'ey. and McHugh, got busy on the genera.l work of detection, with a view of! combining haste with thoroughness.The mass of detail which was gathered during three practically sleepless! days and nights were sifted on Tuesday evening, when the general conclusions were confirmed by the labor-«i atory work in turning suspicion in one‘ ‘direction. The result was that a -house, ‘in Somerset Place. Newton, Was put’ }under close surveillance in the early ‘hours of yesterday morning, and in} ithe afternoon, as Dennis Gunn left the house and walked up Howe Street, }DetectiVes Cummings and Young left their observation post, ranged quietly‘. Fup in step with him, and arrested ;him, Without any resistance on his ipart. While he was escorted to the ‘Newtown Police Station, the rest ofl the surveillance party carried out a.‘ search. of the house, and of some waste land behind the building. ; TOOK THE CHARGE QUIETLY.

The accused is a short-statured, slim young znanilof dark complexion, 25 years of age, clean-shaven, and Witlr well-cut features. When charged by Detective Cummings with having corn-‘ mitted murder, he discussed the mat: ter quietly. He has lived in Auvclf-4.’ la.nd‘practically all his life, being one: of -a~._,Well-known family, and he has resided for some years with other bji-others and his mother at the house‘ which ‘he’ had left just prior tohis arrest. Though not generally known as a waterside worker, he carried a.‘ ‘ticket that indicated _ that his Work was, that of water-sider. About the‘. tirne ofhis arrest he walked with a. slight limp, and on inquiry being made about it, said that he had a. bullet Wound in his left thigh. His explanation was that about a month. ago he?“ was playing with a live cartridge,‘ tapping thegrim of it, when it went‘ off and the bullet went through the thigh, grazing one of the bones. A‘ suggestion that the cartridge Was in 9.‘ revolver at the time Wasscouted .by him. It is’ believed that no revolver‘ was found in the house yesterday by the search part. ‘ HE HID HIS FACE. The courthouse was crowded with‘ spectators when the prisoner was brought before Mr J. E, W'ilson, 5.M.,% yesterday. A considerable numa.

ber of curious people, including Press photographers unostentatiously equip~_ ped with cameras, Waited outside the? courthouse and suzreed round the police van as it made its first appeal” ance with the prisoners on the da,\"s list. of arrests. There was a. general look of pained surprise on the countenance of the five prisoners that filed.-A out of the van to find themselves in a long lane of intensely eager onlookers. As the prisoners made haste to the detention room, the look of puz-i zled surprise was transferred to the -faces of the spectators, who sewed: that there was something wrong. and presently Whispered round that Gunn was being separately brought to the Court. The van left, but about twenty-five minutes later it I'O—alp‘p(~‘Ell'ed, and this time Gunn was in it. The crowd pressed a.round,it as the pris-' oner stepped out. He had uppai-ently noticed the unusual abundance of c{~.:’ll- - for he pl'olll‘ptly pulled his felfi hat down over his face, shifting it toe obscure his features as the f)hoto« graphers shifted and dodged for a.‘ clear shot. On his: return to the a. few minutes later. he obscured his face rather more successfully by pressing a. large lianclkerclzief offer eyes and nose. Wheri the accused came before the m3B'iStl‘2t9, in a Crowrlefl. court-rr~*m.,‘ he was charged that on S&l'[l]'d.‘lY last, he murdered Augustus Edward B:‘::it:l~ wa.it.e, and also that he broke and! entered the Ponsonby Post Office zxwl stole £97. Chief Dv?—t<‘Ci'i\'n I\'iCl\’lz‘:':,loll re-f‘ ~"*-"- ed a. remand till Fl'§d£\_‘,' of next ‘."eok', and his ‘Nrrrsliip -ftc-c:tr~.v‘:i*""‘ '7 ‘ er wats>b::.cl< in the after haafiiig l.,\(>:~‘ll litzlr ~7::n~ ?312!? 8: minute in tlie piihlic 'z*‘T'i'.‘. H