ANOTHER AUCKLAND SENSATION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3441, 22 March 1920, Page 6

ANOTHER AUCKLAND SENSATION.

SEQUEL TO INQUEST.

BODY IN THE HARBOUR.

STORY OF MISSING BANKNOTE.

.In’ceresting developments have occurred in connection with the discovery in the harbour on Wednesday morning of the body of an Australian trooper, William Henry Markwick Sim. Subsequent to the holding of the inquest on Friday afternoon, it was discovered that a £IOO banknote, known to have been in the possession of the deceased a week ago, had been cashed by another person, whereas only £4 1/9 was on the body, Thereupon the Coroner (Mr J. E. Wilson, S.M.), deemed it expedient. to stop the interment of the corpse, and order a post mortem examination. Examination‘ of the head revealed marks which may have been caused Iby a blow or a fall, while it is understood that there Were other indications not, inconsistent with a theory of foul} play. ‘ I

A further development is the -arrest, on a charge of theft of the £IOO n‘6te, of Oscar Paul Fairburn, aged 32, who was a. fellow-passenger of-the deceased by the Ulimaroa, from Australia, ‘As the matter stands at present the inquest is adjourned, and Fairfiurn remanded in custddy on the theft E-barge. THE INQUEST STORY.

At the inquest proceedings, ‘conducted at the morgue on Thursday by Mr J. E. Wilson, S.M., Fairburn was the first witness called. He stated} that he was a wool-dresser, at present I residing at the People's Palace. He ‘was a passenger by the Ulimaroa onJ ‘March 8, and Sim came over with him. He had known the deceased pridr to’ that. They stayed together at thel People’; Palace from the Bth to the 11th March, Sim leaving on the latter ‘ 'da’Ee. He had seen the body at. the ‘morgue, but it was too far decorn-1 posed for him to identify it. He could ; detect a faint resemblance to the man ‘ Sim. He had seen the clothes taken from the body, and they were similar to those worn by Sim. The watch, pouch, and Australian returned soldiers badge (produced) he h-ad seen in the possession of the deceased. Sim drank a good deal of liquor on the ship. He told witness that he had a brother on a farm somewhere about Brisbane, and that he was a single man. “I do not know what money he had,” continued the witness, and he added that deceased seemed to him not to be well-balanced mentally. Sim wanted witness to go out in a car with him on the 11th, when. he was- leaving the People’s Palace, but he refused.

THE £IOO NOTE. V The next witness, Joseph Benjamin Hildreth, manager of the People’s Palace, deposed that on the Bth Sim booked at the Palace. He was very ec_centric, and owing to his behaviour, ‘_witness told him on’ the 11th ‘to ’g'ét other lodgings. Witness had also seen the body, and had been unable to identify it owing to decomposition. Witness gave evidence as to the simhilarity 'of the clothing and the build of‘ the body, and identified the badges. On the morning of the Bth, when siml booked the room, he tendered a Com-‘ monwealth bank note for £IOO, but, ‘Witness could not change it, and the man said he would wait. Next day and again on the 11th he tendered the note, and witness advised him to go to the Bank of New Zealand to change it. He refused to do so. Sub; sequently the deceased was in the Palace acting in a very strange manner, and ordering people about, Witness persuaded him to go out, but he returned twenty minutes later—'y\'ith a taxi. He then tendered witness an old Bank of New South Wales £1 , note, in payment of his board,_but did not say whether or not he changed the £IOO note. Later in the eyening he ‘returned and demanded lo_dg_ings, but

was refused. AN EARLY MORNING CALL.

On the morning of the 12th, about three o’clock, he again came back and renewed his request, but witness again declined to give him lodgings. Describing the taxi, witness said it was a light-coloured one. driven by a young man. When Sim paid his bills‘ saw only the £1 note. Dece'a.sed'had a light-coloured soldiers’ kit-bag, and a suitcase which appeared new. The pouch produced was like the one in which he had the £IOO note. Mr Wilson then adjourned the inquest. A CURIOUS SEQUEL. ‘After the inquest proceedings there was a curious development. At the Police Court siitting yesterday morning it transpired that a stowaway found on‘ the Makura was in possession of a bank draft. for £750, and when the police went to the bank to

rmake inquiries regarding Sinltxsg £IOO note it was discovered that -a £IOO note of the same hank issue had been paid by the bank five mifiiifes previously as part nbank exchange for the stowaway’s draft which he had cashed to pay his fine. The réEovery of the note Wzus a. simple matter under the circl'lmst-ances. and further inquiries made by Sergt, Scott led‘"to the arrest. of Fail‘bllrll. Thereupon the Coroner ordered the stoppage of the inquest, and the holding of 3; postmortem examination, with the result already stated. CHARGED IN THE COURT.

At the Auckland Police Court this morning, Oscar Paul Fairburn, a clean-shaved young man, of medium build. was charged before Mr J. E. Wibson, S.M., with the theft of the note. Chief Detective McMahon asked for a remand until Friday next. and remarked that the case was one that would require ' considerable investigation, and he might find it necessary to ask for 2. further adjolll'nm(=.ul’.~S'i'al'.