THE PUKEAWA MURDER.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3577, 13 September 1920, Page 5

THE PUKEAWA MURDER.

AN ARREST MADE. FORMER MANAGER OF FARM. AUCKLAND, Sept. 10. The arrest was effected on Saturday afternoon at Tankau of a farm labourer named Samuel John Thorn, on a- charge of murdering Sydney Seymour Eyre at Pukeawa on the night of August 24th. Thorn was conveyed to Auckland in custody on Saturday evening, and will be brought up at the Police Court, to-morrow morning. The arrested man is 33 years of age. He is married, but has for some time been living apart from Ms wife and fajnily of six children. While Eyre was on active service for over two years Thorn managed the farm for Mrs. Eyre. In July, Eyre having returned, Thorn went to work at Glenmurray, eighteen mies from the Eyre homestead. He had been working there for about six xweeks when the murder was committed, and during that period had paid three visits to the Eyres. A double-barrelled shotgun and some ammunition were found in Thorn’s -where, and these have been submitted to an expert, whose report is in the hands of the police.

It is understood the authorities are satisfied only one shot was fierd, and that a special kind of cartridge was used. Some pellets found in the murdered man’s room are in possession of the police. It is understood the police investigations established three points. (1) The murder was not committed for robbery; (2) the perpetrator must have been acquainted with the house and surroundings; (3) the shot was fired from-outside the house.