MURDER MYSTERY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1921, Page 5

MURDER MYSTERY.

GREY LYNN TRAGEDY.

' YOUNG MAN’S DEATH. NO TRACE OF MURDERER. .-r , J™ By Telegraph.-—Press Association. Auckland, Sept. 12. The inquest on Francis Edward Jew, who was found murdered at Grey Lynn on July 17, was resumed this morning before Mr. McKean, S.M. There are over fifty witnesses, and it is expected that the inquiry will last three days. Jew attended a football match on the Saturday afternoon, and was seen on Saturday evening in the vicinity of where his dead body was found, but bis movements after eight o’clock are still shrouded in mystery. Mr. Meredith represented the police, ana Mr. Prendergast watched the proceedings on behalf of Thomas McMahon.

Outlining the circumstances, Mr. Meredith said exhaustive inquiries had been made and 1500 people interviewed by the police. The result of the inquiries had not justified the police in taking action against any individual. The indications pointed to a fatal having been committed on the spot where the body was found, though there were no signs of a struggle, Jew received his wages, £4 10s 6d, on Saturday, and was .known to have had £1 on the previous evening. He had spoken about some bets on horse-racing, one on Saturday, which might have involved a payment of £3, but the police were unable to ascertain whom he made his bets with.

It has been ascertained that on Saturday afternoon Jew, Thomas McMahon and one Newdick had a drink at a hotel, and then McMahon produced a bottle of champagne, that Jew and the two Newdicks subsequently had a drink at another hotel, and that Jew went on to Newdick’s factory in Grey Lynn. Alf Jew (?), who was a particular friend of deceased, called at a stable at 6.30 p.m. to invite Jew to tea, but Jew had left.

He was seen about that time under the influence of liquor. He asked a companion named McGregor to wait till Tom McMahon came, as the latter had a bottle of champagne. McMahon arrived with the champagne, and McGregor left them at 6.45. Jew and McMahon got on the tram, and evidently they got off at Ariki Street and started to walk back towards Grey Lynn. They met three lads. McMahon bought two pies and the party went into the doorway of a shop' and drank the champagne. Jew got sick and wanted to go to sleep. The three lads left McMahon and Jew asleep in the doorway a little after 7 p.m. ,

About 7.30 Mr. Dunn saw two men about a vacant section, but could not identify them, but their relative heights corresponded with those of Jew and McMahon. A lady saw a man whom she took to be Jew on the opposite side from the vacant section at 7.45 pm. That was as far as they could trace Jew’s movements. John Jew, brother of deceased, gave evidence that McMahon told him he was with deceased and McGregor on Saturday night, and that deceased left him to board a city-bound car. Witness asked did he see deceased return to Grey Lynn. McMahon replied that he did not.

INJURIES TO DECEASED. NOT SELF-INFLICTED. FINDING THE BODY. Auckland, Last Night. The Grey Lynn murder inquest was continued this afternoon. Dr. Murray testified that about 12.30 p.m. on July 17 he examined the body of deceased on a section at Grey Lynn. The body was on its back, inclined tq the left, the left arm being outstretched. Witness minutely • described the attitude and appearance of the body and clothing. Describing the injuries, witness stated that the bone of the nose and the upper and lower jaws were broken. The wound extended from the upper lip to the nostril. There was a gash to the bone in the upper part of the forehead, and two wounds also bone-deep were over the right ear, one of them having fractured the bone. The head was resting in a pool of blood that had soaked into the ground, having come from the ears and wounds. The wounds were not self-inflicted. To Mr. Meredith: There was no sign of a struggle at the spot. From the small amount of blood on the overcoat witness would conclude that the coat had been placed over the young man’s legs after he had fallen. He would say that death would have occurred not longer than twenty hours before he saw the body.

Then you think death must have occurred at least before midnight and not earlier than 4 p.m. the previous day?—Yes. Among other witnesses Sheart Alfred Smith, professional fighter, said he lived at the Whangarei Hotel, Wharigarei, but in July last he was living at Vines, Symonds Street. He was with a man named. Prosser on July?l7 last, training with him. They left Prosser’s house in Great North Road, Grey Lynn, at about 10 o’clock on Sunday for a spin along the road, and returned along the* Arch Hill gully and over a hill. Witness then described the finding of the body of deceased with a piece of board lying near it. He added: “I was at Prosser’s house the night before, and we went to the pictures. We all left the house at about 7 o’clock. I think I returned home with the Prossers. We came out of the pictures about nine o’clock and went straight home. We had been in the picture theatre opposite the Strand.’ Mr, Meredith: “What was the picture you saw?” —“Some Italian picture, I think.”

“Did you see the end of that picture?’ —“No.”

“Then where did you go?”—“Across to the Strand, and we could not get in.”

“And then?”—“We strolled down the road to Court’s, and got the tram.” “When you went to catch the tram at Grey Lynn did you see a man under the influence of liquor?”—“We thought he was. He was sitting on a box, and looked half asleep.” “How close were you to him?”—“About twenty-five feet.” “What time did you finally leave Prosser’s to go home?”—“About 11.” “Where did you catch the tram?” —“At the same place.”

“Did you know deceased before?” — “No.” A large number of witnesses were examined at length, with a view to tracing deceased’s movements prior to the murder. The inquiry was adjourned until tomorrow.