A MYSTERIOUS CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2902, 3 December 1895, Page 2

A MYSTERIOUS CASE.

Yesterday’s Timaru Llera'ld says: —A number of circumstances from wnich it is inferred that a man named John Muruay Mc'-anghtou was drowned in Caroline Hay while bathing on Saturday evening, occupied the attention of the police and others yesterday. It has been ascertained that John Murray MeNaughtou, a farmer aid drover occupying a farm on the i-Lakalm river, not far from Temuka, came into town on Saturday, intending, before r darning home, to visit a brother, Mr William McAanghtou, who lives at

Salisbury. Ho .spoke lo a neighbour of the latter’s on Saturday about going to Salisbury, possibly that night. Ho had dinner and tea at Mrs Taylor’s Timaru Restaurant, where he was well known, and there spoke of going to Salisbury next day At the tea table ho spoke of going for a bathe, and after ten he asked one of the girls for a towel and was given one. Ho wont out, and is not known to have been seen again. No surprise was fib t ibis at, the heard in.; -house, as it v, as supposed that McN anghton had mot ii i it In- brother and had gone homo with him. On Sunday morning a full suit of chillies ami a Imul vine found on Hie rubble at ill • north end of the Heiivonue e'.iii', and a-, there was mi one seen about t> whom they could belong, the police were made ac uain.'ed with .ho fact, and tHo cloibct vero fetched to the police s ation. In me pockets of the coat wore h i icis and other documents belonging to M Nanghton, and a cine was thus given to tlu-ir ownership, .and evidence that tile unlortunato man, in ignorance of the dangers of the place, had lost his Mein attempting o hatha oil’ the WaiiiiataM.i spit, ..r from the nibble bank at. this end of it, H he w.-nt in from the spit, the bottom is rough and steep and of slippery day, oil' lbs rubble probably still deeper and rougher; and on Saturday Uune was a considerable sea oiij so

that the swift nn lortow would be sufficient to make it impossible fora mao to keep his footing on such a bottom. It is known that McNaughton could swim, but the cleverest .swimmer might be unable to effect a landing on the beach there. There is no mom to doubt that the unfortunate man lost his life through seekiug a secluded spot for a dip, and selecting one of the most dangerous places in the neighbourhood. Ho effort was made to recover the body by dragging yesterday, as it was held that the nor’- wester blowing would prevent a boat being conveniently handled for the purpose. A messenger was sent by the police for Mr W. McNaughton, and he at once came in. From him we learn that the missing man was from 30 to 35 years of age, and that ho was doing fairly well, owning 1000 sheep or so. They have no relatives iw the colony, but have brothers and sisters and mother living in the Old Country. Deceased was in good health and good humour on Saturday. That John Murray McNaughton has been drowned by misadventure there seems to be no room for doubt; there is no mystery so far. But when the clothes found at the Beuvenue cliff came to be examined, an element of mystery was developed. Mrs Taylor’s daughter identified the towel as the one she gave to McNaughton; but, notwithstanding that McNaughtou’a papers wore found in the pockets, the clothes are not his. They are smaller than a man of his size could wear, are more soiled and worn than a man in his position would wear, and several persons are confident that they are not the clothes he did wear on Saturday evening. Mr McNaughton was seen to have some money, several notes, and some silver in his possession on Saturday; and there was none in the pockets of the clothes found. If these were McNaughton’s clothes, the pockets had been rifled for money; but everything about them seems to point to the conclusion that someone passing effected an exchange of outfit, taking the missing man’s money to boot. The clothes found consist of a tailor-made suit of brownish tweed, coat and vest half worn, trousers much worn and very roughly patched; light-colored fine-tweed hat, old and soiled; white starched shirt, old and frayed, ticketed “ Drummond & Glassou,” linen collar, old pink flannel undershirt, ditto grey socks, and in place of the laceup boots worn by McNaughton, a pair of “shearer’s” leather slippers. It may be suggested with a show of reason, that whoever effected theexchange was carrying his own property in a bag or swag, because the slippers left have not been walked on much since they were soiled in or about a sheepyard. Under the heel of one of them there ia stuck in the dirt some short wool, which, with the dirt, would have worn off by very little walking on a dry road or on shingle. Last night’s S.C. Times says:—“The foregoing was written on the information available yesterday. To-day facts have come to light which load to the conclusion that McNaughton has not been drowned, id not go for a bathe, and did not even lose any clothes, but that he prepared a little plot to mislead people as to his whereabouts, and that ho went away by the steamer Omapere on Saturday evening. A person unknown at the office took a ticket by the Omapere, apparently for someone other than himself, in the name of John Murray, and said he had to send a dog by Murray as far as Lyttelton. Ho was told he must see the chief officer about the dog. It has been ascertained that McNaughton put a dog on board the steamer, about six o’clock, and that heremarked to the person who assisted him that he (meaning himself) was not a good sailor, —as though he was about to put himself to another test. Later, about G. 40, the same person saw McNaughton going over the Strathallau-street crossing towards the wharf, carrying a macintosh and bag. The police telegraphed to Lyttelton about the case, but nad not up to 3 30 p.m. received any reply. Mr W McNaughton went to Kakahu tins morning, and learned there that his brother came to town in a good suit of clothes ; and also that he brought a pair of slippers with Mr J. M. Naughton alluded to in the in the above reports is well-known in the Temuka and Geraldine districts, having resided here for many years. Ho always took a keen interest in local affairs, and has been at times a member of the Orari and Winchester School Committees, a director of the Temuka Caledonian Society, etc. From inquiries we made yesterday wo learn in addition to the above, that Mr Naughton invited a friend at the boai ding-house to go with him for a bathe (from which ho did not return), but the friend excused himself on the ground that it was too late. The cdrlwho gave Mr Naughton the towel is of opinion that it has been used, and this is of course against the theory that Mr Naughton has been drowned, as it, points to his safe exit from the sea. The girl also saw him count his money, and says ho had with him about £5 and a silver watch. Neither money nor watch were found with tho clothes. With regard to tho clothes it seems absolutely certain that the garments found were not those worn by Mr Naughton at the time he loit Taylor’s boarding-house, and the theory that bis clothes and boots were taken by some passsor by, who loft other garments in their stead is a very improbable one, as any person capable of stealing tho clothes, money, etc., would not leave other clothes and boots in their stead, thereby affording a clue which would probably lead to his detection,and possibly lead to his arrest on a charge of murder. Mr Naughton oas many friends in the district who would sincerely regret his death by such a misadventure as is supposed to have befallen him, but we hope and expect that he will yet turn up may bo mentioneu that neither on Sunday nor yesterday were any steps taken by the police to drag the harbor near the scene of the supposed accident.