THE PAPAKAIO TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8262, 16 October 1906, Page 7

THE PAPAKAIO TRAGEDY.

MARLY SOLUTION OF TBK MASTER* PROBABLE.

As related by the frees Aseocia t.ion telegram yesterday a mau nam «d John Findlay was detained by the police on Wednesday afternoon, pending enquiries as to his movements. At a late hoar the same evenicg lie was placed under arrest on the charge or murder, and on Thursday morning brought before two justices and remanded for eight days, i'indlay was seen hy several residents for a eoupJe of days before the murder, but disappeared frcm view after that. On successive days ho accepted lifts from a grocer's carter, going in the opposite direction ou the second oocasion to that on the first. He told various people that he hrd been a sailor on the Fort Stephen, and left that vessel here, but tho captain says be leftj with a full crew, and without any alteration. At no time does he appear to have been far from Ronnie's residence, and was finally dropped about two miles away in the middlu of the afternoon. On Tuesday, the 9tb, inst., photographs of a number of old frieDds of the police ware shown to several, who picked that of Findlay as the man whom they had seeD. Ue was on Thursday placed among a number of others, and identified by various people as the man they had described. Findlay has a bad reoord, having served at least three terms In Ohristohuroh and Dunedia for housebreaking, forgery, and larceny. Commissioner Dinnio left Oamaru for the North on Thursday evening. Before doing so, he gave a short interview to a representative of the North Otago Times. While reticent on several points, be mentioned that the property missing from Ronnie's house, so far as known, was a gentleman's Torpedo bicycle, of 22in frame, and B.S.A. parts, one gold double case Botherham keyless watch, with monogram on the outside of the case, and an inscription, stating that it was presented from the Parakaio Church choir, and blank cheques on the Bank of Ne«? Zealand, Dunedin, numbered 165545 to 165556 inclusive. Any information about these goods would be of use to the police. The reporter also gathered that the solution of the mystery was not far to seek, from a remark that while there was some mystery surrounding the crime it was uot the most mysterious iu the history of even New Zealand. Findlay had open arrested on good grounds, and the police were fully Justified in their action.

A .Glenavy correspondent writes to the Lyttelton Times:—The Papakaio murder is the engrossing topio of conversation here at present, and many are the theories advanced by a number of budding Sherlock Holmes. It is now generally adinittedjtbat robbery was not the motive, and it is held that the disappearance of the bicyole and the watch are merely attempts to blind suspicion. The discovery of some startling photographs 7 in Mr Ronnie's cause have altogether upset the previous theories of motive, and developments of a sensational nature are anticipated in the near future.