PIHA FIRE CASE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 March 1939, Page 8

PIHA FIRE CASE

SENSATIONAL CLIMAX MAN ARRESTED BY POLICE. ALLEGED TO BE GORDON McKAY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 22. The Piha fire case reached its sensational climax outside a house in Parnell at 10 o’clock tonight with the arrest of a man alleged to be Gordon Robert McKay, aged 43, the Australian hides and skin merchant, who has been missing since the early morning fire at a Piha bach on February 12. Acting on information received early this week that a strange man with a beard had recently taken up residence in the Parnell district, Detective-Ser-geants J. Trethewey and F. N. Alpin made inquiries. They ascertained that a man answering to McKay’s description was living at a certain house. They worked quietly and as the result of careful investigation they decided to wait at the address given. The two detectives waited for two hours tonight and at about 10 o’clock they intercepted a motor-car with three people in it, a bearded man, another man, and a woman. When the car stopped the police officers accosted the man with the beard, who allegedly denied that he was McKay. The detectives believed he was the man and asked him to go with them to the detective office in O'Rorke Street. Upon his arrived there he was formally charged with improperly interfering with human remains and was taken into' custody. It is said that the man who was arrested was dressed in ordinary street clothes, his one distinguishing feature being his beard. Exactly five weeks ago DetectiveSergeants Trethewey and Alpin, under the direction of Inspector R. J. Wara, began their investigations at the instance of three insurance companies who discovered after the fire that McKay was insured for a total of £50,000.

accused remanded DENIES HE IS McKAY. POLICE SAY THEY HAVE DEFINITE PROOF. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) AUCKLAND, This Day. Wearing a bushy beard, G ° r f iol ? Robert McKay, who was arrested last night at a house in Grafton Road, was charged at the S.M. Court today e fore Mr Orr Walker, S.M., with improperly interfering with a human body at Auckland on February 11, and further that at Piha on February 12 he did wilfully set fire to a dwelling house owned by Frank Carew Thomas, thereby committing the crime of arson. The approaches to the Court were crowded and also the portion of the courthouse set aside for the public. “This is the man, your worship, who it is alleged was burnt to death in a bach fire at Piha,” said DetectiveSergeant Walsh. “Another man named Talbot has been charged regarding a dead body and he has been remanded to March 30. This man was arrested only last night and there are many inquiries to be made here and in Australia. I oppose bail on the charge of arson.” Mr Sanderson, who appeared for accused, asked for bail. McKay (turning to a policeman) said: “I am not McKay.”

Sergt. Walsh: “He denies that he is McKay, but there is another method which I need not describe here which definitely proves that he is McKay.” The Magistrate, to Mr Sanderson: “You, I take it, are satisfied that he is McKay because you are appearing for him.” Mr Sanderson: “I won’t say. I am appearing for the accused.” The Magistrate: “He is entitled as a right to bail on a charge of interfering with a body, but bail is discretionary on the charge of arson.” The Magistrate fixed bail on the first charge in a personal bond of £4OO and two sureties of £2OO each, adding, “On the charge of arson I decline to give bail.”

McKay appeared to make an attempt to speak again but was stood down, and a few minutes later was driven off to the police station. Before leaving he asked two detectives for a cigarette but both were non-smokers. Then he asked a bystander who passed a cigarette to him .through the police car window.