The Severed Hand Mystery.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2195, 15 January 1886, Page 2

The Severed Hand Mystery.

Exhumation'of Mrs Eayner's Body. •'

As was expected, the authority to exhume the body of Mrs Rayner, who was buried on the 25th November last, for the purpose of ascertaining whether the hand found at Sumner beach, near Christchurch, belonged to it, arrived by mail last night, and Sergeant Price immediately made arrangements for the exhumation. The work was done by two men, who started work at 10.30 last night, and by midnight the coffin was exposed. The lid was raised by Mr Jago, the undertaker who had buried the body, and. it was found that the body was intact, The're- ' interment was, of course, immediately proceeded with. There is a theory afloat that the hand is that of Israel Bassendale, who was drowned in the Ruamahunga about the middle of December. It. is stated that Howard left Masterton on the day following the funeral,'.and that he had just sufficient time to reach Christchurch when the hand was discovered on the beach. This is, of'course, mere conjecture, but it is not improbable that Bassendale's body will also be exhumed. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

; Chistchuch, January 14. It has transpired- that the body of a female lunatic, who died at the Sunnysido Asylum early in October, and buried in the Addington cemetery, was exhumed before daybreak on Monday last, to ascertain whether the severed 'hand had beeri obtained from it. Tho corpse, however, was not mutilated.