A MYSTERIOUS CASE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3704, 7 January 1891, Page 2

A MYSTERIOUS CASE.

The particulars of a most mysterious case are reported from Sydney. On Thursday last a plumber in the employ of Messrs Keating and Co., of Elizabeth street, was engaged in fixing the cistern of a urinal in a bearding house situate at 412, Pitt street, and occupied by a woman nailed Eleanor Vannoven, when he carA across a large number of spurious 'cßyßand a quantity of gold dust and cop»r filings. Actuated by curiosity accolding to his own statement, he tore away one or two of the ceiling boards, and in the space between the ceiling and the roof discovered a human skull wrapped in a calico bag. The flesh still adhered, to the bone, but it was in a mumified condition. He showed the skull to a boy who was working with him, and having completed the work reported the Btrange discovery to his employers, who in turn reported it to the police. Extra- 4 ordinary supineness appears to havol been shown by the latter, and it « not until late the following day tbjfl two detectives visited the house found the skull gone. It appears soon after the plumber had matter to the police a man MessrßKoating and Co'sestablisbmflH represented himself as a and obtained full particulars discovery. He then visited the where he repeated the statement be was a member of tbe force, and after inmates took possession of tho and left. The real evidently so much surprised impudence of the man that 10 further steps to solve the it that time, but to-day they b the house and made an <f tho place where the f«und the skull. They Uwt the slight wall divided the attics of houses •lrZ and Ho had removed, and in the 11) ceiling and the roof tli'y found an old coat llfa housHis also a s3tplishme a tl and Mq-Matian.fillet, whcrb^^^^B

occupation for some time, but has ut recollection of the ceiling "over th bathroom and urinal Having beei opened, The detectives now male the extraordinary statement that fo some time past they have beei shadowing a man who lived in one o these houses, and whom the; suspected of having some years ag< been connected with a bush-rangin< ' ga»which was never caught. Thei / sujfrvision of this man has been s< stringent of late that they suppose he knew they were watching him k and hid the skull, whicli was probably atrophy of the old outlaw days, it thffplace where the plumber found it : - They are now endeavoring tc ascertain this man's whereabouts. II is stated that one officer of the department is to be suspended ir consequence of the way in which the case has been conducted.