OTAGO MURDER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 171, 21 July 1928, Page 10

OTAGO MURDER.

SCENE OF CRIME. IN "NO MAN'S LAND."' WHERE IS THE GUN? roues DO HOT DOUBT SUE FEE'S STORT. i ■ <By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") ' DUN EDIN, Friday. Following on a visit to the scene of : the murder of the Chinaman, Jo Shen, a "Star" reporter shares the general opinion of settlers and investigators that the murder could have been committed only by a man who was in some way familiar with the location of the mining camp. It is tucked away in a forsaken pert of "No Man's Land." Unless a person knew the district, or was guided by • settler, it would he impossible to reach the claim, and a man who was at the camp on Tuesday afternoon, so Sue Pee ■ays, had been there three weeks ago. Still another mystery has to be solved by the police. Where is the gun that was used in the shooting? Until Shen brought the rifle from his room at the request of the visitor Sue Pee did not know of its existence. It is significant that throughout the time he was in the hut the man retained the rifle, talked of murders, and left with the rifle in company with Shen. Microscopical search of the locality has failed to reveal any trace of the rifle which Shen said he had broken. Despite his injuries, he could easily have broken it if he had secured it from the man, but in hiß condition he would not have been able to struggle for its possession. The man either dropped the rifle and fled, into the hut to make a quick search for money, or he departed with the weapon. Sue Pee admits that he was in mortal terror of being shot, and to assuage hi 9 fears Shen told him that he had broken the rifle. ... Any suggestion that the police have doubted Sue Pee's story can be stoutly denied. The Chinese, admittedly, did not immediately go for assistance, but what old man would have enough courage to cross over rough country when darkness was falling, and when he 25* 'hat the murderer was in the

Sue Pee is an aged Chinese, being about sixty years old. He arrived in New Zealand when only nineteen years of age, .and has since lived in the Otago district. He worked for many years on a mining claim in Waipori district. He also lived in Dunedin for a time. He had known Shen for a long time, but it was not till May 24 that Sue went to Kyeburn to work for his compatriot miner, who, he says, has five brothers and three sisters. He is an intelligent, kindly old fellow, but possessed of great superstition of "Gods who watch over the death of their believers." A violent death is the fear of all Chinese who dream of "The happy land bey.ond the Rising Sun." Sue Pee apparently convinced Shen that he was going for assistance. Taking Shen's dog with him, he left the hut, and, despite an exceedingly severe frost, he spent the night cowering under the shelter of some big tussocks, his only warmth being obtained from the dog. which nestled beside him. Even if Su Pee had reached Dansey's Pass Hotel, at least four hours would have elapsed before a doctor from Naseby could have reached Shen's hut. The man. it is believed, was past recovering when his stomach was perforated by the bullet, severe hemorrhage setting in. In Shen's room most of the space was taken up with boxes and a table, with a bed in the far corner. As it was found, save that all the upper garments had been removed by the doctor, the dead man's body lay covered by a heavy pile of old blankets and overcoats. That was as he was left by Sue Pee on the evening of the shooting. The old Chinese had made his injured countryman comfortable, and a kerosene l&mp was left burning on ±M.t a k| e bedside. The lamp was still alight on the following morning, when the doctor and constable arrived. Drawers in the table were opened, and their condition was consistent with having been ransacked. In a small bowl were a few shillings in silver, but this money had been placed there, having been taken from an envelope which had been overlooked apparently bv the murderer. J It is difficult to believe a man of bhen s power and ability at ji u iitsu would have allowed the visitor to 20 away with gold without putting up a fight. The Chinese probably closed with the man, who Sue Pee described as a tall, wiry, person, and shots were fired. The first entered his right arm near the elbow, and another penetrated his breastbone, but the bullet aimed at his abdomen passed clean through his stomach and out of the side of his body. This shot was the fatal one, and it is i reasonable to assume it was the last one fired. The direction of the bullet s allows of no dispute but that the ! Chinese was fired at when he was turn- . ing away to swid a volley.