SHOT PUZZLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 4 (Supplement)

SHOT PUZZLE.

SOLDIER'S DEATH.

SCENTED HANDKERCHIEF CETJE

FOUL PLAY THEORY REJECTED

In spile of a sensational theory of foul play advanced at the resumed inquest on a shot soldier, a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was returned. The man, Private Edgard Harrison, 2.1, of the King's Own 'Yorkshire Light Infantry, whose home was in Skipton, Yorka, was found shot on a footpath near Epsom. He was on leave from Gibraltar.

Sergeant Boxall told the coroner that a highly-perfumed girl's handkerchief was clutched in Harrison's left hand. In his right hand was a revolver witli its barrel pointing towards the body. The sergeant searched the vicinity for about 100 yards, but could find nothing to suggest there had been a struggle. The theory that his brother had been murdered was put forward by John Harrison, of Skipton. "I thought," he went on, "that my brother had .-CloO on him, but only a few shillings were found. The girl's handkerchief makes me think that he got into touch with racing people—he was working a successful system. lie told mc in a letter that two men had been following him. "My theory is that they gave him a lift with a girl in the ear. At the scene of the tragedy the girl got out of tiie car and dropped her handkerchief. As my brother stooped to pick it up he was struck behind the left ear, where there was a bruise. They then searched him for his money and. finding the gun, thought perhaps that they would finish him off." The coroner interposed to say that the handkerchief was perfumed, not drugged. There was a certain initial on it. The brother added that his father and mother had no idea the dead man was in the Army. Had Two Pistols. "My mother has her own ideas about soldiers," he continued, "and I thought it would oppress her if she had known my brother was in the Army. While on leave he was staying At the Union Jack Club, but had sent a telegram saying, he was coming home on the Sunday. "In one of his letters to me,"'added Mr. Harrison, "he told me he was buying a gun to safeguard himself." "He had two pistols," remarked the coroner. The coroner pointed out that with regard to people watching him, the dead man was of a suspicious nature. Was it not rather difficult to imagine a man being suspicious allowing himself to be inveigled into strange company? Harrison: Yes, provided there is no girl in the case. If there was a girl, it raiflht have put him off his guard. The coroner went on to state that the dead man's bruises would not. have rendered him unconscious. It had been established that on a visit to Leeds he had shown a young girl a bundle of notes, and ho was known to have left Gibraltar with £57. In spite of the brothers contention that the dead man would not have sent a wire to say he was coming home if he liad not intended to do so. the police still believed there was no foul play. The coroner then recorded a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind.