MYSTERY DEATH

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 236, 5 October 1936, Page 8

MYSTERY DEATH

SHOTGUN WOUND. BODY BY ROADSIDE. AUCKLAND' MAN'S FATE. GIRL'S TRIP IN MOTOR CAR. With a gaping shotgun wound over his heart, the body of Mr. John Reginald Smith, married, aged 31, manager of the British Laundry Co., Parnell, was found dead under mysterious circumstances alongside a fence on the Puke-kolie-Waiuku maifl highway at Runcinian, about 3.30 yesterday morning. A .410 single barrel shotgun, with a discharged shell alongside, was found by the body. Another discharged shell was in the gun .itself. Mr.'Smith's body was covered with his own leather overcoat. A girl of 19 was with Mr. Smith when he met his death. A well-known Runclman farmer, Mr. Alex MacPlierson, made the startling discovery. He had been to a dance at Drury on Saturday night and shortly after midnight he left in his car to take a girl friend home to Patumalioe. When a few yards from the main entrance to his farm on his way home, the headlights of his car shone on a huddled form by the roadside as he rounded a bend. Quickly Mr. MacPherson stopped to investigate. There oil the grass alongside a fence was the dead body of a man, covered with an overcoat and clad in an open tennis shirt and a pair of sports trousers. The face was so distorted that Mr. MacPherson did not recognise it as that of Mr. Jack Smith, whom he knew well. Girl Reports Tragedy. That was shortly alter 3.30, but when Constable T. Holland, of Papakura, answered the telephone, he was able to tell Mr. MacPherson that he knew all about the mysterious shooting and that a police squad was then on its way to the scene. It transpired that the girl who had been Mr. Smith's companion had, after the shooting, driven Mr. Smith's car the 26 miles Auckland and reported the matter to the Newmarket police. After hearing her story the Newmarket police got in touch immediately with headquarters' patrol car, and within a few minutes the patrol car, with Detective Waterson, Constable Maguire and the girl, was racing to Runciman. At Papakura they picked up Constable Holland and Dr. Warren Young, and just before four o'clock they were at the scene of the tragedy. Smith was dead, and had been for over two hours. In her confused and excited state, the girl had led the police squad several miles out of their course before the body was discovered. Within the next hour the chief detective, Mr. S. G. Hall, arrived, and under his direction inquiries into the mysterious death were started. Later in the morning Detective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklejolin took charge and spent the remainder of the day and until late last night investigating.

Seen at Midnight.". It transpired tliat on Saturday night the young girl and her father went to the pictures, and when they arrived home about 11 o'cloelc Smith's car was parked oufsida their home in Epsom, with Smith asleep inside it. The girl, with whom. Smith had been friendly for iseveral months, recognised the and owoke Smith. After" some discussion Smith and the girl drove to the vicinity of his home at 9, Buckland Road, Epsom, Shortly after .midnight a maid employed to look after Mr. and Mrs. Smith's three children passed Smith going out -as she was • going ,-in. He had something in his left hand, but she could not determine what it was. "My boy friend and I were coming home after a dance," said the maid. Mr. Smith said to us, 'I suppose you people will see the sun rise,' and passed on. My boy said he was certain Mr." Smith had a gun in his hand, and he was sure he could see somebody in the car near, the front gate." , -ft i" 3 understood that information gathered by the police suggests that after leaving his home, Smith and the girl drove along the Great South Road to Runciman, stopping at Otahuhu on the way to buy some benzine. About 300 yards down the Pukekohe-Waiuku Road Smith stopped the car. They had been there some time when Smith got out. It was then about 2 a.m. After walking a few paces he fired a shot to test his shotgun. A few minutes later another shot rang out, and Smith dropped dead.

Drove to Auckland. Apparently panic-stricken, the ffirl covered her friend's body with his overcoat, laid the gun and a discharged shell alongside, got into the car and drove hurriedly back to Auckland. MacPherson's house was only about 200 yards away, but she apparently did not see it. She drove on through the night, past a doctor and the police station in the main street of Papakura and apparently did not stop until she reached Otahuhu, where it is known she bought some benzine from the Passenger Transp<*rt Company's bowser. She mentioned to the attendant who served her that there had been an accident and then drove on to Auckland. It was about 3 a.m. when she reached the Newmarket police station and told her story. Police activity started immediately, and in the course of their investigations detectives found a hole in the ground about 10ft from the body, where apparently the first shot had been discharged. They dug up the turf and carried it away. Although two shots were fired about the time of the tragedy, it is stated that nobody in the MacPherson homestead, about 200 "yards away, heard a sound. Inquest Opened. Little light could be thrown on the death of Mr; Smith by his father, Mr. Harold Seaborne Smith, who gave evidence of identification at the opening of the inquest before the coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., this morning. DetectiveSergeant Meiklejohn conducted the preliminary inquiry, and after the evidence of the father he asked that it be adjourned sine die. "I last saw him at 10 a.m. on Saturday," said Mr. Smith, sen. "We were in business together at the British Laundry Company, 119, Parnell Road. He told me on Saturday morning that everything was all right in connection with the business, and I went home. When I left he was in his usual spirits. He enjoyed good health. At no time have I ever heard him express any intention of committing suicide. As far aS * his financial affairs were Tn -T> He a 8 a Buried man,''living ' Auckland.' Road, Epsom, with his V e »l atl j three children, aged eight, \ vel™ a f Her was -either 30 or 31 \ years of age."