PUKEKAWA MURDER

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17017, 14 December 1920, Page 7

PUKEKAWA MURDER

THORN TO BE EXECUTED. (PRESS ASSOCIATION , TELEGEAM.) AUCKLAND, December 13. Tho Executive Council decided this afternoon that there was no .reason tointerfere with the sentence of death passed on Samuel John Thorn, on Decomber 3rd, for the murder or Sydney Seymour Eyre, at Pukpkawa, on August 24th". . SUICIDE OP THORN'S EMPLOYEE (rHESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, December 13. James Granville was 'found dead in bed at his farm at Glenmurray on Saturday night. His death was due to a gunshot wound, and there waa a gun alongside the body. Granyillo was a witness in the Pukckawa murder trial. He was tho owner of tho horse Mickey, and Thorn's employer. Ho was nbout 50 years of age. Enquiries showed that Granville committed suicide. Hβ got into bed, tied one end of a piece of cotton to the trigger of a doublo-barrelled gun, and the other, end to his right foot, the muzzle resting in his mouth. Granville was married, his wife residing in Nelson. Thora worked for Granville, after leaving Eyres farm, six weeks before the murder occurred. Granvillo was "an important witness at Thorn's trial on the question as to idontitv of one of his horsos Granvillo left a letter addrei>sed to his solicitor. Financial difficulties, lie said, had been the causo of his suicide. Ho had also been drinking heavily. Mr It. A. Singer, counsel for Thorn, brought tho fact of GranVille's suicjde unde? notice of the Executive, which is meeting here to-day to consider tho sentence passed on Thorn.