ELDERLY WOMAN MURDERED

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25954, 7 November 1949, Page 6

ELDERLY WOMAN MURDERED

0 FOUND IN HOME AT FOXTON

POLICE FORCE ENTRY INTO HOWSE

(New Zealand Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Noy. 6. An elderly woman, Emily Christina Hall, a widow, was found brutally murdered in the kitchen of her home at the cornel* of Cook and Main streets, Foxton, at 10.30 a.m. to-day. when Constable Ballock forced entry to the building to investigate a report that she haa been missing since 11 a.m. last Friday. She was lying on her back on the floor of the kitchen with her head badly battered by a household fire shcvel, but these wounds were not the cause of death. It has been established by the pathologist, Dr. P. P. Lynch, that she died of strangulation and a broken neck. A gag made out of her own oven cloth was tied over her mouth. She was fully clothed. Mrs Hall was 69, and had been a resident 'of Foxton for more than 20 years. She was last seen by neighbours leaving her house at 11a.m. last Friday. She was not seen to return, but a person was seen visiting the house about 3 p.m. The police were busy to-day investigating .this report. An old age pensioner who formerly boarded in Mrs Hall’s house was a daily visitor, and it was he who became suspicious when he found the doors locked and all the blinds drawn on Frid-ay afternoon and Saturday. On Sunday he communicated his fears to neighbours of Mrs Hall, and at his request they contacted her relatives, who notified the police. Inquiries under the direction of Superintendent H. J. Joyce, of Palmerston North, were instituted immediately. Senior-Detective O. S. Power, Detective-Sergeants J. G. Long ana J. H. Alty, and Detective F. Pine, all of Palmerston North, are engaged on the case. Sergeant J. Colclough a fingerprint exoert, and Constable W. Miller, a police photographer, accompanied by the Commissioner of Police (Mr J. Cummings) visited Foxton this afternoon.