GEMMELL'S CROSSING MURDER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 262, 24 July 1918, Page 6

GEMMELL'S CROSSING MURDER

A MYSTERY CLEARED DP ONSLOW MAYHEW'S BODY FOUND By Telegraph-Press Association. Oamaru, July 23. • Tlio mystery of the strange disappearance of Onslow Mnyhew, accused of the murder of George Swan Burke and the 6hooting at three defenceless 'women at Gemniell's Crossing, near Oamaru, on the night of April 1t,., wns cleared up this morning by the finding of Hayhew's body in the thick gorse on the south bank of the Kakanui River, about a milo and (i half from the scene of the tragedy, between ton and eleven o'clock this morning. ■ Peter M'Auley, a farmer, of Totava, accompanied by liis fifteen-year-old son, was collecting firewood dong the bank of the river. M'Aulcy pushed his way through the gorsc (o a big patch, whero the close undergrowth had been burnt off b.y tho searchers for the missing man, and there, about 150 yards from the bank of tho river, M'Auley enught sight of what he took to be a log or a fallen tree. He was greatly surprised and horrified, however, to come across the body of the missing man.

The body w.is on ite back with the right arm flung out upon the muddy ground. The left hand gripped tightly the barrel of a service rifle, the weapon lying across' the dead man's chest, with the muzzle withiu an inch or two of the chin. The magazine of the riflo wa-s fully loaded. Although the body was very much weather-beaten, the remains were in a sufficient state of preservation to show that Mayhew had shot himself, there being a large hole in. tho left temple and grievous injury to the back of the head. Near the body was an empty methylated spirits bottle. The cork had been replaced in the bottle. Under the body was found a corkscrew, a cigarette-holder, some tallow, and a locket containing a few pieces of een 6en. • It is thought that Mayhew shot himself on the night of tho tragedy. The flames which some days later consumed the scrub in tho vicinity passed the body and destroyed the trousers, charred tho ooat and p, portion of the hat not actually covered by the dead man. The boots were still intact, although tho hces had apparently been consumed in the fire. It ivaS evident that after the tragedy Mayhew had waded across tho river, and plunged into the thick gorso, and but for the burning of the gorse the discovery of ■ the body would not have been possible. Indeed, Mr. M'Auley, on finding the body, had to take the precaution to mark the epot very carefully to enable him to direct the police to the place.

The dwellers on the whole countryside are raiich relieved that the mystery of Mayhew's disappearance has been- cleared ay, but thoughts of the grim tragedy, the subsequent suicide, and the sorry ending of two young lives, one of a man who was expecting the call to the colours any day, and the other of one who had served his Xing and country at Aγmentierea and on tho bWd-stained' Somme, will not readily be effaced from the jnemory of the people of North Otago.