ECCENTRIC GROCER

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 July 1930, Page 2

ECCENTRIC GROCER

FOUND MURDERED IN SHOP.

The absence of any money beyond three threepeny pieces and three halfpennies is believed to provide the motive for the murder of John Alfred Taylor, aged sixty-five, in a room adjoining his little grocer’s shop at the cornel 1 of Argyle and Fitzroy streets, Fitzroy, on the night of June 6. The police hold the view, believing the stories current in the neighbourhood that Taylor was a wealthy eccentric who hid his money in his house, his slayer expected to reap a rich reward as the result of his crime—and possibly did.

The old mans’ body was found early this morning, when the baker called to leave the day’s bred. It >vas lying in the kitchen alongside an overturned chair,, and there was evidence of other furniture having been disturbed, apparently in the hope of finding Taylor’s money.

Taylor was also known by the name of M. Ryan, because he had never bothered to alter the name painted over his store, and had never corrected any customer or tradesman when he was addressed as Ryan.

His general conduct was that- of an eccentric. He lived alone under conditions which would have been intolerable to any other person. His living quarters were covered with cobwebs and dirt. Scraps of food were scattered about the place and on his table, was a strange collection of nuts and bolts and pieces of old iron.

His bed, which had not been slept in last night, showed that the murder must have taken place just before he was ready to retire. The cover hd been turned back in readiness.

Taylor was fully dressed when found, and kindling wood had been got ready for the morning's fire in the kitchen stove.

The post mortem disclosed a broken jaw, four broken ribs, and bruises on the throat, chest, back, and ears.

There was evidence, too, that Taylor had not time to defend himself, for a shot gun, always kept loaded, was undisturbed near the man’s bed. Taylor was well known to the Fitzroy police, for he had frequently made complaints to them of having been molested by youths who had repeatedly broken his windows and upset the goods in his store. A couple of years ago he obtained permission to keep a revolver, but the neighbours made so many complaints of his indiscriminate shooting that the permit was revoked. The ceiling of his shop and the kitchen show many bullet holes.

Relatives believe that Taylor was a wealthy man, and that he had recently made a. will, hut this has not yet been traced. All indications of his possessing money are confined for the present to an old bank book, showing a credit of £3BO, and this account has'not been touched for at least three years.

' The police believe, however, that there must have been considerable money in the shop last night, as Taylor was known to do his banking only once a week, and his business, although small, was a cash one. A kerosene lamp was burning in the kitchen and the back gate and back door were open when the baker called this morning. The first view of Taylor’s body suggested to the police that the old grocer had taken a violent lit and had died on the floor. It was not until the post mortem had showed such dreadful injuries that they were convinced that he had been murdered.

The people who occupy the house next, door, divided only by a brick wall from Taylor’s shop, heard nothing in the night, although they were up very late and had seen him about 8.30 in his shop. He was then singing.

A strange fact Is that there was not a penny in the till, although the shop was open until 9 o’clock last night and the day’s takings must have been considerable.