ANOTHER N.Z. MURDER!

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 November 1931, Page 7

ANOTHER N.Z. MURDER!

OLD MAN AT PICTON . ROBBERY AS MOTIVE [pub press association.] BLENHEIM, November 6. Investigations into the death of an old man named James Flood, who was found dead in his two-roomed house in Canterbury Street, Picton, have led to the belief that he was brutally murdered, the object of of the crime being a large sum of money, which now seems to be missing. Flood, who was a bachelor, and 76 years of age, lived alone. He was last seen alive at 8.30 o’clock on Tuesday night last. Not having seen the old man about after that, his neighbours communicated with the police, who made an entry to his house by a window, and they found his body lying on the floor of the living room, with the throat cut.

All of the evidence, at this stage, pointed to suicide, but investigations since are believed to have put a different complexion on th matter. In the first place, it has been discovered that tlie back of deceased’s skull had been smashed in, and that the wounds in Wie throat were so savagely made that actual bones were severed. In addition, the police found the one door of the place to be locked, and the key to., be* missing. Subsequently the police recovered the key from the Picton Croquet Club’s lawns, where a member found it on Wednesday afternoon. The key had evidently been flung on to the lawn from the road. The Croquet Club’s premises are over a quarter of a mile from Flood’s house. The old man had three nephews resident in Picton, and one of them stated that he had helped his uncle to fill in his unemployment return a week ago. In this paper Flood showed his year’s income at over £l6O.

The deceased was known to posesss ample means, deriving an income from a farm property at Port Underwood, but he had no bank account, and he is stated to have kept his money about him. All that was recovered from his pockets was a little silver. Detective F. Sinclair is in charge of the inquiries, being assisted by Constables Condon and Roberts, of Picton. It is understood that they are being reinforced from Wellington. From the ashes of the fireplace alongside which the body was found, a small pocket-knife/ with one blade open, was recovered, but it seems incredible that deceased’s injuries could have been inflicted, with so small an instrument. A small hole was cut in the door of the house to permit the cat to enter and leave at its will. On the verandah outside there is a trail of bloodstains, but these possibly were caused by the cat.

An inquest was opened by the Coroner, Mr. E. J. Hill, this afternoon, and it was adjourned sine die, after evidence of identification had been heard. . A post-mortem on the body will be conducted to-morrow.