SHOT TURK MYSTERY

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 November 1931, Page 9

SHOT TURK MYSTERY

ACCUSED OF MURDER LONDON, October 1. Edward Cullens, who was first detained in London and afterwards taken by Irish detectives to Belfast, was charged yesterday at Carrickfergus with the murder of Ahmed Musa, who was found naked and shot in a field near the town. After the case for the Crown had been opened and some evidence given Cullens was remanded. For the prosecution, Mr. H. H. Mussen, Crown Solicitor, Belfast, said it appeared that Cullens arrived in England from America as one of a party of four. He was an American, and the other three were of Turkish nationality, and Mr. Mussen believed they were' Mohammedans. The principal member of the party was Zara Agha, who represented himself to be 156 years of age. The second was Assim Ridvan, and the third Ahmed Musa, the dead man.

They had entered into an agreement to form a sort of syndicate to exploit Agha as being the oldest man alive. Each was to take a percentage of the profits. The idea was that Agha was to be shown at circuses. The party became attached to a travelling circus of Bertram Mills. Two of them, Agha and Ridvan, were regarded as artists and were engaged with salaries. Cullens and Musa were not really engaged by the circus, but were “boosting” Agha. They sold photographs of him and also did odd jobs about the circus, Musa also acted as personal attendant and adviser to Agha. At Wavertree, Liverpool, accused suggested to Ridvan that he (Cullens) and Musa should have a tour round the country to see if they could better themselves.

Cullens borrowed from Ridvan on August 28 a large saloon motor-car, painted primrose arid black. Evidence would be called that Cullen and Musa crossed together, with the motor-car, to Belfast by the Liverpool steamer. Cullens booked himself in the name of “Bernard Berman.” Before leaving Wavertree .Musa had £67 in the Post Office Savings Bank. On the strength of that he borrowed £3O from Ridvan. Arriving in Belfast on August 29 Cullens arid Musa stayed at a lodging house at Donegal Quay kept by Mr. and Mrs. Ryan. CAR TRIP WITH WOMEN

In the afternoon of that day they met a young woman named McGoldrick, and next day took her and a friend, Peggy Murphy, in the motorcar to Bangor. Before leaving the city they found it necessary to go to a garage in Belfast. When there prisoner put his hands into the pockets of the car and pulled out two towels, a pair of gloves, and a woman’s bathing cap. Both Miss McGoldrick and Miss Murphy would give evidence as to the bathing cap. Mr. Mussen added that he thought there was not the slightest doubt that the cap was one which was found on the head of Musa when his body was discovered. Cullens, who went with Miss McGoldrick to Derry on the Monday, mentioned that Musa had plenty of money but was niggardly. Cullens was at Mr. James Mcllroy’s garage in Princes-Street, Belfast, on September 2. The car was taken away the same day, and Mr. Mcllroy missed his waterproof. In the evening the car was seen in Belfast, going in the Cai‘rickfe'rgus direction. The following morning a bloojl stained coat and trousers, with Mr. Mcllroy’s waterproof, were found in a gateway in Belfast. A shoe which belonged to the murdered man was discovered a short distance away. On September 4 the body of Musa was found. He had been shot through the head by a .25 automatic pistol. On September 3 prisoner returned alone to England with the car by the Liverpool steamer and arrived at the circus on the following day. Mr. Ridvan inquired as to the whereabouts, of Musa. Cullens replied, “I separated from him, and he told me he was going to London in company with a girl. Subsequently the police were able to stop Cullens at Hyde Park while returning from .Brighton. The circus had gone to Leeds. In Cullens’s suitcase was found the case for a .25 automatic pistol. In the pocket of the car were the two towels and, gloves which the girls had seen on the visit to Bangor. The bathing cap was missing. A farm labourer gave evidence of finding the naked body of a man, on Whose head was a blue-and-white bathing cap. Rose McGoldrick said that when she was with Cullens at a garage he pulled two towels out of a pocket inside the ; car which he had driven there, and a [woman’s bathing cap fell to the floor. > Handed a blue-and-white bathing i.cap, she said, “That’s it.”