KEANE MURDER CASE

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 May 1934, Page 3

KEANE MURDER CASE

INQUIRIES IN UNDERWORLD. SYDNEY, May J. Early on the morning of September 29 last year the body of John Keane, a, bookmaker, was found by the side of the path in a. street at Mascot, five or six miles from the city. There were three bullet wounds in the head, and the man had almost certainly been murdered. The body and clothes were practically dry. though lain had been falling during the night, and the police came to the conclusion that Keane had been lured to a., house nearby and shot there, and that the body had been conveyed by car or otherwise to the spot where it was found.

The writer described the circumstances of the crime in detail six months ago, but the authorities seem to- have got. no nearer the solution of the mystery yet. The police have been on the trail of certain men whom they suspect of being connected with the crime, and the inquest has been adjourned several times at their request to enable them to complete their operations. However, on the last occasion when the coroner granted a further adjournment, he pointed out that there must lie some finality to such proceedings, and further that the delay was pro jufl icing the interests of the widow, who naturally wanted to get the estate wound up. The police agreed that they would not ask for an adjournment beyond April 30:■ but when that day came, they were compelled to admit that they had not yet been able to complete the chain of evidence that should enable them to lay a definite information against certain suspects.

“Tho police,” said the detective in charge of the case, “do not wish to bring any further evidence before Ihe Court at. this juncture.” He complained 'that the men suspected of complicity in the crime had erected “a. wall of silence" to his investigations, and till this obstacle was overcome, nothing further could be done. It. should be mentioned here that a revolver was found about 1(10 yards away from the spot where the body was discovered, and that a ballistic expert, had shown that, the bullets which caused the death wounds had been fired from this weapon. ’The coroner therefore brought in a verdict of malicious murder against persons unknown, and there for the time the ma:tor rests.

But the police have by no means given up hope of solving the mystery. They have certain men in view, and in spite of the power of terrorism and the rigidity of the case of silence, in the “underworld” they believe that clues they have already in hand will ultimately lead them to their goal.