HUMAN ARM IN SHARK

Grey River Argus, 13 June 1935, Page 5

HUMAN ARM IN SHARK

MYSTERY DEEPENS Police Witness Murdered (Aus. and N.Z. Gable Assn.) SYDNEY, June 12. The man who was to have been th<» principal police witness at the inquest regarding the mystery uf the human arm disgorged by a shark at Coogee Aquarium, was found shot dead to-day He was Reginald Holmes, aged 31 Ihe Coronial inquiry which is to com a.'ence to-day. is that into the death of 1 one James Smith, aged 40. a billia-l marker, at Cronulla, about April Sth. The tattooed arm, found in the shark >n th(‘ pool a: Coogee Aquarium was identified as Smith’s by a brother. On Muy l‘Jlh. Patrick Brady aged 42, a shearer, was before the City Court clanged with the murder of James Smith. On May 20th, in Sydney harbour. a boatman saw a launch coming erratically towards him, before 8 a.m., near Fort Macquarie. The man in the launch had his head and face covered in blood. The boatman went-to Circular Quay and notified the police. In the meantime the water police received a call from North Sydnay stating a man had shot himself and scrambled on board a launch and driven out into the harbour. For hours the fugitive evaded his pursuers, and was ultimately overhauled after he made a dash for the sea. The speedboat nearly rammed the police boat amaziiu the occupants : ’ the dextrity with which the wounded man handled his boat. At one stage they had been so out-manoeuvred that, despairing of boarding the fugitive craft, they decided to follow the runaway until his petrol supplies had become exhausted. Ultimately a brother of the wounded man managed to jump on board the runaway and stop the engine. Detectives then brought the man back to Sydney. He was later taken to Sydney Hospital for treatment for a bullet wound in his head. The brother said: “1 jumped into i.is boat and asked him what the matter was. His hair was matted with blood, and he looked ghastly. The police searched the boat for arms, but <iid not find anything. Then they look my brother aboard the Nemesis ami my boat was towed back to Lavender Buy.” The central figure in that harbour

chase of May 20th was the man to-day found shot, namely, Reginald Holmes, one of Australia’s best-known boatbuilder* who was to have been the principal witness for the police at the ('oroninl inquiry to-day. into the shark and arm mystery. He was found mur dered early this morning, in his car al Dawes Point in the City. Holmes vas shot through the left groin am! chest. ’lhe position and nature of the wounds, in the opinion of detectives, definitely establish murder. The po lice believe - that Holmes was killed by someone who had been a passenger in his car. 'l'wo spent cartridges were found ia the car, but no I race of a revolver. After the harbour incident on May 20th, Holmes spent several days in hos pit al under a police guard; but upon his discharge the guard was with drawn. It is considered that the murder of Holmes will have an important bearing upon the police line of inquiry in the James Smith mystery, which inquiry the City Coroner will begin today.

The Police were unsuccessful yesterday in their final search of Cronulla Bay and Bort Hacking, for exhibits for the Coroner’s inquiry Smith, although they had tlie assistance of the Navy and Air Force. Observers in two Air Force planes., equipped with powerful binoculars, surveyed several square miles o.f water. A naval tug with divers aboard, moved after the planes, which dropped buoys whenever they saw anything in the sea which they thought might merit investiga* lion. Naval divers descended in nearly every case.

Police Quest FOR MURDERER OF HOLMES. FINGERPRINT CLUE. (Received June 12 at 9.35 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 12. Five detectives were to-day engaged investigating the mysterious shooting of Holmes. A medical examination disclosed three bullet wounds beneath the heart, and a fourth built, perforated Holmes’ new overcoat. There was no sign of a revolver. The side dt'ir of the car was open. The detectives are all of the opinion that Holmes was induced to drive his own car by another person with a view to a secret conversation at an extremely lonely spot on the waterfront.- and that ho was there shot in the American gangster fashion, from the pocket. Two policemen, patrolling the wharves, discovered the body, the medical opinion being that death had occurred thrOe hours before. It is assumed that the murderer left the scene hurriedly, and escaped towards the city, leaving the car door open, and the headlights on. The fingerprints on the car door are now being examined. No person living in the locality heard any shots. The shots are believed to have been fired while suburban trains and trams were roaring across the harbour bridge.

The police are now following a theory that Holmes was murdered by someone who professed to have an interest in to-day’s inquest.

Inquest on Smith

ACCUSED IDENTIFIED. As ONE OF HIS ASSOCIATES. (Aus. and N.Z Cable Assn.) (Received .lune 12, 10.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 12. There was unprecedented interest hi 'o-day’s inquiry into the death of Janw's Smith, aged 45, whose tattooed arm was disgorged by a captive shark at the Coogee Aquarium, which eventually led to the victim’s identification.

Air Clive Evatt. counsel for Patrick Brady who wa H charged wif.li murdering Smith. submitted that the Coroner had no jurisdiction until Smith’s body, or a substantial part of it, becomes available for a post mortem examination.

The Coroner. Air E. Oram, over ruled the objection.

Mrs Gladys Lilian Smith, of Glads-

ville, a Sydney suburb, gave evidence (hat she was the widow of James Smith, who, at one time, carried on :in Athletic Club. Later on he became a builder’s assistant. He had worked for Reginald Holmes, the boatburdor, at McMahon’s Point, between 1929 and 1933. Then he obtained a position on a boat, called the “Pathfinder.*’ where he remained until February of 1934. AVitness related how her husband became acquainted with t’wo men. They were introduced to her as Anderson or Evans, and AVatsou. Anderson turned out to be Brady, the man now charged with murdering her husband. These men, in 1934 wanted her husband to lend them money, or mort-

gage hi s furniture. ‘Witness refused ■ o allow her husband to entertain the idea. AVatsou had then brandished a revolver and said: ci A man ought to

blow your inside on.-!” Airs Smith, continuing, said that the last time she saw her husband was on April 11. That was a few days before ho told her he was going to Cronulla, and was taking out a launch party for •fishing. Mrs Smith added tha 4 . she possessed her husband’s pocket book, an entry in which revealed that Reginald Holmes owed her husband between sixty and seventy pounds; and that, being penniless, after her husband’s disappearance, she reejuested Holmes to help her from the money she believed tio be owing. Holmes had said how sorry he was at the tragic, news of her husband’s death, a/id handed her an envelope containing five single notes. Mrs Smith then told of a mysterious telephone message that her neighbour had received on April 1.5. a man’s voice saying that Air SmPh would return home on April 15. Afterwards, there came a letter from a n address in Queensland, which contained cryptic phrases, such as “betting” and “rich oil.’’ which, in witness’ opinion, had a double meaning.

Mrs Johanna Molloy, the mother of witness, gave evidence that Smith told her that he was goine- to Cronulla fishing on April 8, and that before he went he introduced her to n man named Anderson. Other evidence given related to the capture of the shark off Congee on April 18 and its violent behaviour nt the Aquarium, prior to its disgorging the well-preserved human tattooed arm. also a. decomposed rat, and n bird.

The inquest was adjourned until to morrow.