GRIM DISCOVERY OF MURDERED MAN IN WAIROA HUT

Grey River Argus, 18 December 1948, Page 5

GRIM DISCOVERY OF MURDERED MAN IN WAIROA HUT

WAIROA, December 17. A gruesome discovery was made this morning by Mr Charles French, who resides in the vicinity of the locomotive shed at Wairoa. When, a . neighbour, who is in the habit of risking early, did not make an appear■■re, French went to his hut, where the body of Herbert Wil■Tam Brunton, a pensioner, aged 69, ■Tvho has been living apart from his p wife. I Brunton, who was last seen alive I last evening, had suffered five severe ' blows on the head, apparently caused by a sharp instrument, and gave the that one blow would have been sufficient to cause death. French telephoned the police. Realising that death had occurred under suspicious circumstances, Senior Sergeant Mcßae telephoned the Napier police. A party of detectives left shortly after for Wairoa. NEAR ROADWAY K'.' lr -.«■ The scene of the tragedy is not far from the railway station, and is ap2O yards from a road*Way which carries a fair amount of traffic. A small porch, which provides the entrance to the hut, appears to have been the spot 'where the crime was committed, for there was found a large pool of blood. A pjllow soaked with blood was found on the bed in the shack. The body was discovered in a sitting position on the floor, leaning against the bed with the arms hanging loosely. There were five deep gashes visible across the top of the skull. The gashes were so deep that it is probable Erunton was killed instantly by the first blow. A ball of brown paper soaked in blood. ' which was found in the hut, is-believed, from the marks in and - 'on the pools of blood, to have been used in an effort to wipe the blood from the floor. There was no money in the hut, although it is believed Brunton may have had up to £lO in his possession. No New Developments p a WAIROA, December 17. Late this afternoon there were no further developments concerning Brunton’s death. An inquest was held to-day, and after evidence of identi- - flcation by Constable J. J. King, it was adjourned sine die on the application of Senior Sergeant C. Mcpolice have been busily engaged throughout the day making inquiries, and it is understood further reinforce- j ments are arriving to-night, and that investigations will be immediately intensified. wellingto n > Dec . 17 A party of four police officers headed by Inspector J. Bruce Young, left Wellington to-dav for Wairoa to investigate the murder of H. WBrunton. The other three are Detec-tive-Sergeants G. Hogan and G C. Urquhart, and Sergeant J. Cobclough, finger-print experts and photographer.