MOUAT MYSTERY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 March 1925, Page 5

MOUAT MYSTERY

HUSBAND FOUND. IN BRICK KILN. ARRESTED ON MURDER CHARGE. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATIONCHRISTCHURCH, March SL : Frederick Reter Mouat was dis-" covered in a brick kiln on the Cashmere Hills this afternoqn and arrested on a charge of having murdered hi& wife. At an early hour this morning a driver from J. Brightling’s brick kiln saw Mouat asleep in the quarry. He communicated with some of the other workmen, who in turn communicated with the police. About five minutes before detectives arrived Mouat was seen to crawl into the brick chamber of the kiln and he was arrested at the kiln. The men at’the kiln stated that Mount arrived there at two o’clock this afternoon. He walked around and inspected the kiln, and was talking with tliein when Chief Detective Gibson and Detectives Fade and Bickerdike arrived. Detective Fade approached Mount and said: “Good afternoon, Mr;; , Mouat; come outside.” , Mouat surrendered himself without any resistance and. made no statements. Detective Eade told him to cheer up and not look so downhearted on it. In conversation with men at the kiln before the arrival of the detectives Mouat said lie had been on a - fortnight’s holiday at Oanxaru. It is stated that on the day of his wife’s disappearance, February 20, Mouat paw-ned some of his wife’s and his own jewellery. He told the pawnbroker that he intended to take a trip • to Australia and then go to Africa. He said he was disgusted with this country and'was getting out of it. THE MISSING COUPLE.

Neighbours testify that the Mouats lived very happily, together. They axe said to have been always cheerful, and never more so than when they were in each other’s company (says a Christchurch exchange). Mr Mouat is credited • with being an exceptionally good-natured fellow, and hail-fellow-well-met with everybody. Outlie afternoon prior to his wife’s disappearance lie called at a city pawnbroker’s establishment and there pledged a woman’s jewellery besides some of his own. He told the pawnbroker that he had no use for the ' things, and. was to aIL appearances quite calm and collected. “I am quite satisfied in my own mind that Mrs Mount is still alive, and that she is in some part of Christchurch at the present time,” said a neighbour who has had a; good deal to do with the Mounts- since they took up 'their residence in the house in Beckford Road about November 27 last, and were buying it on the instalment System. They had previously bad an hotel in South Canterbury or North Otago for some time. Mr Mouat had told him they had been married about fifteen years. The neighbour said they were a particularly bright, couple and appeared to be Very liappy together, and -, added: “On several occasions the Mouats have told me of financial worries, and I think that Mrs Mouat only went away until such time as her husband could straighten matters out. A - few days after her disappearance Mr ' Mouat went down to Dunedin, where his mother,was tying seriously ill, and' returned on Monday night.” Mr Mouat was lor a time employed as mining engineer in charge of . the, : sluice boxes and the timber supplies at. one of the diariiond mines at JofeCnines-' burg, South Africa. He is stated to lie a steady man and a hard worker. The neighbour who expressed the . opinion that Mrs Mouat is still alive and unharmed, explained further that a day or two prior to her disappearance his wife had seen her in' a eer- -y tain part of Christchurch, hut when the matter was mentioned to her Mrs Mouat . denied that she had been in that locality. Mrs Mouat is a sister of Mr J. B. Merritt, the well-known poultry expert, of Christchurch.