PUTNEY MYSTERY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 November 1926, Page 5

PUTNEY MYSTERY

DEATH OF MARRIED COUPLE-MEAL-TIME TRAGEDY A STRANGE SIDELIGHT. BY CABLE—PBESS ASSOCIATION—COPYBIG tIT LONDON, Nov. 4. Air Roscoe Brunner and his wife were found late last night in Green Cottage in Putney shot dead. Mrs Brunner had a wound in her head and AD Brunner in the body. The two dined at seven o’clock, ordering the chauffeur to call for them at 7.30. When he called he was informed they were still dining, and waited till ten o’clock. When the butler entered he found the couple lying dead over the table in a pool of blood, and nearby a revolver with two spent cartridges. The indications suggest that Mrs Brunner died first and Mr Brunner immediately afterwards. They had been living in a cottage which was the property of Prince Ferdinand of Lichtenstein, while their mansion was undergoing repairs.. The tragedy is a complete mystery. A later message states that exhaustive investigations have .not cleared up the mystery. The couple had arranged to spend the evening at the West End, for which a chauffeur was ordered. Brunner journeyed to Roehampton at six o’clock in response to his wife’s urgent telephone call. The conductor of the bus on which he travelled says that, he noticed his agitated condition. The couple went upstairs to the writing room, where a light meal was served. They engaged in a long conversation. Though there were three servants downstairs no shots were heard. When the maid knocked at the door at the chauffeur’s request, Brunner said, “You can’t come in.” At ten o’clock the chauffeur insisted that his master should be informed that he was waiting.

The cook wont upstairs, received no reply to her knock and entered. She found the bodies. Airs Brunner was fully dressed and wearing a hat.

Airs Brunner is described as a woman of curious temperament. She won some recognition as an authoress, and had four novels published. She was a great social worker and prominent in society. The Brunners had been married 28 years and recently purchased a threestoried 40-roomed mansion at a cost of £20,000. Alany thousands were spent, exclusive of decorations. Only yesterday, Airs Brunner selected large quanties of wallpaper. She attended the house almost daily, so great was her personal interest in it. The Prince of Lichtenstein recently married their daughter, and their wedding was one of the social events of the season. The Lichtensteins are at present on the Continent, end are now hastening to England. The police attribute the tragedy to a brain storm on the part of Air Brunner, -who has recently been overworking in connection with speculations entailing heavy losses. It is revealed that Air Brunner’s resignation as chairman of the company was a sequel to a disastrous deal between the company aud another great firm, the outcome of which was that the Brunner Alond Company was compelled to pay £1,000,000. For this Air Brunner accepted the entire blame. Air Brunner’s financial affairs are in perfect order and his estate is worth at least £1,000,000.

A . curious coincidence is that Prince Johann Leiehtenstein, aged 87, is reported to be seriously ill at Geneva, where crowds about the palace are praying for his recovery. Prince Andreas, his nephew and heir, married Aliss Shelagh Brunner in 1925. The Daily Express understands that Air Brunner shot his wife and then committed suicide on account of the action taken by his wife in connection with his business affairs. She is known to have quarrelled with her husband thereon, and long sought to dominate him... The couple became estranged, and Mr Brunner had only visited his wife at occasional wek-ends since July. Matters reached a crisis when the merger prospectus was issued and Mrs Brunner called at the offices of the Daily Telegraph and of a financial paper.

VISIT TO NEWSPAPER. OFFICE. MR. BRUNNER’S COMPLAINT. Received 9.15 a.m to-day. LONDON, Nov. 5. The Herald throws a strange sidelight on the Brunner tragedy, which is more significant because Brunner resigned the chairmanship of the Brunner iMJond Company last June owing to ill-health. Late on Monday night Mrs Brunner called at the Herald office and showed the night editor a copy of a financial paper giving an account of the merging of BrunnerMond’s and other chemical companies, and pointed out that her husband’* name was omitted. She added: “It is a shame, a scandal, and a disgrace that, after having toiled for 28| years to build up the company, he is now thrust out.” She declared that he was not a Socialist, but was concerned for the workers in the business. “We loved them and maintained personal touch, but combines are soulless,” she said. She concluded by saying that her husband did not know that she had visited the Herald. He was at home dinning on eggs and bacon. He was a man of the simplest tastes. Referring to the waiting motor-car, she said: “I don’t know how long it will be ours.”