THE REEKS MURDER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16508, 25 March 1914, Page 4

THE REEKS MURDER.

STILL A MYSTERY. WHERE IS RAMSDEN? [From Our Correspondent.] LONDON, February 13. Four weeks havo parked since the body of poor Kent Reeks, the young Australian engineer, was found near the mouth of an abandoned pit shaft at Ettingshall, in Staffordshire, and we are no nearer a solution of tho mystery of how he came by his death. It is known, of course, that ho was murdered and that the instrument of death was a revolver, but where the crime was committed and by whom there is not as yet a trace of evidence to prove. On Tuesday last the Coroner's jury resumed the inquiry into the tragedy, but they could only return a verdict of "murder by some person or persons unknown." Ever since tho body was discovered the police all over tho country have been hunting high and low for some clue as to the place where the murder was actually committed, and for tho man or men who did tho foul deed. They havo followed up scores of alleged clues provided by all sorts and conditions of people only to find themselves arriving in every case at a " dead end." They have not even been able to trace Roeks's movements a yard beyond tho door of the hotel at which he stayed in Liverpool, nor can they discover a trace of the man Ramsden who was his fellow lodger there, and with whom he was believed to be on very friendly terms. The polico have issued pressing invitations to this gentleman to come forward, and those invitations have figured in every newspaper published in the British Isles, but Ramsden has disappeared into thin air. Naturally his failure to answer the police call- has created a suspicion that Ramsden himself may have had a hand in poor Reeks's death. There is, however, not the slightest evidence to connect Ramsden with tho murder beyond the fact that he put up at the same Liverpool hotel as Reeks, and seemed to be on friendly terms with the Australian. That ho left the hotel an hour or so before Reeks did saying that he was going to Leeds is certain, and there is no evidence whatever even to suggest that they met again outside the hotel. The complete disappearance of Ramsden _ is, however, suggestive, and lie certainly cannot blame people for entertaining suspicions, for unless he has shared Kent Reeks's fato it is impossible to believe that he has not become aware of the crime and of the search for himself.

At the inquest it was placed on evidence that Reeks arrived in Liverpool from Halifax, Nova Scotia, by the Empress of Ireland on Saturday, January 17 last. He booked rooms at an hotel in Lord Nelson Street, Liverpool, and left the following Monday, telling the landlady lie would be back in a few days. The next morning his dead body, with bullet wounds in tho head, was discovered close to a disused pit shaft at Ettingshall, rear Wolverhampton. Mr Thomas Kent, of Chorley Road, Swinton, Manchester, an uncle, .related how on the Saturday ho landed young Reeks visited him at hfc home. He showed him a one-hundred dollar note and other notes, the value of which witness did not know. Reeks had relatives in London and Bournemouth, whom he said he intended to visit before going back. The Coroner: Had he any relation, friend or connection down hero or in the immediate neighbourhood?—No, not that wo knew.

Do you know any reason for him to have como here?—l cannot make the reason out at all from anything lip said to me. I never saw him with a revolver.

DM ho toll you whether lie made any acquaintance on the ship when, ho came over ?—He said ho made tho acquaintance of two young lady passengers who were English, but had been, in AmericaDid he. mention the name of Rams(]o)l p—j\o; ho never mentioned anybody except the two girls. The Coroner: Had he expressed any intention of visiting works or anything else in this neighbourhood?—No; ho seemed anxious to get through his ma-

rine engineer's examination, and then to get home. Ho stated that he was sailing to Australia in six weeks from then.

THE MEETING WITH RAMSDEN. Catherine Stanton, hotelkeeper, of Lord. Nelson Street, Liverpool, said Reeks camo to her hotel on January 17 at about ten o'clock in the morning and asked for a room for three weeks. He stated that lie had come to England to seo his friends. He left his luggage and went out, returning in an hour and a. half. At first he stated that ho would be away till Monday, but later on explained that he would bo returning that night. Whilst ho was away another man camo for a room, and stated that lie would want it two or three nights. Ho entered his name in the hotel hook as "6. H. Ramsdeu, Chicago, Illinois." Reeks returned late that night, but ho and Ramsden did not meet until breakfast on the Sunday morning. From their demeanour it did not seem as if they had met before. They talked about the docks during breakfast, and Reeks showed Ramsden his discharge. They left together about half-past ten, and returned at three o'clock. They were in company with each other- all day. On the Monday they had breakfast together. Reeks went upstairs just after nine to get something. Ramsden went out and returned about twelve o'clock, when he asked for his bill and eaid lie was going to Leeds. Reeks camo in just after one o'clock and asked for Ramsden. Witness told him he had gone, and he said, "Oh." Reeks then said he was going, but did not say where to. He said ho would be away a few days, packed a- brown paper parcel, and fastened it with the strap from one of his bags. The Coroner: Then he left about an hour after Ramsden? —Yes; I do not know whether he saw Ramsden that day after breakfast.' Reeks left without paying his bill, which is usual when luggage is left. I saw no revolver. DISCOVERY OF THE CRIME. A little s girl named Hatton stated that she was passing the pit shaft at about eight o'clock on the morning of the day the body was found, when she saw what she thought was a man lying asleep. Constable Folingham, of . Ettingshall, said that upon receiving information ho went to the pit at about one' o'clock the same day, and there found the body of Kent Reeks. Ho was lying partly on his right side with part of his coat over his head. The face was caked with dry blood, and his left hand was partly in the left hand pocket of his top-coat. The body was

quite cold. Witness picked up four spent cartridges and three live ones within a distance of forty-five yards, but could find no trace of a revolver. The body was eighty-four yards from tho road, and there was blood between. the shaft and the road. Witness didj J not seo any signs of a straggle having, taken place. He conveyed the body to the mortuary, and upon searching found: nine sovereigns in the right trouser pocket. There were also some silver,' coppers and a three-cent piece. \ The Coroner: Have you been able > to obtain any information of his move- 3 ments or to find his cap, pistol or any-1 thing?—No. ■) And you cannot find that he was in anybody's company or seen by anyone? —No. Witness added, that it was impossible for a motor-car to have been, used to take the body from the road to tho pit shaft. • Dr Ashley Smith, who had made a' post-mortem examination, said that on the right side of Reeks'a forehead he; found a clean punctured wound, rather'' more than half an inch in diameter.' Near the centre of the forehead then* was a smaller wound. The left eye vrai destroyed, and there was a wound on. tho top part of the eye cavity. On' the back part of the head was a wound corresponding with the wounds on th» forehead. There was no scorching of the forehead, the eyelashes or eyebrows. ij Tho Coroner: You argue from thatf that the shots must have been firetf from a distance?—Yes, there is no api pearancc whatever of scorching, Th«' wounds had all penetrated the brainJ and would cause certain, if not immec diate death. It was not easy to sajj whether thev were caused while thf man was lying or falling. - Reeks not have fired the shots.. {

The ■Coroner, in summing up, said : there was only one verdict that the jury could possibly find, and that was wilful murder against some person or persons unknown. (To the police:) Have you been able to find the whereabouts of this man, Ramsden? Superintendent Rowbotlmm: No; ho has entirely disappeared. . The Coroner: I believe that every effort has been made to find s him? Superintendent Rowbbthant, with emphasis: Yes; every effort. - The jury then returned a verdict, that Reeks was murdered by soma person or persons unknown.