Manhunt Transferred to Wellington

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 107, 9 May 1938, Page 7

Manhunt Transferred to Wellington

POLICE FOLLOWING LIKELY CLUE Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. The police had made no arrest in con nection with the Picton suitcase murder at a late hour to-night, but it is under stood they are following up a likely clue and that the scene of the manhunt has been transferred from Picton to Wellington, where perhaps the crime was committed on Friday some time between Armstrong’s last being seen alive and the sailing of the Tamahine for Picton. The head and missing portions of the body have not yet been discovered. As the result of her delayed departure from Picton owing to the inquiries there the Tamahine did not return to Wellington on Saturday afternoon until an hour after her scheduled time and on arrival was subjected to a further examination by the police. The short interval between the time when he was last seen and the finding of the body made it certain that Armstrong travelled down from Wellington to Picton dead or alive on the Tamahine on Friday afternoon. It was ascertained, although no connection wan established with the crime, that a mail ~<»med A. Armstrong was booked u travel on the ship. Other inquiries were made by the police in Wellington during the weekend and when interviewed to-night Commissioner D. J. Cummings said they had a clue and would know by to-morrow evening if they were on the right track. The week-end had dwf&yed investigations which would be able to be carried out to-morrow. Even the identification of the body as that of Armstrong, based on the unemployment levy book and the clothing found with the body, could not be taken as definite until evidence of identification had been at the inquest wffcich is to open at Picton to-mor-

“It is a shocking crime,” said Mr. Cummings. “It is more like the act of some mental case than of any normal being. ”