GHASTLY CRUDE

Northern Advocate, 4 May 1926, Page 5

GHASTLY CRUDE

PERPETRATOR SURRENDERS

CUT COMPANION'S THROAT.

HEAD NEARLY SEVERED.

DUNEDIN, This Day.

About seven o’clock yesterday morning Patrick John Jager accosted Constable Watkins at South Dunedin Police Station and said he had murdered his mate, Arthur Croagh, who' lived with him in the same room in a. private boardinghouse in Cargill Road.

Sergeant Murray went to the house and found Creagh lying in bed with his throat cut, his head being almost severed.

Jager said: "I did the right thing. If ho hadn’t killed me this morning, he would have killed me tonight. He’s after inc for my money. There’s £ gang watching me. I’m not worrying about it, as I did the right thing.”

Both men had been mates since boyhood, and had worked together for about twenty years as machinists at Donaghy’s rope works. Both were aged about 40, and had always been considered the best of pals. It is stated that Jager had been behaving peculiarly lately. He told the police that he tried to drown himself on Sunday. The theory is that the murdered man was first hit on the head with a bottle, as, when the police arrived, parts of a broken “Blue Peter” were found on the bed and floor.

Prior to giving himself up, Jager threw £93 in notes into the front garden of the house adjoining. Other people living in the house state that neither man drank to any extent, while Jager is described as being somewhat miserly. The fact that Jager’s right hand was covered with blood suggests that he went round to the back of the bed to commit his terrible act. There were no signs of a struggle, indicating that, when attacked with a razor, Creagh was either unconscious or asleep. An inquest was formally opend yesterday afternoon.