THE GREYMOUTH HOLD-UP.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13981, 17 November 1917, Page 2

THE GREYMOUTH HOLD-UP.

COUP^foE^OIiicE.

(Per"Press •Association).

" GBfiYMOTITIt; November 16.

'Having little or nothing-lii the way of. the police have been working behind, a maze of clues' in connection with' the highway robbery. - In regard to the arrest of MacMahon at Christcliurch, Detective Ward has had him under surveillance oince,Wednesdaylast, .when hois reported to have said in front, of , a hotel that he had an-automatic revolver and could fire it rapidly. The next suspicion . was aroused- when, he arrived at the hotel on Saturday, evening and said lie had just come from Christcliurch, and that his luggage was at Blackball, He disappeared from the hotel on Saturday night and returned on Sunday morning with the, luggage; Ho left for Hokitika at midday on Monday, taking a Bpecial car to Otira, where he, caught the coaches. A search of his room at the hotel 1 disclosed the residue of a candle found in the tin, a full ,candle, and half a stick of liquorice. The candle is deemed to fit in with the story that the man>, occupied an empty house in the vicinity of tho tragedy, and the liquorice with the statement by the suspect that he suffered from a cold. The; suspect is said to have been on the Coast some months ago, and was acting as barman in one of tho hotels, from whence he and the barmaid disappeared some time ago, mid were supposed to be married. He claimed to deal in land and cattle, although very little is known as yet of his antecedents.. The arrest of MacMahon is considered a big coup for the police, who have had a very trying and perplexing time. The search in the bush was continued yesterday, over 120 miners from •the State mine assisting. CnRISTCHURCH, November 16,

William Eggers MacMahon, arrested last night in connection with the highway robbery, on the West Coast, appeared at the Police Court this morning charged with the murder of John Coulthnrd, with attempting to murder Williajn Hall, with attempting to murder Isaac James, and with stealing £3659 His Bd. Chief-Detective Mcllveney asked for a remand until Saturday, November 24, at Christchnrch, and this was granted,

FURTHER POLICE INQUIRIES,

ACCUSED OF AMERICAN BIRTH

(Per Press Association)

CIIRISTCHURCH, November 16,

With regard to the arrest of a suspect in connection with the West Coast murder and robhery, it is understood that the name of McMahon belongs to the woman, and has been assumed by the man. The woman is barmaid in the Empire Hotel, where she has been employed under the name of Lizath McMahon, since shortly before carnival week, She had been previously employed V, several other hotels in Christchiirch,

Superintendent Dwyer stated this afternoon that as the result of further police inquiries, it had been established that accused's name is'nor McMahon, but Fredrick William Eggers. He i 3 an American by birth, having been born in New York. He has been associated with Miss McMahon for the past four years,

The-police paid a tribute to the,help rendered them in the apprehension of accused by the licensee of the Empire Hotel (Mr Morgan O'Brien), His suspicions had been aroused in connection with accused, and he helped effectively in the search. Although Egger3 described himself as a speculator, he appears to have been engaged as a commercial traveller, selling "butler churns, etc," although it has not transpired with which firm, if any, be was engaged, The licensee of the Empire Hotel expressed the opinion "ihat there .was riot a better-dressed man in Christcliurch than the accused," adding, "he was a sensible-spoken fellow, too." GREYMOUTII, November 16.

Inquiries go to show that McMahon was in town on the Saturday evening dfter thq. tragedy. On Sunday he played cards with some young feilows, and viewed the train from the cemetery carrying the victim. He entered into a-discussion of the tragedy, and viewed tho (rain with - others through .fieldglasses from- the balcony of the hotel. He complained of a bad head "through booze." obtained at Blackball, where he alleged he went for his luggage. Telephoned inquiries to-day failed to confirm such a visit, and it is suhniised no luggage was 'brought to the hotel.. On Sunday morning McMahon was missing, ,

This morning Mr Hall's >ndition was slightly improved. Mr Jaijies hopes to be about in the course of a week,

' RECOVERY OF STOLEN MONEY.

ONLY ABOUT FOUTY-THREE POUNDS MISSING. '

(Per Press Association)

CIIRISTCHURCH, November 16,

Of |hp amount in possession of Mr Hall, paymaster of the mine, £',),')% »s Id has been recovered, leaving JM.'{ lis 7d unaccounted for. /

A reporter had an opportunity to-day of viewing the booty. It tilled the bottom of a fair-sized portmanteau, the udtes being done up in parcels, according to their -denomination, while the coin was in bags, with the amount therein contained noted on.*a tag. Lying on the surface, was 'an automatic revolver. Tho bag was found to bo of uncomfortable weight—too heavy to be carried by any but a fairly strong per-

SUSPECT KNOWN IN TIMARU.

LIVING 'BY HAWKING,

(I it Press Association)

.:-..- TIMAIU, November 16.Eggers was known to. the police here ■in-1915 as Eggers, He was supposed to have made a living ,by, selling floor polishes and blacking, r Ho left Timaril with a barmaid, who said she was his wife,