THE MURDER OF MR. WHITELEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13397, 28 January 1907, Page 5

THE MURDER OF MR. WHITELEY.

A PREMEDITATED CRIME

AN ALLEGATION OF BLACK-

MAIL.

By Telegraph.— Association.— Copyright.

London. January 25. The murderer of Mr. Whiteley, of Westbourne Grove Stores, is alive. His name is Rayner, and he was well dressed. He is unknown to the members of Mr. Whiteley's family and to the shopmen.

After half-an-hour's interview with the man Mr. Whiteley peremptorily declined some request that he had made and ordered him to leave or a policeman would be fetched. Rayner immediately fired twice with a revolver at Mr. Whiteley and then fired at his own forehead.

When in the hospital he claimed that his name was Cecil Whiteley, and a, paper in his pocket stated that if Mr. Whiteley refused his reasonable request it would bo the cause of trouble and fatality.

(Received January 27, 4.23 p.m.)

London, January 26. It transpires that Rayner is 29 years of age and that he was born in wedlock, his parents being respectable people. A police report says that Rayner is impecunious, and that the case is one of blackmail.

Rayner was born at Toddington and has lived recently in cheap lodgings and was in straitened circumstances. He recently became engaged to a London barmaid though his deserted wife and two children are living at Bewdly.

For years ho was employed as cashier at Riga, in Russia, until he suddenly left. In this case embezzlement was alleged.

The London Chronicle says that Rayner's father and Whiteley were formerly personal friends and that the intimacy ended owing to Rayner senior threatening to prosecute Whiteley for slander.

The police surmise that the son's attempt to blackmail Mr. Whiteley was based on the reopening of the old incident.