SUSPECTED MURDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20252, 11 May 1929, Page 12

SUSPECTED MURDER.

.WOEOfAK EOWD SHOT. *-EGDX ON LONELY ROAD. BULLET THROUGH THE CHEST. RIFLE DISCOVERED IN SACK. |BZ X3ELSEEAPH. —OWS OT&BSSBQOTnHTT.J: QPOTIEX Friday. Ilia: body of Samuel Mcilaeae, aged 29„ a Public Works employee,, was found en. the Mate Baud, about 30' miles from OpofciM, yesterday afbsrccoa. Examination showed that he had been shot through: the chest,. Murder is suspected. TTift police,. accompanied by Br- Budd,. Mr. F. J. Short, coroner,. and Mr. Atkinson* sf the Public Works Bepurtmanu, proceeded by. ear to the spofc immediately tha report of the discovery of the hodr was received at Qpotiln. Deceased 1 ,, who was single, had been employed by the Public Works Department for in months, with the exception of four months, dialing which he worked tor the Fower Board at Wh&katane.. Ha: rejoined the departments on April 17 anil yesterday morning hail been working with' J. Lappm and a Maori,. Makarmi, up to lunch, time.. After lunch Lappin. told deceased to- go- down the road to clear some small slips.

At 2.50. p.m., Lappin and: Makarini pro. ceeded to join, deceased and found hia body lying on tile opposite, side of the road to where he' had been, working. Be» ceusedfs shove! was standing tip against the bank and his coat and sack were lying rn the watertable ne;ir the: shovel. In the sack waa a pear Us in two pieces .with a discharged cartriiige in the breech.

When, the men first found the tody they thought that She. maa had had a seizureand fallen, dead, as tfia- body was lying face downwards. Father investigation, however, showed that there was a big, gash on the upper lip-, the face being covered with blood aid the nose broken.. IS was also- discovered that there was a fiolEifi wound in. the chest near the heart and that the hulleft had gone right through tui tile back.. Deceased had on. a short and a singlet similar t® the upper part ef a bathing: costume.

X©- ballet hole: could be found in the shirt, but there; was. one- in the. undergarment- 'This and the fact of the peaitfie. being- in two pieces point, strongly to- foul play, as it is hardly possible that deceased could have put bis. shirt on and taken the rifia to pieces after shooting himself. Kvprytbinir points, to someone Laving first his deceased a-reu the head and then shot him with the; pearine while he- was unconscious. As far as is known by the department deceased came from England and had no relations in. the Dominion. Ke was of a, quiet, unassuming disposition. The Body was brought into, Opotiln, last Eight and a post-mortem elimination was performed this afternoon. Inspector and Detective 3fcLeod are here from Gisborne. The inquest will probably open to-mo-rrov* afternoott. SCENE OF TIE TRAGEDY. LONELY SPOT IN SUSH. [BT TELES3LISH. —OVTS CQ-EU3SPOSDJEST. I GISBOSiSE, Friday. Fanamoa Hill, the scene of the tragedy in the Mots district,, is midway across the ranges separating Gisborne- and the Bay of Plenty.. It is rugged- bush-clad territory with, scarcely any settlement for miles. The spot where McAleese's body was found is a lonely part cf the road. The- roadmen's hut, which is about 12ft. wide by 14ft. long, is- perched on the- top. cf a back among thickly-weeded! hills. A Maori named McLean 3rm at the- foot of the Fapamoa Hill about 2* miles away from, the hut. Inspector D. O'Ealloran and Detective MdLeod left Gis&orae at an early hour this morning for the scene of the iataiity and spent some hours on the spot, making a careful investigation.