MURDER MYSTERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22231, 4 October 1935, Page 11

MURDER MYSTERY

SYDNEY INQUEST DEATH OF R. HOLMES FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 3, 9.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 3 The inquest was continued to-day into the death of Reginald Holmes, boat-builder, who was found on Juno 12 fatally shot in his own motor-car near an approach to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Alfred Wynne, a wharf labourer, said that on the night of June 11 he was fishing in the vicinity of Miller's Point. He left the wharf about 30 minutes after hearing three shots and passed a man. He could not say whether that man was Oliver Summers. Constable Lindsay said that on June 12 he examined fingerprints on the offside front door and tho window-frame of the near-side front door of Holmes' car. He expressed the opinion that the fingerprints probably had been made within two or three days of the time he examined them. Constable Whitehouse said that on June 18 ho took the fingerprints of a man named John Patrick Strong. Constable Ewing said he had carefully compared the fingerprints on the car with the print of Strong's middle finger and ho declared that they were identical. He bad found four separate impressions of the same finger on tho window-frame. Fingerprints on Door of Car Dr. Palmer, chief Government medical officer, said he had seen Holmes' body in the car. It was possible that two of the bullet wounds could have been self-inflicted, but one of them could not possibly have been inflicted by Holmes. It was not likely that the three wounds could have been inflicted by a right-handed man. Detective Caiman said he and Detectives Matthews and Allmond had questioned Strong about his movements on the day of Holmes' death. Strong had stated that he had been drinking in the s Tcernoon and Holmes had pick' 1 him up in L.is car and taken hiu to a hotel. Witness added that Detective Matthews had said to Strong: " Your fingerprints have been found on tho top of the inside of a door of the car. I am satisfied they would not get there while you were entering or getting out in the ordinary manner." Strong had replied: "I was pretty drunk. I may have been standing talking to him for a while. I do not remember." Movements of Two Men Witness added that when Detective Matthews had asked Strong what he had done after leaving the hotel Strong had replied that he did not remember. When asked if he Lad been in the road where Holmes' body was found Strong had replied: " I may have been, but I 1 could not v'.o a thing like that." Strong had said he had met Holmes i about two years before, when they had 1 been introduced by Stannard, who had i said he wanted Strong to watch a man, i Strong had stated: " I said I would » but I did not. Stannard gave me ££ • for the job, but I did nothing." Strong 1 h..i stated also that he did casual wori ■ for Stannard. The next witness, Detective-Sergean' Allmond, s-ud he had asked Stannart where he had been on the night oi June 11. Stannard had said he and hii wife went to a theatre. Dotective-Sergeant Matthews said a ticket-box attendant at the theatre hac told him the Stannards visited the theatre that evening, but neither had been seen aftrr they entered at 7 p.m. A Statement by Deceased Detective Matthews produced two statements made by Holmes when he was interviewed in connection with the death of James Smith. In these Holmes said that Patrick Brady had said he killed Smith and dumped tho body in a tin trunk and then in tho sea, whereupon Brady had added: "If the police ever take mo you will get yours." After otlifcr evidence had been given by jersons acquainted with Stannard and Holmes the inquiry was adjourned until to-morrow.