MURDER MYSTERY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22524, 15 September 1936, Page 14

MURDER MYSTERY

PETROL PUMP CBIME FATE OF STOREKEEPER BAFFLING AUSTRALIAN CASE [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT] SYDNEY, Sept. 10 One of the greatest man-hunts in the history of New South Wales is proceeding in the central west of the State following the mysterious disappearance of Henry Lavers, aged 60, share-farmer and small storekeeper, 12 miles from Grenfell, on the road to Forbes, last Saturday morning. It is certain that Lavers was murdeed. The police have no doubt that he was battered about the head with the heavy iron handle of a petrol pump and that his murderers took him to a spot where they could hide the body. Police , and hundreds of residents have since scoured the district and neighbouring towns without finding the body. Volunteer Searchers

' Hundreds of volunteers, in motorcars, on horseback, and on foot, have worked over an immense area. Bloodstains and other evidence show that Lavers was attacked as he was serving customers with petrol from a'pump at his store a few minutes after 6 a.m. on Saturday. Detectives believe that his body was taken out of the district in some kind of motor vehicle and hidden. It is possible that it was thrown into the Lachlan River, near Forbes. The search covers an area of several thousand square miles. The country is fairly open, with many wheat fields and scores of dams' in which a body could be thrown. Theories ol Police

It was at first thought that Lavers was killed when an argument arose over payment for the petrol which he had given a motorist or motorists. Police later formed the theory that his attacker might have known him. It seem# certain that he was hit immediately after serving four gallons of petrol, and was probably struck without warning. Detectives carefully examined blood, skin, and hair on the handle of the petrol pump, and blood near the foot of one of the pumps. They took careful plaster casts of tyre imprints, and also collected other evidence. Lavers rose ft little before 6 a.m. to feed his horses. He was fully dressed, except that he was wearing slippers. It is assumed that, before he could go back to the house to put on his boots, & motor vehicle pulled un outside the store, and that he immediately served the customer with petrol. As a search afterwards showed that the key of the tank was still in position, that the indicator of the tank pointed to four gallons, but that the tank was empty, the detectives bcliove i that Lavers was struck down almost immediately after he had performed his task. It is supposed that Lavers received a blow on the head, and that he fell unconscious against the foot of the pump, where more bloodstains were found. Ho Reason for Attack'

So far, no evidence has been found which would show the reason for such an attack. Lavers was a quiet, goodtompered man, who would not readily be involved in a brawl; but, although they have not entirely rejected the theory of a dispute over payment, police think there must have been some other factor which has not been explained. They do not believe that any motorist, even a criminal travelling in a stolen car, was likely to attack and kill a man merely to obtain four gallons of petrol.