MURDER “DIVINERS”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6678, 28 November 1908, Page 4

MURDER “DIVINERS”

ACCUSED YOUNG MAN TELLS BIS EEM A ENABLE STOEY.

Tho full story of a strange escapade of murder “diviners" was told to a London "Morning Leader" representative by the young man who played tho unpleasant role of victim. He is a respectable young /labourer who has worked within the area covered by the tragedy for 13 years. His parents’ association with the place goes many years further back. Late one Saturday afternoon, the young man says that ho was sweeping the paths in Ightliam Churchyard when Col. Warde, the Chief Constable of Kent, entered, and at once accosted him thus: "You' had better tell mo where Mis Luard's rings and tho pistol are." The young man protested that he knew nothing about Mrs Luard’s rings or the pistol. • • , “Will you let mo search your lodgings?" asked tho Chief Constable. . “Certainly!" responded the young man, promptly. Col. Warde then went away, but the suggested search was not made, and the young man heard no more about the matter until late, on the Monday afternoon. THE “DIVINEE." He was then at work in tho garden when a man whom ho recognised suddenly appeared against the railing and called him, "Do you know who I am?” he asked. "Yes; you are what they cull tho 'diviner.’” It was notorious in tho neighbourhood that the stranger, in company with three others, one a man of colour, had been going about the scene of tho uur Jer for several weeks with a- "divining ion ' —a piece of wire, twisted at one end, and supposed to lie endowed, with marvellous divining powers. The stranger then blew a whistle, and his two white colleagues suddenly “sprang out” —the young man’s expression—from the gloom of tho trees. “Now!" said the "diviner," “tell ua the truth about this murder.” Once more the young man protested his entire ignorance of the affair. “You had better oorao with us to the Casa,” said the diviner, peremptorily; and accordingly the young man accompanied the three through the dark woods to the summer-house, boarded up since the tragedy. Here the coloured man was waiting. "How many times have you been here since the murder?" asked the "diviner." Tho young man told him he had been there three times, each time in tho course of his work. They asked him several more questions; but finding his answers perfectly straightforward, they shortly allowed him to go. Being by this time in a state of great nervous agitation, he wisely walked straight off to Sevenoaka police-station, and told Superintendent Taylor tho whole story of what had happened. That officer was, of course, able to reassure him that no shadow of suspicion was entertained by the police against Mm, and having stayed awhile to recover from tho shook (for he was half-fainting on arrival at the station), he returned homo in peace.

The conduct of the diviners has aroused widespread indignation in Scvenoaks and the, surrounding district.