BRUTAL MURDER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10538, 15 March 1920, Page 4

BRUTAL MURDER

AUCKLAND SENSATION POST OFFICE ROBBED AND • POSTMASTER SHOT. NO ARREST YET MADE. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION’. AUCKLAND, March 14. A brutal murder was committed at Pansonhy ou Saturday night, together with a robbery at the Ponsonby Post Office.

It appears that the postmaster, Augustus Edward Braithwaite, aged fiftynine years, left the office about 6 o’clock, and returned to his home some ten minims’ walk away. His wife went visiting friends in the evening, arid on returning about 8 o'clofck fouiitj Braithwaite lying in the back portion of the house. At first she thought he had had a fit, but later, whgn a doctor arrived, it was found he had been shot through the throat and body. The ‘police discovered that the post office keys were mishuig, ’and on going to the post office found a window and the door forced. The strongroom had been opened with keys taken from the dead postmaster, and three cash-hoses in the strongroom had been rifled. It is not thought that the sum secured was more than £IOO.

An inquest was opened to-day, and ndjourned. ; - . Deceased had .been in the postal service for about forty years, and at Ponsonby for about eight or ten yeais. Up to 5 o’clock to-night no arrest had been made. When found, Braithwaite wan lying face down towards the door of th© room. It is thought that he opened the door, when the;murderer shot him down without warning. OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION OF TRAGEDY.

The Secretary of the General Post Office, Wellington, has received the following telegram from the Chief Postmaster, Auckland: Regret to inform you that Mr Braithwaite, postmaster at Ponsonby, was found shot dead at his house at Shelly Beach road, on Saturday evening. Investigation at post office at 1.30 this morning by the police and myself shoved the strongroom door open, and apparently a comparatively small amount of cash taken as far as can' bo ascertained at present. The keys cannot be found. No stamps, postal notes, or War Loan certificates were taken. Will wire actual loss later.