PONSONBY MURDER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10545, 23 March 1920, Page 4

PONSONBY MURDER

IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES MONEY, AMMUNITION, AND WEAPONS FOUND. \ PIE PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, March 23. As a result of investigations m connection with the murder and robbery at Ponsonby, the police found in a gully in the vicinity of Howe street, among a dense growth of blackberries, three large calibre revolvers, a large quantity of ammunition, a burglar’s jemmy, about £25 in money, and other articles, including Mr Braithwaite'a private keys to his office and of the strongroom at the Ponsonby Post Office ; also the key of the front door Of his residence, a cancelled postal note, known to be part proceeds of the robbery, and a£s note. Only one £5 note was stolen from the post office. The articles were contained in three canvas hags, two of them such as afß commonly used in hanks for holding coin. The > third hag is believed to be portion of the criminal’s outfit, known as a sandbag The detectives also Lave in their possession a handbag that belonged to Mr Braithwaite, and which is supposed to have been taken by the murderer when leaving his victim's residence. The hag. apparently, was found to contain nothing of value, and was thrown over a fence in the vicinity of Mr Braithwaite's house. As the result of exhaustive investigations, it is now believed that Mir Braithwaite was first attacked'' when standing in the kitchen facing the mantelpiece, with his hack to the door, which was almost invariably kept open when either Mr or MX Brairbhwaite was at home. On the evening of the crime Mr Braithwaite evidently had been in the house a few minutes before he was disturbed, and had deposited his hat, stick and bag where they were usually kept. He wound up the clock on the kitchen mantelpiece, and it is surmised that he had finished with the clock when a shot was fired at his back, which missed him .and struck the -mantelpiece. It is believed he turned and faced the back door, and received the two shots that killed him. The theory that the first shot missed the victim is supported by the statement of a person in an adjoining house, who says a cry was heard after the first shot'was fired. The presence of the key of. Sir Braithwaite’s residence among the artieles recovered by the detectives on Saturday, is accounted for by the fact that Mr Braithwaite always carried the key of the front door. _ This, evidently, was taken from his pockets, together with the post’ office Treys.