GIRL DONE TO DEATH

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11740, 30 January 1924, Page 5

GIRL DONE TO DEATH

MURDER NEAR GISBORNE BODY FOUND HIDDEN IN CEMETERY BY SEXTON. SHOCKING OUTRAGE DISCLOSED. Per Press Association GISBORNE, January 29. T A brutal murder was reported to the police this morning, a girl named G'ven Hurray, aged fourteen, having been outraged and killed. The gin was sent last night to collect the mail at Makaraka. She called at a grocery store, and left for home about 8 o'clock, and this was the last time she was seen alive. The sexton of the Makaraka cemetery discovered the child’s body under some trees in the vicinity of the cemetery. To all appearances she had been brutally done to death. The police were communicated with, and are proceeding to the scene of the crime.

SCENE OF THE CRIME

GIRL S SCREAM HEARD. The scene of the murder is three chains off the main road and three miles from Gisborne. The nearest house is about two chains away. The occupants of this house heard a girl’s scream during the evening. The night was very dark. The body was found under a Wellingtonia tree, with a basket of groceries near by. The girl’s clothing was much torn about. The body was discovert 1 by a small boy looking for eggs. The girl’s family thought she was staying with friends, as was sometimes customary. The girl’s name was Gwendoline Kathleen Murray. NO CLUE TO MURDERER. Inspector Hutton states the police have a difficult task, as no clue is so far available as to the girl’s movements after 8 o’clock.

FURTHER PARTICULARS

SCREAM IN THE NICHT A MONSTER AT LARGE. GIRL BRUTALLY MALTREATED. Per Press Association. GISBORNE, January 29. Further particulars of the Makaraka murder 6how that the crime was apparently committed soon after 8 o’clock in the evening. The girl, Gwen. Murray, jvho was only eleven years of age on her last birthday, left her mother’s home, about a mile and a half away, at 5.30 o’clock, to go to the post office and store. She received groceries and letters from the store, and left shortly before 8 o’clock, with 10s change. Before leaving the girl, according to her mother’s statement, was to go to Mrs Green’s, where the girl’s mother boards, and if Mrs Green was- not home, the girl was to go to the .bakehouse, see her brother, and tell him to take her home. The girl failed to do this. Mrs Green did not get home till 6.30 o’clock, and saw no sign of the gir] Murray. The storekeeper, Mrs Dixon, states she asked the girl if her mother knew she was out so late, hut the girl said her mother was aware of the fact, and that she was all right. Mrs Dixon says the girl appeared to her just as usual. THE SCREAM AT NIGHT. The next link is the story of Mrs Fleming, wife of toe sexton of the Makaraka cemetery. While Mrs Fleming and her husband were sitting inside their house, between 7 and 8 o’clock, they heard one loud scream, which seemed to come from the direction of the road. Mr Fleming went to the door to listen, but could hear nothing. It was quite dark at the time. Hen g nothing further, he thought the scream came from girls out joy-riding, and went inside again. This morning, about 10.30 o’clock, a lad named James Smellie, when gathering eggs, saw the girl’s body under a tree, sixty yards from the main road, and ten yards from the sexton’s hack gate. The sexton went to the spot, and found the girl’s body. The clothing was disarranged and torn, and marks of violence were plainly visible on the throat and body. The police were informed, and Detective McLean aijd Plain-clothes-Constable Thompson went out. On searching the body they discovered that the 10s which the girl had had been stolen. DIFFICULT TASK FOR POLICE. The police have a difficult task, as the vicinity is all grass, and no footprints have been discerned. Up till a late hour to-night no arrest had been made. The victim was an attractive-looking girl, popular with her fellow-scholars at the Te Hapara School, was fairly well built for her age, and might easily bo mistaken for being a year or so older.