Was Webber Robbed?

NZ Truth, Issue 94, 6 April 1907, Page 6

Was Webber Robbed?

•xilfc curious case of John Webfeer is St present engaging the attention of the police authorities at Christohurch. Webber is dead ; death met him on the steamer. Tarawera, and he was a corpse before he reached Lyttelton. Webber hailed from the Manawatu district, living ahout 20 miles from Palmerston, and he was taking a holiday, intending to visit the Exhibition. But 'on his body being searched he didn't have a stiver on him— not even a thrum. Now, it is obvious that the deceased man never intended landing at Lyttelton without a bean ; that is against all reason, and the inference is that he jnust have been robbed on the night he met his death. Was he murdered and robbed too ? That is the question ; bait according to medical testimony Webber died a natural death. i A post mortem examination of the body had been made, with the "result that Dr. Newel found that deceased had been suffering from long-' standing kidney disease — chronic Bright's disease— which would be sufficient to cause" sudden death from heart failure. . This was more particularly 90 because the heart was m a, fatty condition, and deceased would be liable to go off pop at any moment. Which is right enough, of course, but it is possible that something happened on the fatal night which accelerated Webber's death. A FRIGHT OR A SHOCK would probably do it, and there was some person aboard that boat who was responsible for it. Deceased, of course, ,must have had money ; m fact one John Smith, an engineer, of Wanganui, saw him with a fistful of silver' when paving for a drink. Smith had met Webber on the train between Palmerston and Wellington, and they travelled together. Webber v/as perfectly sober. Next day when 'Tec Livingston, of Lyttelton, search?d the body he failed to find a cent, and deceased's watch thaid- been nabbed, and thc second' half of the steamer return ticket to Wellington was gone. The thief, however, generously left a pipe and pipe case* and a pocket handkerchief. According to James Kirwan, bedroom steward on the Tarawera, deceased came into the saloon, saying that he felt hot and ill, and asked for a drink. A cup of cocoa and a biscuit were given to him, and he said he would be all. ri?.*t •« the morning. He lay down saying that he would stay there, and a*' rug was then given him. Kkwaiv. jt.Kn "left him. Another steward, William Garston, discovered Webber $cad before seven o'clock next morning. He called him, but got ; no ♦answer, and on touching hini found him oold, and he concluded that Webber had passed out. This was speedily confirmed. Nobody seems to have known of anybody entering the , saloon after half-past eleven o'clock on the night m (raestion, the time that Kirwan left Webber there, but -it is undeniable that somebody did, ahd "went through" the deceased. , What happened can only be surmised, but it is certainly 'a very strange case, and an effort is being made to — probe" it to the bottom, but /••the chances of success m this direction are small. The jury at the inquest could do no more than decide as, to the cause of death, and their verdict was m accordance with the medical testimony. The Union Company has been communicated with by Coroner Bishop with a view to makingfurther enquiries, but it is doubtful if anything will be elicited. The deceased wasn't married, and had a Tann in the Manawatu district. '