SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16600, 25 January 1916, Page 7

SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY.

A DARK-SPOT. LETTER FROM A FEMALE. (Fbou Oub Own Cobreßpondent.) ,• AUCKLAND, January 24. Investigations regarding tho Mount Eden murder mow that Ramsden left home at 6 o'clock on Saturday evening, telling his mother that he was going to meet someone, but not mentioning who nor the place of meeting. No more is known of his subsequent movements, but about three hours later his dead body was found as stated. There were 11 knife wounds in his chest and side, a contused wound on the top of his head, and a deep cut in thb palm of each hand. The latter injuries made it evident that tho victim had vainly attempted to save himself, and had desperately clutched tiio blade of his assailant's weapon in his struggle for life. There are several houses within a comparatively few yards of the" scene of the murder. Hillside crescent, near which the body was found, is a thoroughfare crowning the first rise oil the elope of the mountain. At the bend of the crescent a track leads oif to the eastward for some 30 or 40 yards to a gate giving access to tho Mount Eden Domain. At one side of t'his track is a clump of castor oil trees, beneath which tho ground is covered fairly deeply with an overgrowth of nasturtiums, amongst which the body was found. A row of houses, all inhabited, runs along the hillside overlooking the bend in the crcscent, and there are several other residences in the vicinity. From tho clump of castor oil trees to the foot of the crcecont at Mount Eden road thorc stretches a tarred footpath.

In the house on the hillside, dircctlv facing the roadway below, reside Mrs Niccolls, her son (Charles Niccolls), and her sister (Mrs Smelt). Shortly after 9 o'clock on Saturday evening Mr Niccolls left his house, and started to walk down tho slope towards Mount Eden road. Ho had passed the clump of trees, when he heard two cries for help in a man's voice, which came from behind him. At first he thought some larrikins were calling out, but when the cry was repeated, and a crash as of a falling body followed, he turned back, being then under tho impression that something was amiss at his home. Mr Niccolls had almost reached his gate, when he was joined by his aunt, who had heard the same cries, as. well as the noise of falling from the clump of trees.

At that moment Mr Niceolls saw a man dressed in dark clothes come hurriedly from the clump of trees, and run round the corner and down the footpath towards Mount Eden road. In running the man's footsteps rang out loudly on the path, the sound of them being heard by some of the neighbours. It was very dark at the time, and on proceeding to make a search amongst the trees Mr Niccolls and his aunt had to use matches. Ordinarily a street lump at the bend of the crescent, and just outside the Niccolls's fence, would have shed light directly on the spot, but this lamp had not been lighted for three nights. Mrs Niccolls then appeared with a lighted lamp, and by its aid the body of Ramsden was discovered lying jimongsi. the nasturtiums. The man had evidently just breathed his last.

It would seem altogether unlikely that robbery was the motive for the crime, none of the pockets of the deceased having been rifled and none of the contents disturbed. A letter was found upon tho body written by a female correspondent. This was not distinct as to signature, and the contents did not refer in any way to an assignation. It is thought probable, however, as .the result of inquiries and discoveries made by the detectives, that the murdered man had gono to Mount Eden with the object of meeting a female acquaintance, and that a third party intervened, inspired by motives of jealousy or revenge, and took Ramsden's life. There is no trace of the weapon used by the murderer. The murdered man was a son of Mr James Ramsden, -who is employed as a porter at the Auckland Hospital. Some years ago the deceased went to Canada where , ultimately he was in business as a land agent. Ho returned to Auckland later, and for a while was a land agent here.' Latterly he was employed as a waterside worker.