FINDLAY DETAINED IN CUSTODY

Otago Witness, Issue 2744, 17 October 1906, Page 37

FINDLAY DETAINED IN CUSTODY

WHAT THE POLICE COMMISSIONER

OAMARU, October 11.

The man Findlay, detained by the police on Wednesday, was formally arrested at a lat© hour that night, and this morniiiß brought before Messrs Headland and Brownlee, J.P.'b. on a charge of the murder of William Hay Rennie, near Papakaio, on the 3rd October. Scrgoant Griffiths asked for a remand foi- one week, not being

in a position to offer any evidence, though the police had good reasons for their action. A remand was accordingly granted till Friday. 19th inst. This happens to be the date of the inquest, and a further remand is therefore probable.

The accused was placed among a number of men, and was identified by several who had seen him previous to the murder. Numerous rumours have been -in circulation, but their credibility requires to be* carefully tested, and at present the police decline to give information that .may be of use in connection therewith. — Corumißsioner Dinnie, who has been here since Saturday night, left by tho second express. Before that he afforded a short interview to a North Otago Times representative, and imparted a certain amount of information As far as ia known, the articles missing from Renniejs house are: — First — A gentleman's Torpedo bicycle, of 22in frame, B.S.A. parts, flat handle bare, white jrrips and black tips; half -inch Toiler chain, black enamelled parts^Duniop tyre*, and a plate stamped '" Torpedo" on th«v head of the machine. Second— A gold double-case Rotherham keyless watch, with monogram "\V. H. It." on the outside* case, and an inscription stating that it was presented by the Papakaio Church Choir to Rennie, August 17, Tfc99. Third — Twelve blank cheques on the Bank of NewZealand, Dtinodin. numbered 165546 to 165555 inclusive. These *re the only artieies known to be inissinsr, but information from the public if found would be of value to the police. It has been ascertained that the watch was' in Ronnie's possession on the niirht before the murder, that deceased did not leave the house after arriving there at 7 o'clock on Tuesday night, that the house i« atill ,n the possession of the police, pud will remain so tiy after the inquest. Certain nholoaranhs which Rennie- had taken of himself had at first been thought to indicate a motive for the crime, but the Commissioner is now 'satisfied that is not so. and they have been burned by his own orders. All the evidence given so> far before the coroner has bwm carefully sifted, and found correct. The reporter gathered that the police hone to clear the whole mystery up shortly from a remark to the fffect that, while some mystery sarroundod the case, it was not the most mysterious >n the history of even New Zealand. The mosivo seemed to him to be the vujjrar one of robbery. Findlavnad often eharjgpd with murder en prior* arrounds. and the police were fully justified in their arrion. Findlay. it may bp stated, was a L one time an inmate of the Caversham Industrial School. OAM ARIL Octcter 12. There are no new developments to-< Jay in connwrKon with +■!» Paraknio trajfrnly. T^e man Findla*' \v«p identified by anottac-i-of these w'io «.w him in tho vk-init^ oF the hou c e wlwro ihe murder mvp committed '»n tKs two day tj.rpviou=s to the trasreayThe accu-cd is found to hav<j purchased ay birve'e f rom Oatos T awry, and Co. at A«^Hnrtr/n a «,]T> r r. whilf rvso, autl this he> r.nld to a d«a'er in Oa-maoru a. few rtp.vs bpfnr? tho mii r fl<»r. He was 3Kvicislv known to iho srft'w on whose section he was foun-d at Wfiitaki South, ard had a portmanteau containing some elolhing. OAMART'. October 14. In connection with the Papakaio tragedy no trace has vet. been found of the articles known to b? nii s «'nf fr^m the house orcu«'cd by 1b« laf/* W. H. P«nni". the teachor. who wa«- shot dpwl in bed. A strone party cf residents l>ep.n fovmed to co-ot^rate with ths ikjHop in a thorough search of the di'stvicf. which is lv»inc conducted today. 'Portions of tho Wa«"taki River and the lagoons in tho loralitv are to be rlraeered with "-rapnlinsr-irons in the hone that thf bicycle, in particular, will bo recovered.

SEARCHING THF. MOFBAKI. SYDNEY. October 10.

The Sydney detectives, at the instant of the New Zealand colice. searched tho Moeraki for the murderer of Mr Rennie. ihe schoolmaster at Papakaio, but found no trace of him.