THE PUKEKAWA MURDER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3470, 14 September 1920, Page 47

THE PUKEKAWA MURDER.

AN ARREST EFFECTED

WHAT THE INQUIRIES REVEALED

AUCKLAND, September 12. The arrest was effected on Saturday afternoon at Tuakau of a farm labourer named Samuel John Thorn on a charge of murdering Sydney Seymour Eyre at Pukekawa on the night of August U\. Thorn was conveyed to Auckland in custody on Saturday evening, and will be brought up at the Police Court to-morrow morning. „ The arrested man is 33 years of age. tie is a married man, for some time been living apart from his wife and family of six children. While Eyre was on active service for over two years Thorn managed the farm for Mrs Eyre. In July Eyre having returned, Thorn went to work at Glenmurray, which is 18 miles from the Eyre homestead. He had been working there for about six weeks when the murder was committed, arid during that period he had paid three visits to Eyre's. A double-barrelled shotgun and some ammunition were- found in Thorn's whare, and these have been submitted to an expert, whose report is in the hands of the police. - . It is understood that the authorities are satisfied that only one shot was fired, and that a special kind of cartridge was used. Some of the pellets found in the murdered man's room are in the possession of the police. It is further understood that the police investigations established three points: (1) That the murder was not committed for robbery; (2) that the perpetrator must have been acquainted with the house and the surroundings; and (3), that the shot was fired from outside the house.