THE PUKEKAWA MURDER

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 2605, 15 October 1920, Page 5

THE PUKEKAWA MURDER

THORN BEFORE THE COURT.

Elect no Telegraph—Presa Association Auckland, Last Night. Ihe preliminary trial of Samuel John Thorn, charged with the- murder of Sydney Seymour Eiyre, at Pukekawa, ou August 24th. began at Pukekohe to-day, before Mr Poynton S.M.

Mr R. P. Hunt:, for the proaecui tion, m addressing the Court, said ; the eaxe was a strong eireumstanual j one. It would be shown that the fatal I shot was fired by one who had an in—--1 timato knowledge of the house. Thorn was the only oue outside the fam'ly having that knowledge. At the tim# of the murder, Thom waa working on Granville's farm, 18 miles from Eyre’s. Tlie horse under Hum's charge had peculiarly shaped shooThe tracks discovered showed that it I tail been ridden between tho two properties on tho night of August, 24 th. Eyre’s house contained two guns, neither of which had been fired recently. The gun in Thorn’s wharo had been discharged. It took a cartridge of the same calibre as that used to kill Eyre. Thoru was t#he only possesrsor of cartridges of that partie.ular brand within a radius of 20 miles. Th«# night of the murder was one of two nights when Thorn had been left alone in his wbar** Hie evidence would diow that whil«# F.vre was away, and after his return, Thorn had firm-ed immoral relaGci s OH Mrs Eyre. Thorn had threatened Eyre’s life before witnesses He had said to Mrs Evre, “Don’t you wish he was dead.” Eyre’s sops Lad heard Thorn breaking into thcj r mother’s room at night. The motive suggested was revenge for being d'scharged from a good position, and bc'ng deprived of M~ opportunity for continuing his relations, which wet* forced on Mrs Eyre. Mrs Eyre was beginning h«#r evi■lence at the adjournment of tho Court.