MURDER AT AUCKLAND

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1920, Page 4

MURDER AT AUCKLAND

A POSTMASTER SHOT DEAD. MONEY STOLEN PROM POST OFFICE, NO ARBEST MADE. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Auckland, Last Night. A brutal murder was committed at Ponsonby on Saturday night, together with robbery at the J'onsodby Post Uifice.

It appears that the postmaster, Mr. Augustus Edward Braithwaite, aged liftv-nine rear" b-i'i the poat office about six o'clock and returned to his home, ten minutes' walk away. His wife went visiting friends in the evening and on returning about /eight o'clock found Braithwaite lying in the back portiotu of the house. •*-

At first she thought he had had a fit, but later, when a doctor arrived, It was found he had been shot through the throat and body. The police discovered that the Post Office keys were missing, and on going to the Post Office found the window and door forced. The strong room had been opened with the key« taken from the dead postmaster, and three oaih boxes in the strong room had been riflled. It is not thought that the gum secured was more than £IOO. An inquest was opened to-day and adjourned. The deceased had been in tlie postal service about forty yean and at Ponsonby about* eight or ten years.

i V p , to fivo "'"I 01 * to-night no arrets bad been made. "When found, Braithwaite was Ivinc face down toward,, th e door of the room. It is thought that he opened the door, when the murdered shot him down without warning.