PUKEKAWA MURDER.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16841, 13 September 1920, Page 3

PUKEKAWA MURDER.

A LABOURER ARRESTED. FORMER FARM MANAGER. Per Press Association.* AUCKLAND. Sept. 12. The arrest was effected da Saturday afternoon, at Tuakau, of a fjrrm. labourer named Samuel John Thorn, on a charge of murdering Sydney Seymour Eyre, at Pukekawa, on the night of August 24., Thorn was conveyed to Auckland in custody on Saturday evening, and will be brought up at the Police Court'tomorrow morning. ; The arrested man is 33 years of age. Ho is marriedy hiit has for seine time been living apart from his wife and family of six children. ; While Eyre was bn active service for over two' years,, Thorn managed the farm for Mrs. Eyre. In July, Eyre having returned, Thorn went to work at Glenmurray, , 18 : miles from ’ the' Eyre . homestead. He had been working there ■ for about' six weeks when the murder waa cblnnlitted, and during that period-paid three visits to the* Eyres. A double-barrelled shotgun and some ■ammunition; were, found in Thorn s wharO; and these have been submitted to. an expert, whose report "is’ini' the hands of the police! It is understood the authorities are satisfied that only onei shot was fired, and that a special kind of cartridge was used. Some pellets found in. the murdered man’s room are sh‘possession of the police. It is understood the police investigations established, three points: (1) The murder was not committed for robbery; (2) the perpetrator must have been acquainted with the house and its surroundings ; and £g) the shot was fired outside the house. THORN REMANDED FOR WEEK. . AUCKLAND, Sept. 13. Thorn,, who is accused qf the,Pukekawa' nlurder,' was. brought before the . Police Court and remanded for a* week. ,