REPORTED MURDER

Te Puke Times, 7 February 1928, Page 3

REPORTED MURDER

OF TIMARU STOCK BUYER Christchurch. Feb 5 The body of a man believed to be Charles James Mahan, of Nile Street, Timaru, was found in Lyttelton Harbour early this morniug. It was badly battered and the police have no doubt he was murdered. Mahan was a stock buyer by occupation. Detective Sergeant Young, with other detectives and plainclothes constables, went to Lyttelton this morning. Robbery is believed to be the motive of the murder, which the police say was committed early last evening. The body was discovered by Samuel Gilray, a night watchman. Blood was still gushing from the man’s head, and his coat and shirt were saturated. The body was fully dressed, and in the pockets were a motor driver’s license and an insurance policy, but only three-pence in cash. There were deep wounds on the nose, chin and back of the bead. Mahan was seen alive last night at 8 o’clock by some boys. He was then near the Gladstone pier, off which the body was found, and he said he was catching a train back to Christchurch.

DEATH DUE TO DROWNING Christchurch, Feb 6 It is semi-officially stated that the post mortem examination of the body of Charles Jarnes Mahan, a Timaru stock buyer, which was found at Lyttelton, revealed that death was due to drowning, and not to Wounds on the head.