LONGACRE MURDER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16749, 2 June 1922, Page 8

LONGACRE MURDER.

ROBBERY THE MOTIVE. (Special to the “ Star,”) WANGANUI, June 2. The murder of Chow Yat at Longacre on Wednesday night is still a mystery. That robbery was the motive of the person who committed the murder is certain. He had evidently been sufficiently long in the district to spy out the movements of his victim. The murderer evidently came to the conclusion tliat Chow Yat was the owner of the gardens, lor would see the other men coming to and fro, and carts loaded up with vegetables, which would give the impression that he was the proprietor and that naturally he would have liquid cash in his possession. The theory of robbery is substantiated by the fact that a small empty purse, the property of Chow Yat, was found a short distance away from where the body was lying. A Press representative was also shown a piece of broken tape, "with which deceased had his valuables tied to his vest pocket. The tape would be used to make sure that while he was working what money or other valuables he had did not get lost if they became dislodged from his pocket. On© end of the tape shows distinctly where it has been snapped, and on the other end there is blood. A post mortem examination held bytwo medical men yesterday afternoon disclosed four bullets of small calibre lodged in the head. The positon of the bullets clears up the mystery of how the old man walked so far after being fired at at the back door- The two first shots fired went in just above the mouth, and these lodged at <the back of the head. It is now very evident that the murderer, seeing that his victim was likely to reach one of the settlers’ houses in the vicinity, finished him off on th© road. It is difficult to surmise why the murderer carried the body hack -down the road, a distance of 1000 yards, except that the place where Chow Yat .died was not - a very secure one in which to search the clothes. It has l>ee.n stated by settlers that on the afternoon of the crime two strange men were seen in the' localitv. However, it is possible that this may have no bearing on the subject, as it is not unusual to see plenty of men swagging’’ it on main roads in the district. Apart from the formal opening the inquest is not likely to tak© place for several days until the police have had an opportunity to make further investigations. _____——.