COLD BLOODED MURDER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17182, 27 October 1923, Page 1

COLD BLOODED MURDER.

WOMAN GAGGED AND HEAD BATTERED IN HUSBAND BEATEN AND ROBBED ON REACHING HOME (Special to the “ Star.”) WANGANUI, October 27. One of the worst murders in the history of New Zealand occurred last night in Wanganui, a married woman, Mrs W. R. Oates, being gagged and) her head battered in during her husband’s absence from home, while the murderer waited for the husband and assaulted and robbed him at his gate. The following report is by the special Wanganui correspondent of the “ Star.”

The whole Wanganui community was shocked this morning by x-ne news of a cold-blooded and dastardly murder, which took place at the residence of Mr W. R. Oates. 247. Somme Parade, Aramolio. between 9.30 and 10 o’clock last night. Mr Oates is a well-known business man at Aramolio, being in partnership with Air Hedges, who resides at Wanganui East When Air Oates returned to his

home, which is situated about half a mile from the shop, he was assailed at his hack door and put out of action by heavy blows. He was then .robbed of approximately £IOO, which included cheques. On recovering sufficiently to move about-. Air Oates made the shocking discovery that his wife had been murderously assaulted, her skull being battered in, while she had been left gagged in a partially empty room. Ho also noticed that his little Irish terrier had been struck by a heavy instrument, and was lying in the same room as the dead woman. The distracted and half-dazed husband, who was bleeding profusely from

his wounds, wended his way in the dark to the next-door neighbour’s house, occupied by Air Pepper, but the occupants were spending the evening in town. Air Oates then evidently sought assistance from a neighbour on the other side, and at 9.45 p m. the police received a telephone message notifying them of the murder. Superintendent Fouhv and Constables Straff on. "Wilson, Simm and

Barton were soon making investiga Lions. They were joined bv DetectiveSergeant. Cameron, of Wellington, who happened to be in Wanganui on other police business. An urgent message was also dispatched to headquarters at Wellington for reinforcements, aim Chief-Detect ire Kemp. Detective Walsh and Senior-Sergeant Dinnie, the fingerprint expert, were roused from their beds, and were soon speeding in a high-powered car to Wanganui. They reached here after a five hour run, and commenced straight away on their investigations. The detectives had a cold ride, and heavy rain was falling most of the night. The local police lost no time in following up likely clues, and one or two interviews were made in the early hours of the mofning. Other members of the force directed their attention to getting Air Oates and hit wife to hospital, but owing to the i frightful nature of Airs Oates’s inI juries, there was no hope from the j outset that she could survive. ' The house where the murder was committed is of six rooms, situated near the main street, with nicely kept 1 grounds and shrubs. The shrubs would j provide plenty of cover for anyone who wanted to remain in seclusion j for a time. j Evidently the person who committed j the deed knew a good neal aoout the movements of Mr Oates. Tt appears j that his partner bad been away for • some weeks, and only returned a few ’ days ago. j Tt was the custom of Air Oates to remain at the shop for a time after closing to go through the dockets and make up the cash and then take th» cash and his books home with him. He followed this practice last night. Earlier in the evening Mrs Oates ' j had visited her husband at the store.

j and had returned home. When atI tacked, she was evidently sitting Tead- * ing at the kitchen table, for on the table this morning was a copy of a Wellington paper and a magazine The assailant, must have slipped quietly into the kitchen and struck Mrs Oates as she sat at the table. There was evidence of a scuffle, for the kitchen chair was knocked over.. The first blow evidently felled Mrs Oates, for there was a big pool of blood near the pantry door, which is very near the door which leads into a passage towards the front of the house. The murderer then apparently dragged Mrs Oates into the passage, for the runner carpet here has been very much disarranged. In the passage he dealt her an extremely heavy blow on the bead, for portions of the brain were lying in another pool of blood. The last stage of the foul act, as far as the victim was concerned, was to wrap a gag tightly round her mouth and head. This was saturated with blood. This room was nearly empty, with the exception of a sewing machine near the window. In a corner, near the machine, the little dog was found, where it had been silenced by blows from a heavy instrument to prevent it from balking. Whether the murderer ransacked the premises before he tackled Afr Oates, or waited until afterwards is not quite clear. At any rate there is evidence of a hurried search, for drawers have been pulled open, ar.d the contents disturbed. The bedclothes in two rooms have also been disarranged. • Air Oates had brought his bicycle home with him. and had placed this on a small verandah at the back which leads past the washhouse and storeroom attached to the main building. The murderer probablv stood in the washhouse door, and as Air Oates went to enter the kitchen, delivered the first blow. Mr Oates no doubt turned to grapple with his assailant, and was then struck over the eye and stunned. He bears the marks of a heavy blow in the face. To complete the robbery was an easy matter, and also to get awav unobserved. This morning, as soon as there was sufficient light, the police made a careful search in a fruitless endeavour to find the instrument with which the victims had been battered. If the murderer went towards the river, which is just on the other side of the road, he would have no difficulty in tossing it into the water. Had Alr Pepper been at home, the light from his place would shine direct on to the point where Mr Oates was attacked, and the opportunity for hiding would not have been so good. As it so happened everything was favourable to the carrying out of the dastardly deed. The lonely wife was sitting peacefullv reading. waiting for her husband’s footstep in the little kitchen about ten feet hy eight ifeet. On the table was a. hae of lollies, a portion of n loaf of bread and some butter where she had placed it for supper. Trooking down on this scene of the tragedy this morning was a little canary in a cage. and as ihe police moved about in search of ,->rints the little bird sang its morning song, oblivious of the tragedv that had been enacted in the room a few hours lief ore. As already indicated, the search of the house was hurried. On the mantlepiece was the sum of 13s 3d. In one of tlie drawers was a gnlr] bangle. The finger print, expert immediately entered upon his investigations as soon as lie arrived. Tn the meantime. Superintendent Fouhy took gnofi care not t«> allow anything to he touched iinnece ssarilv in the house. The possihiities are that the individual who so carefully prepared himself to carry out such a cold blooded deed was also endowed with sufficient cunning to wear gloves. The night was something similar to that of June 30 last year, when a Chinaman. Chow "S at. was murdered at Long Acre. The heavy rain would speedily obliterate all font prints. The parents of Mrs Oates have recently retired aud are living in Melbnure. He is about thirty-eight years °i age and is n well-known cricketer. Last season he was captain -ofr the United team. Some years ago he came to W anganui and worked te r Ke: nobans. Ltd. He was house steward at the Wanganui Hospital in 1909. and left in Mav. 1920. Afer this, he entered into busiress at Aramolio. As a mark of respect to the sad bereavement. all cricket matches were postponed this afternoon. Mrs Oates was thirty-two years of age. and was a daughter of Air and Mrs Hcnrv. of Palmerston Xorh, who are in business in that town. On inquiry at the hospital this afternooii i 1 I vias ascertained that Mr Oates showing signs of improvement.