WANGANUI MURDER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17183, 29 October 1923, Page 1

WANGANUI MURDER.

MURDERER SAID TO HAVE USED GLOVES. RAIN WASHED TRACKS AWAY. (Special to the “ Star.' 5 ) WANGANUI, October 29. Up to the present the perpetrator ot the dastardly crime at Aramoho on Friday night appears to have successfully covered up his tracks, being assisted by the fact that the night was favourable to him, as the rain would obliterate footmarks. Evidently, too, the criminal used gloves, as it is said that there is not the slightest sign of any finger marks, while the instrument used in the murder was probably thrown into the river. As is usual in such cases, all sorts of » vumours are. in circulation. Some oi them, on the face of them, appear sure to lead to results, but police investigation proves them it? be worthless. The brutal nature of the crime has aroused the horror of the residents ol the whole district, more than any previous tragedy, and everyone is hoping that the murderer will lie soon brought to justice. The police are working in an admirable way. and straining every nerve to solve the problem. A large section of the public showed their morbid curiosity by visiting the locality yesterday, but from outside the gate the only impression to be gained was of a suburban residence with particularly neat '.surroundings. Mr,Oates’s neighbours are Mr Dobbins. on the town side, and Mr A. Pepper, a well-known builder, on the other side. Mr Pepper, in conversation with a Press representative, said that Mr Oates had been his next-door neighbour for about two years, and during the whole of that period last Friday night was the only occasion on which there had been nobody at home. Otherwise as his house was close to 3lr Oates’s, anyone would have heard a struggle or perhaps heard the dog barking. Mr Dobbins’s house would be too far away to hear any disturbance. A stronger and perhaps more important factor that assisted the mur. derer in his mission was the absence of any light in Air Pepper’s house. The kitchen light from Mr Pepper’s house throws a clear, distinct beam right across to the door oi* Air Oates’s kitchen. This fact has often been commented upon. Yet on this occasion the darkness was an added aid to the perpetration of the horrible deed. Air Pepper and his family returning from town and entering by the back door, the switching on of the electric light revealed a. pool of blood that had flowed from Air Oates’s wounds while he was trying to get help. Very little fresh developments have taken place in connection with the tragedy. The local police force has been further supplemented, and the latest arrival is Chief-Detective Cfiimmings, of Auckland, whose reputation as a tracker down of criminals is wellknown in the Dominion. Yesterday the police spent an extremely busy day. They got on the track of some valuable infoimiation { and are now keenly following up this clue. Tn the meantime, exhaustive inquiries are also being made in other directions. As is usual when the public are stirred by a sensation of this kind, a large amount of information drifts into the police station, and even the most unlikely suggestions have to be investigated in the hope of opening up some avenue that may lead to an Air Oates is making good progress towards recovery, and has been able to have interviews with detectives, and give them further information. It appears that in going for assistance after the assault Air Oates jumped a fence to his next door neighbours’ house. From further investigations by the police it seems likely that the murderer made his way out by the front gate, and not the hack gate. The fences and grounds at the back were carefully examined for marks likely to be caused by a person making a hasty retreat, but. without result. The injuries which caused the death of Airs Oates were all on top of the skull. At least three extremely heavy blows were dealth. and from the terrible nature of the wounds it looks as if the murder was committed by a person of powerful physique. The funeral of the late Mrs Oates will take place at Palmerston North this afternoon at 1 o’clock. Mr J. Hayhow. representing the Wanganui Cricket Association, and Air Orr. representing the United team, of which Air Oates is a member, will represent tbe Wanganui cricketers. Many beautiful wreaths were sent by local cricketers.