UNSOLVED CRIMES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17218, 8 December 1923, Page 1

UNSOLVED CRIMES.

MURDER MYSTERIES OF NEW ZEALANDDETECTIVES BAFFLED. (II.). New Zealand, for its size, has a fairly long record of crimes unsolved. In addition to the murder of Mrs Oates at Aramoho on October 26, 1923. arid the murder of Mr and Mrs Holland at Kaiapoi on May 11. 1916, thefe have been three other murders in recent years, the perpetrators of which have not been brought to book. These cases Chow Yet. a gardener. 62 years of age. shot in the head on the night of May 31. 1922. at the junction of Longacre and Kaimatira Roads, five miles from Wanganui. James Dorgan, police constable, 38 years of age, shot through the right breast on the morning of August 27, 1921, in Stafford Street, Timaru. Francis Edward Jew, 20 years of age, battered to death with a paling on July 16, 1921, at Arch Hill, Auckland. THE CASE OF CHOW -YET. Absence of fingerprints was one of the main obstacles in the way of tracking down the murderer of Chow Y r et. The Chinaman lived in a whare in the corner of a paddock used for market gardening. On the night of May 31 he was evidently called outside and shot down in cold blood. A candlestick was fpupd lying just about where the old man must have been standing when he received the first shot. After that, Chow Yet staggered over a little footbridge across a drain, and then walked a few yards on the ploughed ground.

murder. The young man had been brutaily battered to death.

At the same time, there was no suggestion that robbery was the motive, as the clothes were not disarranged in any way. There was a sum of money in the pockets of the trousers. The dead man's father stated that he had not attached any importance to the fact that his son did not arrive home for tea on Saturday evening, for he frequently was in the habit of visiting the home of a. friend. This friend, however, informed the police that Jew did not go to his house on the Saturday evening. A reward was offered for evidence leading to the conviction of the Arch Hill murderer, but nothing important has ever been brought to Tight from that day to this. SHOT WHILE ON DUTY. Early on the morning of Monday, August 27. 1921, Constable James Dorgan was shot dead in Timaru while on duty. At 130 a.m. Constable Christopher signalled from his beat in Stafford Street that something was amiss. Constable Dorgan joined him and they proceeded to T. and J. Armstrong's drapery store, Constable Christopher reporting that he had seen a man inside the shop moving around with a torch. Events mo\ T ed rapidly. Constable Dorgan, being senior constable, elected to remain on watch while Constable Christopher went further up the hill and informed Mr Thompson. When returning within about five minutes, Constable Christopher heard four revolver shots in quick succession. As he got inside a right-of-way by the shop he met Constable Dorgan staggering out, so severely wounded that he bumped into the iron gateway. His first words were: “I'm done! I’m done ! Send for the doctor.” Constable Christopher replied: “No fear. You are all right.” “GONE UP THE BACK.” The wounded officer fell into the other's arms, muttering some words resembling “ Gone up the back.” Help was summoned, but Constable Dorgan died shortly after the arrival of a