CYCLIST MURDERED ON ROADSIDE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 201, 25 August 1931, Page 7

CYCLIST MURDERED ON ROADSIDE.

Robbery Believed to be Motive of Palmerston North Crime.

Per Press Association. PALMERSTON NORTH, August 25.

| 'HE POLICE are now convinced that Edwin John BlakeA way, a railway clerk, aged 26, who was found dead on the Longburn-Karere Road early yesterday morning was murdered. A post-mortem examination revealed bullet wounds in the hand, wrist, chest and head. It is believed that the shots were fired from either a repeating rifle or an automatic revolver. Five empty cartridge shells were found at the scene of the crime.

At the time the crime was perpetrated Blakeway was cycling back to Palmerston North and apparently was hailed from the side of the road. It seems that he dismounted and went back to the place where he was found shot. When he left the house of a friend nearby he was wearing gloves. These were not on his hands when the body was .found, but were clasped underneath. The indications point to deceased having tried to prevent his assailant shooting him, this accounting for the shots in the hand and wrist. Blakeway is believed to have had a roll of notes in his possession, but these were not on the body. Assailant Lay in Wait. Five bullet wounds were found on the body, two on one hand close together, another on the side of the wrist on the other forearm, one through the chest and one behind the bridge of the nose. It has been definitely established by the police that Blakeway was. shot from the side of the road by an assailant who apparently lay in wait. This conclusion has been reached because of the direction in which some of the bullets entered the body. It has been fairly accurately determined, however, that at least one shot was fired point blank from in front of deceased. When found the body was lying face downwards with the head facing the direction in which he was proceeding. The body was stretched straight out, with the exception of the neck, which was hunched close to the shoulders, indicating the belief that after being shot he was dragged, or probably lifted, under the arms to the place where he was found. A significant feature is the discovery of five empty cartridges at the scene, of the crime, four being picked up alongside the cycle, which was six yards distant from the body. The bullet punctures in the body are from a gun of small calibre, and are believed to have been fired from an automatic revolver or high-powered repeating rifle. Blakeway was a prominent amateur cyclist, aged twenty-six years, unmarried. He was booking clerk at the Palmerston North railway station, a position he had held only since August 11. He was previously stationed at Otaki. His parents reside at Avonhead Road, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch. The body was found on the Long l bush-Karere Road, near Lockwood, five miles from Palmerston North, by Mr H. G. Leng-Ward. canvasser, of Palmerston No.'th Mr Leng-Ward stated that when motoring along Karere Road about 7.40 o’clock yesterdav, he stopped to examine a racing bicycle lying in the middle of the road 23* then saw the fully dressed body cn > young man lying face downwards or the grass at the side of the road. ! Blood had congealed on his nose and I ears, and there were also marks of j blood on his left hand. Mr Leng-Ward immediately telephoned to the police, ! and a doctor, who told him that death probably was due to a fall from the machine or some such accidental cause. The place where the body was found is on an open stretch of country w T ith no shelter of any kind. The bicycle, which was undamaged, lay about fifteen feet in front of the body. Mr Blakeway’s Movements. Mr Blakeway’s movements have been traced as follows: On Saturday | he finished unplaced in a road race. On Sunday he made an eighty-nine-mile training ride to Pahiatua, returning at 6 p.m. He mentioned to his landlady that he had a fall, but that he was not injured. He later visited the house of a friend, Miss Meehan, at Karere, leaving there at 11 p.m. Mrs Meehan says her daughter accompanied Mr Blakeway to the gate and returned to the house with a strange premonition that he would soon return. So strong was this feeling that she delayed retiring for a lengthy period. Cartridge Shells Found. Yesterday Mrs Tanner recalled that about 11.15 p.m. on Sunday she and a friend distinctly heard sounds of groaning, but assumed that they came irom cattle grazing near by. Mrs Robinson, Ferguson Street, stated yesterday that deceased, who had

boarded with her during the past fortnight, had an exceedingly happy nature but was inclined to display a roll of banknotes which he always carried. Friends warned him of the danger, but the advice apparently was disregarded. Mrs Robinson positively affirms that deceased was carrying at least thirty pounds when he left home on Sunday, but all that was found was a sum of one shilling and fourpence. It is known that deceased gave one or two companions who accompanied him to the station on Saturday twenty pounds to hold during the progress of the road race. An Otaki railway employee, a friend of deceased, says he had twenty pounds on Saturday. Post Mortem: Disclosures. A post mortem yesterday disclosed that death was caused by bullet wounds, of which there were at least four—in the nose, chest and wrist—from a gun of small calibre. The affair has all the elements of premeditated murder with robbery as the motive. The suicide theory is ruled out as definitely impossible. Jealousy or revenge motives are scouted in official quarters, while the location of the bullet wounds precludes death by any conceivable accidental happening. Three detectives have been seeking clues and have interrogated a number of people. Last night the detectives brought in a man with whom they were still engaged at midnight. The police are extremely reticent and will only acknowledge that deceased was shot. “ARREST IMMINENT.” (Special to the “ Star.”) PALMERSTON NORTH, August 25. Though no information can be secured from the detectives, it is known that events moved fast this morning and that an arrest is imminent. It is believed that • Blakeway dismounted from his bicycle and laid it carefully down, after being hailed by his attacker, whom it is thought he recognised. Four shots were fired from an automatic revolver or a highpowered repeater from a side angle, and one shot at close range. The markings on the five small discharged shells found near the body definitely point to the weapon being one of high repeating power. The body was lifted to the side of the road after falling. Robbery is now said to have been a secondary motive for the crime. POPULAR OFFICIAL. Per Press Association. PALMERSTON NORTH, August 25. Blakeway arrived here from Otaki a fortnight ago on relieving duties as railway booking clerk. He had an exceedingly happy personality and was greatly popular with his fellow-em-ployees. Otaki people describe him as a man who would never make enemies. He was greatly in favour among a wide circle o( friends. Blakeway was well known and popular at Hukanui, where he was actingstationmaster for a time. Fie was a keen amateur track cyclist, and took part in Rugby, tennis and miniature rifle shooting.