TATTOOED ARM MYSTERY

Wairarapa Age, 3 October 1935, Page 7

TATTOOED ARM MYSTERY

DEATH OF REGINALD HOLMES. INQUEST OPENED IN SYDNEY. WIDOW GIVES EVIDENCE. SYDNEY, October 2. An inquest opened to-day inter the death of Mr. Reginald Holmes, aged 34, who was to have been one of the chief witnesses in the Coronial inquiry into the 11 shark arm mystery” but Who was found murdered in his car on the morning of the day the inquiry opened. Leslie Holmes, brother of the dead man, said that Reginald had acted as if he did not want to talk to anyone prion to his death. He had l told witness that he was frightened df. “the Brady crowd.” Mrs. Inie Holmes, widow of the dead man, said that her husband had been a successful business man and had a number of life insurance policies amounting to £15,800. Mrs. Holmes said that one policy for £4OOO had been mortgaged to Albert Stannard about September, 1933. The yacht Pathfinder was bought by her husband. James Smith was employed as a caretaker on the vessel. Stannard had been a frequent visitor to their home on matters concerning the Pathfinder. The claim against the insurance company for the loss of the Pathfinder had not been proceeded with. Mrs. Holmes said that when her husband went out on the afternoon of June 11 he said he was going to see Stannard about the inquiry concerning the disappearance of James Smith. He, returned about 6 p.m., and went out again about 7.45 p.m. Prior to leaving, he said there was someone at the gate, and asked her to see who it was. She told him there was only a woman in the street. “When he got in the car I asked him where he was going,” continued Mrs. Holmes. “He said: 1 Don’t worry,’ and I told him that if he was not home by 9.30 o’clock I would ring the police.” Mrs. Holmes added that she did not ring the police when her husband did not return at 9.30 o’clock, but about midnight she rang Stannard, who said he did not know where her husband had gone. She later rang the police, and was subsequently informed that her husband had been found dead.