Brutal Murder Of An Elderly Foxton Woman

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 November 1949, Page 4

Brutal Murder Of An Elderly Foxton Woman

PALMERSTON N„ Last Night (PA) —An elderly woman, Emily Christina Hall, a widow, was found brutally murdered in the kitchen of her own home at the corner of Cook and Main Streets, Foxton, at 10.30 a.m. today, when Constable Ballock forced an entry to the building to investigate a report that she had been missing since 11 a.m. last Friday. She was lying on her back on the floor of the kitchen with her head badly battered by a household fire shovel, but these wounds were not the cause of death. It has been established by a pathologist, Dr. D. D Lynch, that she died of strangulation and a broken neck. A gag, made out of her own oven cloth, was tied over her mouth. She was fully clothed. Mrs. Hall was aged 69, and had been a resident of Foxton for more than 20 years. She was last seen by neighbours leaving her house at 11 a.m. last Friday. She was not seen to return but a person was seen visiting the house at about 3 p.m. The police were busy today investigating this report. An old-age pensioner who formerly boarded in Mrs. Hall’s house was a daily visitor, and it was he who became suspicious when he found the doors locked and all the blinds drawn on Friday afternoon and Saturday. On Sunday he communicated his fears to neighbours of Mrs. Hall, and at his request they contacted her relatives, who notified: the police. Inquiries, under the direction of Superintendent H. J. Joyce, Palmerston North, were immediately instituted. Senior-Detective O. S. Power, and Detective-Sergeants J. G Long and J. H. Alty, and Detective F. Pine, all of Palmerston North, are engaged on the case. Sgt. J. Colclough, a fingerprint expert, and Constable W. Miller, police photographer, accompanied by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Cummings, visited Foxton this afternoon.