THE PUKEKAWA MURDER

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14491, 14 October 1920, Page 5

THE PUKEKAWA MURDER

THORN BEFORE THE COURT. CASE FOR THE PROSEOU'ITON. CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. By Telegraph—l'ress Association. I'UKEKOHE, Thursday. The preliminary trial of Samuel John Thorn, charged with the murrtvr id Sydney Seymour Eyre, at F-ukekawa, on August 24, was begun at I'ukekuhe today, before Mi' L'oynton, S.M. Mr H. I'. Hunt, r»r the prosecution, in addressing the Court, said the case was a string circumstantial one. II would lie shown that the fatal shol was fired by one who had an intimate knowledge of the house. Thorn was tl nly one outside Hie family havinu that knowledge. At the time of the murder Thorn was working at Granville's farm, is miles from Eyre's. The horse under Thorn's charge had I uliarly shaped shoes, and tracks discovered showed that it had been ridden between the two properties on Hi- nigh! ->f August 24. Eyre's house contained two guns, neither of which had been fired n ntly. The gun in Thorn's whare had been discharged. It took a cartridge of the same calibre as dial used to kill Eyre. Thorn was Hie only possessor of cartridges of thai particular brand within a radius of '-'" miles. The night of the murder was one of two nights when Thorn had been left, alone in his whare. The evidence would show thai while Eyre was away, ami after his return, Thorn P,,d for I immoral relations on Mrs Eyre. Thorn had threatened Eye's life before witnesses, and had said to Mrs Eyre, "Don't you wish he was dead?" Eyre's sons bad heard Thorn sneaking into Iheir mother's room at night. The motive suggested was revenge for being discharged from a good position, and ho in si deprived nl the opportunity for ronlinuing his relations, which were enforced on Mrs Eyre. Mrs Eyre was beginning her evidence at the adjournment,