Found Murdered

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19600, 12 June 1935, Page 7

Found Murdered

SYDNEY BOAT-BUILDER.

PRINCIPAL WITNESS IN INQUIRY

THE “ SHARK ARM ” MYSTERY

SOME PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES

United Press Assn. —Elec. Copyright. (Received June 12, 10.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 12-

Reginald Holmes (34), one of Australia’s best-known boatbuilders, who was to have been the prlnolpal witness for the polloe at the coronlal Inquiry to-day Into the mystery surrounding the disgorging of a human arm on May 18, was found murdered early this morning In his oar at Dawes Point, City. Holmes was shot through the left groin and chest.

Tlie position and nature of the AA'ounds, in the opinion of detectives, definitely established murder. The police believe that Holmes was killed by someone avlio had been a passenger in his car-. TWO CARTRIDGES FOUND. > NO TRACE OF REVOLVER. EXTRAORDINARY HARBOUR CHASE-

United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received June 12, noon.) SYDNEY, June 12. Tavo spent cartridges Avere found in the car, but there aatis no trace of a revolver. On May 20 Holmes Avas the central figure in an extraordinary harbour chase. After the harbour incident Holmes spent several days in a hospital under a police guard, but upon his discharge the guard Avas Avithdrawn. It Is .considered that the murder of Holmes 'will have an Important bearing upon ,the police line of Inquiry in the James Smith mystery.

DEATH OF JAMES SMITH.

CORONER'S INQUIRY TO-DAY. SEARCH BY AIRMEN AND DIVERS. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright. (Received June 12, 11.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 12. An Inquiry Into the death of James Smith will be commenced to-day by the city coroner. Smith, Avhen he last left home, stated that he Avas going fishing. The police Avere unsuccessful yesterday in their final search of Gunnematta Bay and Port Hacking for exhibits for the coroner’s Inquiry on Smith, although they had the assistance of the Navy and Air Force. Observers in two Air Force planes, equipped with pOAverful binoculars, surveyed several square miles of water. A naval tug, with divers aboard, moved after the planes, which dropped buoys Avhenever 'they saw anything in the sea which they thought might merit investigation, and the naval divers descended in nearly every caseOn May 21, city water policemen engaged in dragging in Gunnematta Bay, •Gronulla, for the body of James Smith.

James Smith’s tattooed arm was found in a pool at tho Uoogee Aquarium, on May 18, having been disgorged by a shark. Experts are of the opinion that the shark must have been affected by the sudden change in its environment in the aquarium and that the shock must have halted or delayed its digestive processes, with the result that it disgorged the arm and died a few days later. Finger print experts of the Police Department were able to strip the skin off some of the fingers of the dead hand and take somewhat indistinct prints. These assisted in the identification of deceased by ids brother. A piece of rope was entwined about the wrist of the disgorged arm. At first this suggested that Smith had committed suicide, but later it was believed to have been the outcome of foul play. On May 2-1 Patrick Brady, aged 42, a shearer, was charged with the murder of James Smith, lie was remanded.

SENSATIONAL CHASE. .MAN WITH BULLET WOUND. DRAMATIC LEAP TO LAUNCH.. Regarding the mysterious chase referred to above, the Sydney Sun of May 21 says:— For more than three hours to-day fast police motor launches engaged in a sensational chase alter another launch on which was a man suffering from a bullet wound in the head.

Tlie pursuit extended lor iwo miles outside tlie Heads. The chase ended dramatically when a man leaped on board the launch while the police kept the wounded man in conversation.

The opening incident in tlie drama is believed to have occurred near Shark island about (1 a.m-. The man fell overboard from a launch. He clambered on to tlie launch again, made Ids way to a boalshed on tlie [oily side of tlie harbour, and secured I another craft, of the speedboat type, i His clothes were si ill wet when lie was ‘ rescued by tlie police. I it was .shortly after 8 a.m. that tlie | police became interested in the movc- | incnls of the boat. They were told that a man had been shot and that the | vessel was making towards the Heads. | Sergeant .lames left in the new police | launch, Nemesis, which is capable of a speed of fiti miles an hour, and rapidly overhauled the oilier launch, which was then near Hie Heads. Launch Speeds Away. for an hour bolh vessels raced around. The faster and larger police 1 i r.ontuiued lu next column.)

launch continually overlook tlie pursued boat, but the latter was so small that it was easily turned, and sped oh again. After more than three hours’ excitement, which had spread lo the shore, where there were many interested watchers, Sergeant Slaney, who was on the Osiris, a second police boat, persuaded Hie wounded man tu draw his boat near Hie lsiris. Offer to Treat Wound. lie did so. Sergeant Slaney produced a first-aid kit and offered to treat the wounded man’s bead. The man asked him Lo put some of Hie lotion on a rag and band it across, tlie boat llioii being too far to risk a leap. In the meantime a relative of the wounded man, wlm was in a smaller motor boat, bad quietly taken bis craft on to I lie oilier side.

While I lie police kept Die injured man in conversation, the relative leaped on board the vessel, and look oul I lie ignition key. The injured man was tlien transferred lo I lie Osiris, and hurried back lo Hie urniv. lie was subsequently taken to Sydney Hospital. An \ ra\ showed Hint a bullet had keen flattened against his skulL