Murder.

New Zealand Police Gazette, Volume XX, Issue 26, 18 December 1896, Page 213

Murder.

(See Police Gazette, 1896, pages 173, 181, 191, and 199.) Man found murdered at Ohoka, North Canterbury, on the 14th September, 1896. There is now reason to believe that the deceased was identical with John Laurence Edward Olsen referred to in the “Special Inquiry” notices on the above-named pages, and concerning whom the following particulars have been furnished by his brother, C. Morton Olsen, chemist, of Newtown, New South Wales: John Laurence Edward Olsen was born in 1866 ; his description, when last seen in 1890-91, being as follows : About sft. 7in. high, thickset build, fair skin, face tanned by exposure, large light bluish-grey eyes, prominent ears, straight well-shaped nose, front teeth good and well cared for, back teeth decayed; wore full beard, whiskers, and moustache of a dark-brown or black colour, growing irregularly and cross-grained; darkbrown hair, large hands and feet, the bones of the big toes of each foot largely developed and abnormally raised ; the toes next to the big toe of left foot overlapped; the big toe of the left foot may have been longer than that of the right; wore hat, size 6|. In his youth he met with an accident, causing concussion of the brain, subsequently showing peculiarities of disposition—viz., avoidance of society, careful habits in money matters, obstinate and headstrong temper, and a strong inclination to religious literature, tracts, &c. He went to New Zealand in 1886, was employed in a rabbitcanning factory in Otago, and wrote saying he had a hard struggle for existence. He returned to New South Wales in 1890 or 1891, worked as a labourer near Parramatta for a few weeks. He expressed an intention of returning to New Zealand, and it is supposed that he did so, as he has not been seen or heard of in New South Wales since. When last in the latter colony, his aunt (Mrs. L. J. Olsen), of Granville, near Sydney, saw in his posssession a sovereigncase made of yellowish metal, which had apparently at one time been coated with silver. He also told his aunt that & lady in New Zealand had given him a Testament. His brother believes he would have gradually dropped down to

the level of an ordinary swagger. Dr. W. H. Symes, who examined the remains, states that the bones agree in many respects with the above description of Olsen. It is requested that every effort may be made to trace his movements in this colony.