HOW THE HAND WAS GOT,

BODIES EXHUMED. Mastekton, to-day. During the last day or two rumors have been rife in Masterton in connection with the severed hand mystery. Howard was for some time in Masterton, and great in- ! terest is naturally taken here in the affair. It has gradually leaked out that he was what might be termed a grave hunter. He was employed in different ways in Mas terton, but he drew general attention to himself by making a number of rather fruitless attempts to get on good terms with Mr Jago, the well-known undertaker, on the day of Mrs Rayner'g funeral Howard being about Mr Jago like his shadow ; and though he did not create sus picion he was certainly disliked. During one of his visits to Mr Jago'a shop he obtained an empty varnish tin, and it is generally supposed that the only use he intended to put it to wns to preserve what ever part of a human body he could obtain possession of. The tin was given to him by Mr Jago. Howard directed suspicion against himself in Masterton by a number of acts. Among these it is stated that he occasoinally went bathing in company, but he never wet his head — presumably to preserve his wig. More to the point is the face that he was employed on a building contract for Mr Lowes, and that Messrs John and Walter Cameron wrote several letters for him. One of these was to his wife, and covered £2. So suspicious was he that ho would not allow the letter to go through the post, but sent it down through someone he had been introduced to. B ith the gentlemen named have been sub poenaed to give evidence at the trial in Christchurch. The question as to how the hand was obtained is in itself a sensa tion. Howard was undoubtedly looking for something of the kind. On Wednes day afternoon Detective O'Connor, who came up especially from Christchurch, dropped across a man who states that Howard offered him ten pounds if he would assist him in opening the grave of a man who died in the hospital and was accorded a salvation army funeral, hia plea being that ho felt sure the deceased was an old friend whom he was anxious to recognise. 