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JRamily Weclcljr
November 1, 1959
Bahamians claim to know who stole
into Sir Harry's bedroom
and bludgeoned and burned
the hated multimillionaire;
if so, why hasn't
the island government acted?
Will the Oakes
EHuardeir -Ehrtwr
Me Solved?
by ELLERY QUEEN
In may, 1959, 16 years after the murder of Bahamian
multimillionaire Sir Harry Oakes, a determined
gentleman named Cyril St. John Stevenson, editor
publisher of The Nassau Herald and member of the
Bahamas House of Assembly, rose in that body to
introduce a resolution requesting Gov. Sir Raynor
Arthur to reopen the Oakes murder investigation,
enlisting Scotland Yard's help.
"In my opinion," Stevenson told his colleagues,
"Oakes was killed by one of his close friends whom
he had no reason to suspect and who drank with
him several hours before the murder." And the
Bahamian newspaperman-legislator thundered, "I
could point my finger at the man responsible!"
The House passed his resolution unanimously. In
its issue of July 18, 1959 a full two months later
The Nassau Herald complained, "It is apparent to
everyone that the governor intends to delay his
decision on the Oakes murder case until the death
rattle sounds in the throat of the present session
of the House A murderer is walking the streets
of the colony today with all the protection and
security afforded the Queen of England."
liiliillffl
This is the Nassau house, known as Westbourne, where Sir Harry
was brutally murdered. The shuttered windows on upper balcony
led to his room. The floor plan shows the wing he slept in.
Family Weekly. November I, J959
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