SHOOTING AFFAIR AT SPRINGSTON

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1853, 29 May 1888, Page 2

SHOOTING AFFAIR AT SPRINGSTON

[" AN EXCITED FARMER. M " ■ > d The " Lyttelton Times " reports that n on Monday Mr Peter Sinclair, Olerk to il the Springs Road Board, was shot at and d wounded by Thomas Henley, a ooniider* n able farmer of the distriot, who was aftere wards arrested for the outrage. The Is clroumatances of the aff_.tr were as fol--0 lows : — On Friday night the Road Board Office * at Springaton was burned down, and Mr * P. Sinclair, the Olerk, sent a telegram to ° Inspector Pender on Saturday, asking ' that a deteotive might be sent out to j make enquiries, as there were auspicious 1 cfroumstauoea oonneoted with the fire. I Accordingly Chief Deteotive T. Neil went 3 to Sprlngston yesterday morning, and ] with Mr Sinclair started to make enquiries r In the distriot. Amongst other plaoea i they went to Henley's farm, which ia 1 situated about a mile from the Rolleston : railway elation, and fourteen miles from Ohristohuroh. On oalling at the house, Henley and Mrs Henley asked them In, After they had been a short time there, they commenced making their enquiries. ' Henley then flew into a passion, ordered them out, and assaulted Mr Sinclair. Nell and Sinolalr were just leaving tbe houae, when Henley fired at the latter with a double-barrelled gun, missing him. He then ran round the corner of the house and fired again. The Bhot took effect In Mr Sinclair's legs and thighs, and he fell to tbe ground. Henley, his son and his wife, then attaoked the detective and Sinclair, but Mr Nelll succeeded ln getting the latter away, and taking him to his house olose to the Road Board Office. . Neither the deteotive nor Sinolalr, it should bo noted, were armed. Dr Westenra wag at onoe set for, nnd extracted forty-eight shots from Mr Sinolaic's legs and thigh*. Most of these bad lodged m the left leg j some of them had paused right through the oalf. Dc Oooko afterwards arrlvjd, and attended to the wounded man, whoie condition he pronounced to be serious, though with absolute quiet and careful attention he will doubtless reoover, Wheu Inspector Pender with four ob five constables fully armed went to arrest Henley, they were unable to gain admittance to the house. It appeared Henley was determined not io qqtijei^ec himself, but at the entreaty of his wife bloodshed was prevented, In Henley's bedroom was found a double-barrelled guv loaded and capped. Henley Ib between forty-fiva and fifty years of age, and baa lived In Canterbury for twenty-four years, fourteen of whioh have been spent at hia present farra. He had, it ia said, served m the Amerioan war. Ho is a atrongly built man, though BOtnewhat understand. His son, aged 2s, was also arrested as being oonoocued m the attach on Sinoiair,'