MICHAEL QUIRKE'S DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 790, 13 April 1910, Page 6

MICHAEL QUIRKE'S DEATH.

FULL ACCOUNT OF THE TRAGEDY. STBANGE SILENCE OP THE VICTIM. Fuller details of the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Mr. Michael Quirke were obtainable this morning. It appears that at about seven o'clock someone knocked at Mr. Shields's back-door, and shortly afterwards the intruder was heard to say that "if the door was not opened soon he would bash it in." Mr. Shields did not open the door, but left the house through one of the windows and proceeded to the Terrace End Hotel, where he informed the licensee, Mr. Overton, of what had occurred, and the latter at once rang up the police. On the arrival of Sergeant Bowden at the hotel Mr. Overton and others left for Mr Shields's house. According to the "Standard," on their way they heard cries of "Powelka!" in East Street, and at once 6tationed themselves under a macrocarpa hedge in Church Street, opposite the residence of Mr Torstonson, sonr. '. While there a man wearing grey clothes and leggings was seen coining along East Street. A Mutual Mistake. Everyone jumped to the conclusion that it was tho fugitive and the excitement at the prospect of his capture was intense. Sergeant Bowden, as soon as tho figure got within easy. distance of them, called out: "Police! Stand!" The latter command was repeated three times in quick succession and on the third occasion the suspect dropped upon his knees. The action was quickly noticed by those who were watching the scene with bated breath and the cry was raised that the unknown was going ~to fire. Sergeant Bowden and Mr. Overton each formed the conclusion that the stranger intended to open fire upon them and the sergeant dropped upon his knees with the intention of returning the fire! Mr. Overton, who was slightly in advance of the police representative, and was armed with a rifle, got his shot in first. The bullet struck the man at.the top of the forehead and he at once dropped from his crouching position on to the ground, his revolver, with which he had previously covered Overton, still in his right hand. As soon as the man fell a. rush was "made to the spot, but it was curbed for a second by the suggestion that the man, perhaps, was not dead and might 6h00t.However, there was not a movement from the prostrate figure, and a lantern being requisitioned the appalling discovery was made that it was not Powelko, but a searcher, Mr. Michael Quirke, of Fahiatua, who had been shot. Mystifying Silence. The effect upon the crowd in attendance can better be imagined than described. The shock to all concerned was terrific. They had expected to see the face of the man who has kept the whole town in a ferment, and instead' saw the upturned features of one who' had for days been assisting to lay the criminal by the heels. . • The stricken man was lying in a pool of blood, when Dr. Martin, who had been hastily summoned to the .tragedy, arrived, but he was still alive. He. was taken' to the hospital in Mr. Pringle's motor-car, accompanied by the doctor, but' there was no hope from the first, and death ensued soon after the institution was reached.

The mystifying portion of the regrettable occurrence is the failure'of. the deceased to take any -notice of the challenges he received from the-party in front of him prior to> the. fatal .-shot being fired, and it is quite evident that some. misapprehension must, have existed with deceased as to what was actually transpiring in front of him. This theory is supported by the fact of deceased drawing his revolver, placing it over his arm and covering Mr. Overton, who, in the course of conversation with our representative this .morning, detailed the occurrence. Mr. Overton said he could plainly sea the glint of the barrel of the revolver on accused's arm, and it appeared to be only a question of who fired first. When 'Mr. Overton fired the revolver was pointed full at his chest.

The "Standard" says Mr. Overton is quite at a loss to account for the'silence of deceased when challenged, and also his actions, each of which, Mr. Overton says, conduced.to the firing of the shot When.the fatal shot was fired deceased was about fifteen yarda away from Mr. Overton. ANOTHER VERSION OF THE'

TRAGEDY.; STALKING ONE ANOTHER. : An eye-witness. of ' the whole •of the tragedy was Mr. Albert Torstonson. Mr. Torstonson lives on the eastern side of East Street. •■ He* was made aware of the presence of Powelka in his vicinity by the commotion in Mrs. Davey's place, and he was on his own verandah-at about 7.30 when the cry,. "Powelka!" was raised. There was a crowd—greatly excited—at the corner of Church and East Streets, another lot of searchers at, the corner of East and Ferguson Streets, and various people prowling round in the adjacent yards. ..:''"

Mr. Torstonson saw Sergeant Bowden and Mr. Overton leave the crowd on the town side of East Street at the Church Stret corner, and begin to make their way along towards Ferguson Street. Almost simultaneously a figure appeared from out of a vacant section on the same side of the street, and began to make his way along towards Church Street, walking diagonally across the road. The man, says Mr. Torstonson, looked tall enough to be Powelka when he got on to the road, and he himself said to his wifo, who was with him on the verandah, "By jove, thafs him all right!"

Tho stranger was now beginning 'to move along at a crouching gait. He had seen tho figures by the fence, and when the shout of warning had gone up must have fancied that it referred in some way to them. He was stalking them to all appearances. The shining barrel of his revolver was easily seen, and he appeared to ■be about to fire. Mr. Torstonson was convinced that he was crouching down in order to get his man above the skyline. .He may have only seen Mr. Overton, for all his attention was directed that way. It seemed then to be only a matter as to who should get his'shot in first. Mr. Overton fired, and the man dropped .within a few yards of Mr. Torstonson's front gate, and just on the edge of the roadway.

Immediately a dozen voices claimed the victim as theirs, and a rnsh was made to the spot. But an ominous silence followed when the dreadful , discovery was made that Mr. Michael Quirke had fallen a victim to mistaken identity.

• \Vhen Powelka disappeared at Ash-' hurst on Sunday bo didn't take to the bush at once, as everyone thought he would do. Instead, he hid himself in a toi-toi bush right out in tie open, where he could see - all that was going on, and no one dreamt of looking in the open.