The Tragedy at Cromwell.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 101, 23 October 1894, Page 2

The Tragedy at Cromwell.

LAT-hitt PAKxiCULARS | Per Press Association] Dunedin, October 22. Blue, the murderer, was a lunatic. McKorsie was shot, the upper part of the skull being lifted clean off on one side. Tho charge of shot never scattered , being found in one solid lump at the baso of the brain. Blue was only discharged from the hospital a couple of days. He wat suffering from insomnia. McKeraie had gone to his hut to attend to his wants. Having done ho, McKorsie began to pau out prospects. Blue, seeing the opportunity, arose from tho bed and seizing the gun discharged it point blank at deceased. The motive appears to be that McKersie and Wright, hiß partner, had taken up an adjacent claim, which Blue held belonged to him. This Day. Mr Wright, partner of tho murdered man, McKersie, went out of the way, occupying four hours in reaching the township, feariug he might be overtaken by Blue. Wright, Robertson, and Bluo bad some tea together, but thought there was something the matter with it, and another man who drank of it was affected by cramp. Blue had been bad for some time, and had little sleep. He came out of the hospital last Wednesday, but was not capable of looking after himself. He had cut off a dog's head before going in. McKersie and Wright had been looking after him, cleaning the race, giving medicine, etc. It is evidout Bluo had a grudge against the two men for going to work near him, as they had to cut through ono of his drains to construct a tail-race. Blue was found on Sunday in two or three feet of water in an old tunnel.