Mysterious Death of a New Zealander.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 122, 19 November 1894, Page 2

Mysterious Death of a New Zealander.

The San Francisco mail has brought is the following letter, dated from Butte Montana, U.S.A., 20th September :— On the night of Bth September, 1894, a man known here as John Doyle, a citizen of Kew Zealand, died under mysterious circumstances. The police claim that bhey were trying to arrest him in a disreputable part of the city ; that one of them pushed him, and he fell and was unable to rise, and the officer in trying to get him up dropped his pistol out of his pocket, which, striking on the sidewalk, exploded, the bullet passing through Doyle's leg near the ankle, and that he died ten minutes after without speaking. As he was a comparative stranger here, and hadino friends to take up his case, the investigation was merely formal and he was buried with scant ceremony. He had no letters or other means of showing where his friends live and for this purpose I will state what I know of him. He was my room-mate for several months, and told me that he had been a sailor, had been in the mines of South Africa, and more recently had been in Australia and New Zealand, where at ono time he had been employed in the machinery department of the U.S.S. Co. In the colonies he was often known as John P. Mullins instead of Doyle. He said his mother's maiden name was Mullins. He had worked ou rail-road construction in New Zealand, and once was in good circumstances, but had lost all he had. He was married, aud his wife and two children are somewhere in New Zealand now. He told me where but I have forgotton. His wife's maiden name was Burke, and they were married in New Zealand. I remember that he mentioned the name of Pat Griffin of that country, but cannot recollect any others. In personal appearance he was about oft 10£ in tall, well proportioned, fair complexion, thin face, brown hair, and probably 87 years of age. He was willing to talk at any time on almost any topic, and spoke rapidly, aud often used big words. Never saw him drunk or out of temper. He had a peculiar habit of sleeping with bis shirt sleeves rolled up. He came to this country last winter, and worked a short time on the Fair Buildings in Sau Francisco. Came to this place last April. He did not work much here, but at the time of his death was at work on a sewer contract for the City of Butte with Frank L. Reber, Frank and Charles M'Davitt, and others. Will you kindly assist in notifyiug his family by giving this space and requesting the other New Zealand papers to copy. The undersigned will answer any questions he can. Doyle boarded at Pat Mullins' Union Hotel. — I am, etc., E. E. Mather, Butte Mont., U.S.A., Union Hotei, Ceuterville.