MURDER AT RUNANGA.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1917, Page 3

MURDER AT RUNANGA.

, further particulars.

DESCRIPTION OK MURDERER. According to latest information the., murderer was a young man of about, build, about sft 10iu. in height. He. wore blue dungares and had his taßCj completely masked, there being Only two holes loft for the eyes. Work at the mine was immediately suspended, and the miners lormedsearch parties to scour the bush in an. endeavour to locate the criminal. The bullets extracted from Mr James indicate that the weapons used were possibly automatic revolvers. A Grey mouth resident, who was in. the vicinity at the time says he distinctly heard seven shots. It is apparent. that the one bullet proved fatal to Courthard, as it went ngi through his heart. Three bullets wenp,K into Mr. Hall and two into Mr. James. As Mr. Hall, in self defence,, fired two shots, it seems feasible that, in all there wore eight shots.

JOHN COULTHARB. John Coulthard, (killed), was about oe years of age, and a native of Brimnerton. He was a son of tlic late John' Coulthard and resided with his mother at Runanga. He was the only son ana a "blacksmith by trade. He was a favourite with all and held in high esteem and respect. People mourn today for tho untimely death of a man cut off in the prime of his manhood.

WILLIAM HALL. ! William Hall, who was wounded in. the chest, was subsequently conveyed to the Grey mouth Hospital, where be lies in a precarious position. He lias, been in the State Mine office, in wlucli. be held a responsible position, since its inception, and has proved a mosv valued and courteous officer. His wile and three children reside at Runanga-

MR. T. JAMES. Mr James is the well-known Manager of the Slate Alines. After • being shot Mr. James ran from the car.to an. adjacent house from which he was conveyed bv Mr. Neil McCarthy to Dr. MeKav’s surgery to receive medical attention. He was found to be _ suffering from a wound in the left hip and thigh and he was also grazed on Hie ha nd. The bullets. were extracted and lie then proceeded to his home.

! AN ONLOOKER’S ACCOUNT. j I Air. Peter Alandcrson (jur.) gave the , following aeeonnt: — i u.v s far- as I can guess, it was about. • ’ twenty minutes past nine o’clock when j . mv son Leonard and myself were b.k- j i ing down the hill, when we turned a- , 1 corner and noticed a box across the ! ,-oad. T cried out to my son to get ott. Tlys we immediately did. At this mo- , i merit the mine ear turned the corner i iat the other end and crashed into the 'obstruction before it was pulled up. j “Like a flash of lightning a man a 'young chap, I should say, dressed in dark blue dungarees, with his face completely masked, jumped out of the i hush.” Here Air. Manderson showed ' the reporter the spot from which the j murderer emerged. On the right-hand ; side of the road just below a little rise ’ grew a clump of dense scrub. In tins bo had made a veritable “dug-out” for himself, and there remained in wait for , his prey, unseen or unheard, j “With, a revolver in each hand,” add led Air. Alandcrson, “ he hopped on to | road and cried out in stentorian | tone •Hands up-’ ! “‘Oh! God,” I cried, “he is going to i shoot us. Come into the bush.” Aly- | so lf f,nd son took to the bush, going jabout a chain in. ! “Rang! Bang!! Bang!!! It was a j f e w tow'fKle moments. We knew that: i we would be inviting risk to come out. ; Then there was a silence and we espied j the man on the railway with a bag—- : evidently the proceeds of the robbery | and then b e went 'long towards RnnI anga. disappearing from sigh*-. | “We then erne out of the busli and quickly heard the groans. We rushed

to tho car and there found Couthard shot dead. Willie Hall was then in a state of collapse. “Are you shot?” “Where are your mates?”' I asked, hut Hall said “I’m on fire.” I found that his coat was on fire. I put it out. (a fact which demonstrates at what close range the shot, was fired). I immediately sent for the police and doctor.” Mr. Manderson was naturally frightfully upset by tho terrible experience he had gone through. ! PROGRESS OF THE INJURED. i

Enquiries made at a late hour Inst night elicited the information that both the wounded men are progressing as well as can he expected. Mr. Hall’s condition is serious; but there ds a hope of his recovery though not a sanguine one.

AMOUNT STOLEN. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] AVELLINGTON November 9. The amount stolen in the highwa; robbery at Greymouth was £3,60i the bulk of it bei'ng 'in notes. I was the property of the Govern ment. NO FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

GREYMOUTH This Day. i There are no fresh developments of the highway robbery. The police are very reticent. So far as the- public can judge, there is no definite clue to the identity or whereabouts of the murderer. _ ' Parties of police and miner,, are again scouring the country to-day. The condition of Hall is critical. The amount of money stolen was £3,600 odd. It included the pay of both State min 63. An inquest was commenced yesterday on John Coulthard. The doctor's evidence taken, shows a bullet wound in the apex of the right lung severed the sub clavian artery. Two men arrested were to-Say charged with vagrancy. Detective Ward said they were arrested on Runanga road yesterday shortly after the tragedy and gave an unsat. dsfactory answer to the police. Questions led to their arrest. There wa s no further evidence against them and both were discharged .