SENSATIONAL MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1920, Page 3

SENSATIONAL MURDER

YOUNG MAN SHOT DEAD. BY MIDNIGHT INTRUDER. lEKI. HI'ESS HHBnniATinN rnpvwm.tr TIMARU, October 28 A sensational murder took place at Sea View Terrace, Timaru, shortly before midnight, a young man oeing shot to death, the victim being Clarence TV Waigstaff, aged nineteen years, son of Mr H. Wagstaff, an accountant :>f Messrs Ballantyne and Co. The deceased, with a friend, who slept in a lint behind the house, were awakened by footsteps outside, and on making investigations, saw the crouch ing figure of a man They planned to intercept the intruder thinking his aim was to secure the keys of Ballantyne’s premises, usually kept by Mr Wagstaff senior. On being discovered, the would-be burglar fled. Wagstaff and. liis friend gave chase, and Wagstaff overhauled the fugitive, who, however, broke awav with the deceased, and his friend in hot pursuit. The intruder tlion fumed round and fired three shots at point blank range and Wagstaff dropped, blood ozzing from a wound, in the left breast. Deceased soon lapsed into unconsciousness, but before doing so, said to the, police—“We saw a man and chased him, and he turned round and fired : t me.” The wound proved fatal, shortly after midnight. | There is no trace so far as to the murderer