WOMAN SHOT DEAD

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1931, Page 3

WOMAN SHOT DEAD

A MAN ARRESTED

*By Teiogi uph - PreSw Association)

TAUMARUNUI, Jan. 6. A tragedy is reported from a locality about tour miles souc.u of the National Park in the- bush elf the road leading to Upper Retaureko. A woman, Mrs Anderson, nas been killed by a discharge fiorn a, shoigun. Gaoler Glynn, of the Waikmie Prison Camp, proceeded to the scene, and he lias arrested Charles Colston, a stranger to the district. Colston is said iu be the brother-in-law of the deceased. The body oi the deceased and Colston were brought to the National Park, where Sergt. Sivyer, of Tiuinmruniu, took charge.

DETAILS OF TRAGEDY

TAURMAR UNUI, January 6

The victim oi the shooting, Alice Anderson, was a married woman. She was shot dead on McFarlane’s farm about four miles from the National Park railway station, at midday today. The first intimation of anything being wrong was given when a hoy, aged about lo years, arrived on a horse at the National Park railway station, and informed Mr John Luhrs, the stationmaster, that a man named Charles Colston was chasing his (Colston’s) daughter with a gun at McFarlane’s farm, and that lie already had fired four or five shots. The boy also stated that Mrs Anderson was trying to take the gun from Colston. The bov asked Mr Luhrs to get the [joliee. The stationmaster could not get the police at Raurimu or at Taumarunui. as they were not on duty, so ho rang up Gaoler Glynn at the Waikune Prison Gamp, and asked him if he could do anything. Gaoler Glynn said that it was a police matter, but, as it was serious, he would go up to the scene. On. his arrival at the National Park Station, Gaoler Glynn saw a man making towards the station. He stopped him, and asked him his name. The man replied that he was named Colston .

Gaoler Glynn and "Warden Allen then closed with Colston. They handcuffed him and placed him under arrest. Colston said that Mrs Anderson had been shot, and that they wanted a doctor. In the meantime. Gaoler Glynn got two young men from the railway station, Johns and Herron, to go out. to McFarlape’s Farm, where they found Mrs Anderson lying at the house, apparently dead. They set off back to the National Park with the body, and on the way they were met hv the doctor, who examined the woman, and found that she was dead. The body was then conveyed to the station. It appears that Mrs Anderson was shot in the head, as pellets from a shotgun were scattered over her face, and possibly some entered the eyevs and pierced the brain, causing her death. At the time that Colston was intercented by Gaoler Glynn, he had just alighted from Mrs Anderson’s . car, which at the time was being driven by his wife. He was making his way towards the station. About a fortnight ago Mrs Anderson drove the Colston family in her car from "Wanganui, and they all settled together in a house on McFarlane’s farm, which was unoccupied at the time. Colston, who is now in the cells at Taumarunui Police Station, is aged about 38. He is a boiler maker. He is married to Mrs Anderson’s sister. The deceased woman was about 45 years of age. Her body was brought to Taumarnmri to-night. Tt is impossible at the present juncture to say how, or when, Mrs Anderson was shot, beyond the fact that it occurred at the louse after the boy went for assistance.