TRAGEDY AT TIMARU.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2322, 30 August 1921, Page 2

TRAGEDY AT TIMARU.

COMSTABLE SHOT DEAD

STRUGGLE WITH BURGLARS?

Timaru, Aug. 27,

Early this morning' Constable Dorgan was .'hot dead while in the execution of his duty.

It appears that at 1.30 o’clock Constables Christopher and Dorgan, while on duty in Stafford Street, discovered that the. premises of T. and 1. Thomson were being burglarised. The last-named constable decided to watch the promises while Constable Christopher sent for the proprietor. Dorgan evidently went into a right-of-way at the. hack of the Atop, for when Christopher returned he found him lying' in the hack yard, having been shot. The victim died within five minutes.

Constable Christopher did not see die murderer, of whom so far no trace has been found.

A .subsequent message stales that it nppeajs that four shots were tired. One bullet entered Constable Dorgait's right breast, and caused death within a few minutes. Another shot, went through the lop of the constable's helmet. Constable Dorgan was 38 years of age, and leave? a widow and three‘children.

NO CLUE TO MURDERER

Timaru, Aug. 28,

There is lilije to add respecting the murder of Constable Dorgan. His torch was found in a corner of the yard, and shuffled footprints prove that some chasing, if no! .scuffling occurred before the shooting. At the post mortem la-t evening the Imljel was extracted, and an in-que-i will be opened to-morrow. At present there is no clue to the culprit, and the police are up againsr a blank wall. The Minister tor Jusiiee 'em Inspector ITastie a message of condolence to ihe widow and family of deceased. The funeral take* place on Tuesday afternoon. INQUEST QN THE VICTIM. CORONER’S SINCERE TRIBUTE.

Timaru, Aug. 29,

At the inquest on the death of Constable Dorgan this afternoon the chief witnesses were Constable Christopher and Dr. Usher, but no fresh facts were given in evidence. The coroner, Mr K. D. Mosley, R.M., recorded a verdict that deceased died from internal hemorrhage, the result of a bullet wound inflicted by some person -unknown. 'The Coroner expressed his sincere sympathy for the widow and family, and with, the police force in the loss they had sustained. The family, lie said, had every reason to be proud of the courage of their husband and father.