SUSPECTED MURDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4501, 6 September 1930, Page 2

SUSPECTED MURDER.

TWO ARRESTS MADE. ROADSIDE TRAGEDY. Christchurch, Sept. 4. The dead body of a farm hand was found on the roadside near Lake Coleridge on Wednesday, and at first it was thought he had died by accident. It now transpires that the unfortunate man was probably murdered by a gunshot fired at close range. Late yesterday afternoon two men were arrested near

; ass, and one of them will be charged with the murder of Coclkburn. Tragedy overtook Robert Allen Coekburu, aged 23, a farm hand, yesterday on the property of the Lake station, owned bv Murchison Brothers, near Lake Coleridge, hut several miles off the main road. Coekburu was found dead by the roadside by Mr. F. Langbein, engineer of the Public Works Department, Christchurch.

At first it was thought the injury to Cockburn’s chest: had been accidentally caused, but examination revealed a gaping shotgun wound, and the story of Colin Stuart, a truck driver, indicated that ICoctkburn was murdered.

Yesterday morning lie was working a tractor on the top of the Acheron ('lilting, a mile or more from the station homestead. He was working at the side of the winding hill country road when Colin Stuart, who was driving a truck carting shingle to the Acheron cutting for his father, came along. Coekburu and Stuart talked for a time, and while they were so engaged, two swaggers walked past. One was middleaged, and the other was much voui)ger, and one carried a gun, apparently a shotgun. CoUkhurn left Stuart and went a short distance along the road to collect his billy of tea, sugar and lunch, which had been left on the side of the road down which the two unknown swaggers had passed. Tie found his lunch had been stolen.

Stuart, apparently called hy Coekburu, went toward him, and both started off down the i*oad after the two swaggers, who were overtaken and taxed with having taken Cockburn’s luneli. Stuart left Coekburu in conversation with the two men.

TWO SWAGGERS HELD. ON E TO PACE "MURDER CHARGE Christchurch, Sept. 4. Alfred .lames Sandiford Colenso, aged about thirty, will be charged with the murder of Robert Allen Cookburn, aged twenty-three, this morning. , Colenso and his companion, Arthur Edward Farqu liars on, an old man, who are the two swaggers wanted in connection with the death of Cockiburn on the Lake Coleridge Road early on Wednesday afternoon, were arrested oil the road just this side of Cass shortly after 2 o’clock this afternoon by De-tective-Sergeant J. B. Young and a posse of detectives.

The two men offered no resistance. Colenso still carried a repeating rifle" of small bore in his swag. They were taken in charge and brought to Christchurch hy car, where they arrived at about 8.30 p.m. Both men made a statement, it is understood.

The police did not state what the charge against Farquharson would lie or whether there would be one.. An X-ray examination of the dead man showed that a bullet had entered the left breast between the ribs and had pierced the lung to I lie spine. The right lung was filled with blood. INQUEST OPENED. An inquest was opened before Air IT. P. La-wry, coroner, at the Coalgate police station, yesterday afternoon.

’The only witness was Arthur lames King, a shepherd living at Glen my, who identified the body. Two swaggers, one of whom was carrying a gun, were given breakfast by a camping party at Mount Guys, about 20 miles from Springfield, on the main road to Cass, this morning.

“One of them was a dark chap, of medium height, with a prominent nose,” said one of the party to a reporter of the “Press” last evening. “lie was carrying a gun, either a rifle or a single-barrelled shotgun. The other one was an (Iderly man about live feet ten or six feet tail.”

“They came up to the hut and demanded food and tobacco. 'They came along at about half-past eight. VYe gave them so mb food and tobacco and they went oil’ toward Cass about half an hour later.

"We were camped in a, hut about two miles from Castle Hill Station, on Mr. Blakeley’s property,” ho continued. “It is about 200 yards from the road and well concealed from the road by trees. By going just outside the hut, however, we could see the road. They had no bicycles with them as far as we could see, but they could quite easily have left- them out of sight on the road. “The shorter one was once employed as a cowboy by Mr. Blakeley, and he must lia,ve known about the hut, and would know that in all probability there would be food in it, as it is sometimes used by the musterers. They were seen passing the homestead, -but did not call in there. They spoke to some of Mr. Blakeley’s men who were working near the road. They must have known that they could have got food at the homestead, as it is a regular port of call ~ for swaggers, who are always fed there.”

REMAND GRANTED Christchurch, Sept. 5. Alfred James Stanley Colenso, aged 32, was charged before Mr. Mosley, 'S.M., this morning, that- at. Lake Coleridge on September 3, he murdered Richard John Cockburn. Arthur Edward Earquharson, aged 57, was charged that- on September 4, at Cass, he was idle and disorderly. Both men were described as farm labourers, with no fixed abode. They were remanded till September 3 2 on the application of the police.