THE GLENELG TRAGEDY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9123, 16 April 1908, Page 7

THE GLENELG TRAGEDY.

News from Adelaide dated Monday, March 80th, states that the quiet and popular watering place of Glenelg was the scene of a horrible murder at an early hour on the morning of Sunday, March 29th, the victim being a policeman, Albert Edward Ring, 38 years of age, officer in charge of Glenelg station. James Albert Coleman, known as “Joe” Coleman, a fisherman, aged about 55 years, was the assailant, and was still at large. At about 3.45 on the preceding Saturday, Coleman was locked up for being drunk and quarrelsome, but at 9 that night was fined 5s by the magistrate, and set at liberty, as he was sober, and anxious to get away ou a fishing cruise. After he obtained his freedom he seemed to have knocked about Glenelg, and imbibed more liquor. He also expressed his determination to revenge himself on the police officer for having locked him up for drunkenness.

Before he met Ring at the Miller’s Corner railway station, Coleman .was seen walking along the street with a gun in his possession. Before Ring appeared ou the scene, two men— Charles H. Ranford and J. M'Caffrey—spoke to Coleman, who said he was waiting for Ring, to get his revenge. They advised him to go home. It was while they were still speaking to him that Constable Ring came ou the scene. Ring said, “Hullo. Joe! What have you got there?” Some further conversation took place, and just as the last train from Adelaide to Glenelg was returning along the street, Coleman stenped on to the roadway, and Ring said, “Look out for the train.” Just then Coleman quickly raised a single-barrelled muzzle-loading gun and emptied the full charge into Ring’s breast. Ring was seen by the bystanders to stagger and fall dead. The two men ran to give information. The train pulled up just before reaching the dead body lying near the line. After that, Coleman, who was seen to hurry away, went to the Pier Hotel, half a mile away, and wanted whisky. He was refused Cadmiesion. A policeman was inside at the time ringing up the city office about the murder, but neither he nor theflandlord suspected Coleman. Then when they knew who did the crime Coleman could not be found.