A DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 36, 5 August 1911, Page 5

A DOUBLE TRAGEDY

MURDER AND SUICIDE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. A very sad tragedy occurred at Tuape.ka West last evening, between five and half-past. It occurred in a house belonging to Thomas Colehan, situated on what is known as the Balclutha Borough Endowment, towards the lower end of the Tuakepa West settlement, and a short distance from the Kononi Post Office. About half-past five one of Colehan's employees, named Cowie, came to the house for tea, and not noticing any signs of life, had a look round, and discovered Colehan and his wife lying dead in the sitting-room. Mrs. Colehan was lying on her back on the floor, with her head on the sofa, and a wound on her left temple, while Colehan was lying alongside with his head resting on his breast, with a pea rifle between his legs, his right hand on the trigger, and a wound on his right temple. So far as can be ascertained, the last to see the couple alive was a neighbor named Mrs. Johnston, who was in the house with them from three till five o'clock. She says she had not a suspicion of anything 'being wrong, as both Colehan and his wife were, so far as she knew, on the best of terms. Colehan was about 31 or 32 years of age, and his wife, who was formerly Miss Ritchie, was about 25 years old. They were married about a year ago. Colehan came from Waitahi before settling at Tuapeka West, his mother having been for some years proprietress of the well-known Saratoga Hotel. It is alleged that Colehan often, when the of liquor, was given to fits of temper, and it is feared that when in one of these fits he committed the deed.