FATAL SHOOTING CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1141, 28 August 1883, Page 3

FATAL SHOOTING CASE.

On Thursday night last, about 10 o'clock, as the goods train from Clinton was returning to Invercargill, two shots quick in succession were fired at the ?eiigine just as it passed through a cutting •the' bank of which were some 10ft high. There,' were three men on the engine at the time, viz., the engine-driver, the fire, man and the brakesman, and the fireman (John Henderson) was shot through the back and killed instantly. The train put back to Clinton, and a search was immediately made for the perpetrators of the outrage. On the following morning a portion of a small flute was discovered lying on the bank near the spot from which the fatal shots must have been fired, also a piece of folded paper with a ring of rust imprinted on it as though an attempt had been made to use it as a gun ,*wad. Of course all sorts of rumors were but towards the end of the day the police interviewed three lads who had beeiilout rabbiting the previous evening. The lads gave very straightforward answers to all questions put to them, and on being asked whether they played the flute)' replied'yes,'but added that they had lost a piece of their instrument the day before. The piece found was the .piece they had lost. The following facts were'then elicited :—The three of them (James Roy, aged 19 ; John Roy, aged 18; and Alexander Roy, aged 14) were out. rabbiting the evening before, the elder ones carrying the two guns most of the lime. John seems at some moment to have handed his gun to the younger brother, Alexander, and it was admitted thai James and Alexander discharged the weapons simultaneously, while the engine was passing. The lads assert that although they fired at the momerit the train, was passing, they did not mean barm to any person, and later on, whilst being brought into Clinton they stated that they did not know that their guns were loaded with shot. They saw the train atop after the shots and eventually go back, but did not know they had done any damage. They heard on Friday morning of the fireman's death, but did not know at the time that they had done harm to anybody. The lads though reported to be somewhat wild, bear a good repretationin the district and are well liked. Their lather is a J.P. and a well-10-po farmer, and resides about thrae quarters of a mile away from the scene of the disaster. It is generally believed in the district that the shots were not fired at the men, but at the engine, and the whole affair has the appearance of being a reckless and wanton piece of mischief, which has terminated in so unexpectedly a disastrous manner. John Henderson, the victim of the terrible'occurrence, was about 33 years of age. He had only boen 12 months in the colony, and come from India, where he worked as an engine-driver. He entered the railway service in October last as fireman, and was much liked by his comrades. He resided in Invercargill with his young wife, to whom he had only been married 14 months. There are : no children at present, but she is now stated to be near her confinement.

Later intelligence says that Dr Low, of Clinton, has made a post mortem examination of the body of fireman Henderson. A large quantity of shot was found in the body. Two pellets penetrated the heart, three the right lung, and one the left Tho engine has be*n examined, and one pellet only is found to have struck the tender. On Saturday an uncle of the lads visited them in the police station at Clinton, and he and the two younger brothers cried bitterly during the interview. James, the eldest, does not appear to realise the gravity of the situation. The lads still persist that they meant no harm, and they thought they had drawn the charges, and that therefore the guns were unloaded. Detective Henderson before he arrested the lads, had a statement from them separately, and these tallied. The" youngest, Alexander, is a boy who never, or hardly ever, fired a gun befo re. It was the eldest and youngest who fired. James, the eldest, says 'We agreed to fire together. The train was passing, and Alick fired and I fired. 1 Neither of them admit that they fired at the train. The .words are : 'The train was passing, and we fired. Great sympathy is felt throughout the district for the father. Mr Roy was a Presbyterian missionary, stationed in Dunedin up till 1866, since then he has resided at Wairuna, where frequently he has conducted services. He is universally esteemed and respected.