SHOOTING A CLOG DANCER.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1966, 23 April 1875, Page 4

SHOOTING A CLOG DANCER.

Tbe following- is tbe "Bulletin's account of the shooting :of John Kelly, reported to be 'identical with the dancer of that name well known im New Zealand. About 3 o'clock on tbe morning of February 27th the ruport of a pistol and the screams. of a woman attracted tbe attention of. special officer Thomas BetherY'who, on hastening to the scene of'"!disturbance in Kearney 'street, found -a man lying on bis face dead, with a .cocked four-shooting pistol plencjied in bis right hand. Tho story o|, t tbe ;,tragedy, as detailed - by- the witnesses in the police court, seems to be about aSjfo.liows-:—John Kelly,' well known as a,cl6g,dancer, took a benefit at Buckley's Varieties, at the corner of Pine and Keafnys'stfeets. "After' Hie performance he was introduced;:?tq,a.fwoman named Camilla King, whom Tie accompanied to her residence, but she refused to permit him to enter, as bewas somewhat intoxicated. This was about midnight. Towards thre.e /o'clock , in -the ; morning j tbe woman King and James Weihe, an. attorney, left, her house, and proceeded- down Pine street to Kearney.'s. At this point. Kelly crossed over, and stepping in front of the woman, pushed; her o,ff the side walk, ordering

"1& not to gd» with- that man. Weihe assisted the woman back on the side-walk, whereupon Kelly struck atbim. "Weihe parried the blow,rand tho' other stepping • back, drew a., pistol,-saying,, "I vt'A\ kill you^ «;Weih«^u)shed v hi& arm Js|de, and, drawing his own pistol, fired, the ' tfajl/ipiercing Kelly's heart; [> He swayed for a moment, fell heavily upon his fa<je. Weihe \ then proceeded Jo ,the Office, atfa surtenderfcd himpelf to Captain" I>ougl4B, telling him what he had done. Kelly's body was"conTeyed to the; moreue. Tho deceased had the reputatiolrbf being a verr r.eckless man. The! police state thatiei^faLkiypdl more tban|one' man/ On the examination of tbej case in the police Cour^tlfeiebove factsj appeared in evidence, and Judge Louder-i back .declared .thej killing to have been done in self defence, and discharged the prisonon ' \ • ;