TOMAHAWK TRAGEDY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 52, Issue 145, 31 March 1932, Page 3

TOMAHAWK TRAGEDY

DETAILS OF THE CRIME. j FRIEND CHARGED WITH MURDER (Per Press Association). DUNEDIN, March 20. Six hours after he was shot in the abdomen when he answered a call at the door of his cottage at Tomahawk early this morning, Findlay Douglas Buchanan, a young married man. died in the public hospital from his injuries. At the time of his death another young mans Louis William O'Connor, was in custody on ~a charge of attempted murder, and to-day was charged with murder. Both the arrested man and Buchanan were unemployed, and had been on friendly terms for some time. Buchanan, with his wife and young child, had occupied a small cottage on the main road at Tomahawk for the past seven months. He was at home all day yesterday, and retired for the night about 11 o'clock. An hour and a quarter later, according to evidence that had. been collected, the Buchanans were awakened by a loud knocking on the front door, and they admitted O'Connor, who showed signs of having been drinking. At his request, O'Connor was given a cigarette by Buchanan, who advised his visitor to return to his own home at Anderson's Bay, as he had been away all day and his wife was probably worrying about him. No cross words were spoken and O'Connor seemed to be in no belligerent mood. A Shot Fired. After a. few minutes' stay, O'Connor left the cottage, but the household was disturbed half an hour later by a knocking on the front door. Buchanan went to the door, which opens into a room adjoining the bedroom. Mrs Buchanan, who was awake, heard no words exchanged between the men. A shot was fired, and the woman rushed through to the front room. There was no light there, but the room was illuminated by the light from the bedroom. Her husband was lying on the floor with, a wound in bis abdomen, and O'Connor was standing at the door with a gun in his hand. O'Connor rushed off the verandah. Mrs Buchanan hurried to the house of her neighbour and landlord, James Newton, to whom she exclaimed: "He has been shot." When Albert Newton, the son, went to Buchanan's cottage he found the injured man on the floor. \ He was conscious, and he made a definite statement as to how he had been injured. Newton carried the man through to the bedroom and then went to W. J. Taber's post office store and asked Taber to ring for a doctor and the police. Tjie call Mas received at the Central Police Station at 1.40 a.m. and Constable Parkes and Dr. Evans were soon at the house. Buchanan Avas still conscious, and was able to make a statement to the constable and Dr. Evans. Arrest of O'Connor. Search" was made of the Tomahawk district for O'Connor without success, but at 3.-50 a.m. police officers arrested him at his home in. Cranston Street, Anderson's Bay. O'Connor was asleep when the police arrived. His home was searched and in his possession were found six live cartridges. On the roadside at Tomahawk later in the morning an empty shell was found a few yards away from Buchanan's home. O'Connor gave himself up quietly. Only one shot was fired at Buchanan's front door, and the wound inflicted indicated that the shot had been hied at very close range. There were no signs on the verandah or in the front room of any scuffle between Buchanan and his assailant. Both Buchanan and O'Connor were on fairly friendly terms, and their families were in the habit of exchanging visits. Residents of Tomahawk speak in the highest terms of Buchanan, who was described as being "a very decent yo,ung fellow. Although on relief work, he. had been sorely pressed to make ends meet. Buchanan had one child, aged about 3£ years, while O'Connor's child is only a, few months old. O'Connor is about 2o years of age, while Buchanan's age was 24 years. On his removal to the hospital, Buchanan was in a low condition., and died at 6.46 a.m.