SHOT BY DAUGHTER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 209, 17 June 1936, Page 6

SHOT BY DAUGHTER.

FATAL MISHAP NEAR NELSON.

PROTEUI’ION OF HER MOTHER

(Per Press Association.) NELSON, J up? 161

Shot with- a .303 rifle fired. by his' 15-year-old daughter, Joseph Caldwell, aged 46, of Kiwi, was killed instantaneously just before 9 o’clock this mornnng. ‘ . Caldwell, who was a well-known resident of the Tadmor district, was a returned soldier, having served with the Australian Imperial Force. He was gassed while at the war, and at times he suffered lapses of depression. Residents of the district allege that he frequently became rather violent. This morning, it is alleged, he was attacking his wife, when his daughter became alarmed, and, putting a cartridge in a .303 rifle, fired it off, intending, it is thought, 10 frighten her father. The bullet entered Caldwell’s neck, however, killing him instantaneously.i A man named Winter, who was stayw ing at Kiwi with Mr R. Ricketts, the nearest neighbour to the ‘Caldwells, heard the shot. and a scream, and went across the paddocks to investigate. The daughter of the dead man ram down to the railway line, which runs just behind 9the Call'dwell’s house, and told the linesmen who were passing on a trolley that she had shot her father.

ALLEGED CAUSE OF QUARREL. NO ARREST YFII‘ MADE. . NELSON, This Day. The quarrel in the Caldwell family arose over the removal of some sheep from one part of the farm to another. Deceased commenced to illtreat his wife in the kitchen. She called to her daughter for help. Such quarrels were frequent, as a result of‘Ualdwell’s‘ bad temper. Deceased frequently used. his rifle on the farm, and this was always left in the- house. The daughter said she intended to frighten her father. Her condition was such that she did not remember whether she put a cartridge in the trifle or whether it was already loaded. ‘ N 0 arrest has been made, but the police stated to—day that a charge would be preferred in due course. The inquest will be opened to-morrow and then adjourned till next week.