CLERK SHOT DEAD

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 81, 30 December 1931, Page 10

CLERK SHOT DEAD

Mistaken for a Robber TRAGEDY AT BANK Conscientious Officer’s Fate ’ VICTIM TO DUTY Dominion Special Service. Feiiding, December 29. Mistaken for a burglar attempting to gain admittance to the premises of the Bank of New Zealand, Feiiding, Bruce McCorkindale, aged 20 years, a clerk in the employ of the bank, was shot dead by another member of the staff, J. L. Burton, at midnight yesterday. The late Mr. McCorkindale and Mr. Burton were close friends.

Mr. Burton, who sleeps on the bank premises, was away from the bank over the Christmas holidays, and had arranged for Mr. McCorkindale to take his place. He was to have returned last night and to have slept at the bank again, but Mr. McCorkindale, after telephoning the bank several times and receiving no reply, became anxious and decided to return to the bank and investigate. On reaching town he met Constable Johnson, with whom he walked around the business block discussing his intentions. Before leaving the officer Mr. McCorkindale said, “Oh, well, I had better go to the bank now.” Constable Johnson had not gone far from the bank when he heard two shots fired in quick succession, and returned to discover the dead body of Mr. McCorkindale underneath the bedroom window of the bank.

Mr. Burton’s story of the tragedy is that he returned to the bank from his holidays as arranged. He did not hear either the telephone or the doorbell ring, and was only awakened by hearing someone endeavouring to get through the window. In the darkness he could not see, and simply fired twice in the direction of the noise, thinking that someone was trying to break into the bank. .

The late Mr. McCorkindale, who joined the bank at Foxton, was afterwards transferred to Woodville, then to Feiiding, where he was ledgerkeeper. Mr. Burton came from Opunake four years ago. He had spent his holidays at Opunake, returning last night as arranged with Mr. McCorkindale. He did not think it necessary to inform Mr. McCorkindale of his return. The latter rang the bank at 9.45 o’clock, but Mr. Burton did not reach there till 10 p.m. Thus he did not receive the call. Mr. McCorkindale could not find the key, which had been left in a secret hiding place, but made further inquiries to find out if Mr. Burton had returned. Other friends not having heard of his return, Mr. McCorkindale concluded he had not returned, and therefore tried to enter the bedroom by a window in an alley-way. He was pulling down the top window when Mr. Burton fired, Mr. McCorkindale receiving a bullet in his left eye and expiring within 15 minutes.

Mr. Burton to-day is a physical wreck, suffering acutely from his experience in having caused the death of his closest friend.