WOMAN SHOT BEAD

Evening Star, Issue 20685, 7 January 1931, Page 6

WOMAN SHOT BEAD

TRAGEDY OF FARM BROTHER-IN-LAW ARRESTED [Pbb United Press Association.] TAUMARUNUI, January 6. Mrs Alice Anderson was shot dead on M'Farlane’s farm, about four miles from the National Park railway station, at midday to-day. The first intimation that anything was wrong was given when a boy. about fifteen years of age, arrived on a horse at the National Park railway station and informed Mr John Luhrs. stationmaster, that a man named Charles Colston was chasing his (Colston’s) daughter with a gun at M'Farlane’s farm, and had already fired four or five shots. The boy also stated that Mrs Anderson was trying to take the gun from Colston. The boy asked Mr Luhrs to get the police. Tlie stationmaster could not get the police at Raurimu or Taumarunui. as they were out on duty, so he rang up the* gaoler, Mr Glynn, at Waikune Prison Camp, and asked him if he could do anything. Mr Glynn said it was a police matter, but, as it appeared to be serious, he would go up to the scene.

On his arrival at the National Parkstation Mr Glynn saw a man making towards the station. He stopped hirii and asked his, name. The man replied that his name was Colston. Mr Glynn and a warder named Allen then closed with Colston, handcuffed him, and placed him under arrest. Colston said that Mrs Anderson had been shot, and that' they wanted a doctor. Mr Glynn then got in touch with the police and a doctor. In the meantime Mr Glynn got two young men from the railway station, Johns and Herron, to go out to M'Farlane’s farm, where they found Mrs Anderson lying in the house, apparently dead. They set off back to National Park with the body', and on the waymet the doctor, who examined the woman and found that she was dead. The body was then conveyed to the station.

It appears Mrs Anderson had been shot in the head, as pellets from a shotgun were scattered over her face. Possibly somt had entered her eyes and pierced the brain, causing her death. At the time that Colston was intercepted by Mr Glynn he had just alighted from Mrs Anderson's car. He was making his way towards the station.

About a fortnight ago Mrs Anderson drove the Colston family in her car from Wanganui, and they all settled together in a horse on M'Farlane’s farm, which was unoccupied at the time.

Colston, who is now in a cell at the Taumarunui police station, is aged about thirty-eight and is a boilermaker by trade. He is married to Mrs Anderson’s sister The deceased woman was about forty-five years of age. Hexbody was brought to Taumarunui tonight. ’ , . . It is impossible at the present juncture to say how or when Mrs Anderson was shot beyond the fact that it occurred at. the house after the boy went for assistance.