TEACHER SHOT DEAD

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 October 1928, Page 10

TEACHER SHOT DEAD

A MYSTERIOUS CRIME.

SYDNEY, September 16.

The police of the Bega and Wolumla districts are faced with a difficult problem in endeavouring to unravel the murder of John Mulholland, a Public .school teacher at Wolumla, who was found dead near his home late on Friday night. There appears to be little doubt that Mulholland was murdered, and that he was shot at close quarters with a shot gun. Mulholland was frightfully injured, his face being shattered.

Up to a late hour this evening no arrest had been made, but the police are still pursuing inquiries. Detectivesergeant Keogh, from the Criminal Investigation Department in Sydney, is on his w r ay to Wolumla, and is expected to reach the town to-morrow morning.

Mulholland, who was a married Iman, resided with his wife and three .children (the eldest of whom is about seven years of age). He was about 35 years of age. He had been stationed at Wolumla for between two and ;three years, and was most popular iamong the residents of the little township. Some time ago the department ’proposed to transfer Mulholland from Wolumla, and the residents petitioned ,the Department of Education to allow him to remain at Wolumla. The department agreed to the request in the petition. Soon after tea on Friday Mulholland visited a friend named Reid, who lives ■ nearly opposite the former’s residence. Mulholland remained at the Reids until about 9 o’clock, when his /friends saw him off the premises. No .sooner had| Reid closed the door of his house when he heard a loud explosion. Reid rushed from the house and found Mulholland lying outside. Mulholland was groaning, and his face was covered with blood. A doctor was sent for, but before he arrived 'Mulholland had died. He lived only a few moments after being discovered in the roadway. The police at Wolumla were at once communicated with, and they in turn telephoned to Bega for assistance. Throughout the night the police searched the district, but were unable to find any trace df the murderer. It has been ascertained . that the fatal ■shot was fired from a 12-bore shotgun, and that the cartridge cotnained No. 3 shot. No trace of the gun has yet been found. Mulholland, as far as is known, had ■no enemies, and the motive of the crime is not understood by the police. The charge was apparently fired at close range. The police theory is that Mulholland, immediately after leaving Reid’s house, commenced to roll a cigarette ,and that he stopped to light the cigarette before reaching his own home. The police think that just as Mulholland lighted the match the murderer stepped out in front of him, and that the assailant used the lighted match as a target at which to fire. )Thus Mulholland received the full force ; of the charge in the mouth. Many of his teeth were blown out, and his jaws were terribly injured. Wolumla is situated on the main South Coast road, about midway between Bega and Eden. The district has been thrown into a state of excite'.ment as a result of the crime, and the police throughout the far South Coast are working strenuously in an endeavour to solve the matter. Up to the present the police have not obtained the slightest clue which will assist them in locating the murderer and solving the motive in committing such .a callous murder.

POLICE OFFER REWARD.

SYDNEY, September 30.

The Police Department is offering £2OO reward for the apprehension of the person who shot mysteriously John Mulholland, the school teacher, at Wolumia, on the south coast of New South Wales a fortnight ago. Mr. Mulholland was leaving a friend’s house at night, and was lighting a cigarette, when a gunshot hit him in the mouth, and he dropped dead. There is an entire absence of motive. The police are baffled.