Family Tragedy

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 156, 17 June 1936, Page 8

Family Tragedy

MAN FATALLY SHOT Daughter Intervenes in Quarrel with Wife DISCHARGE OF RIFLE By Telegraph—Press Association NELSON. June 16. Joseph Caldwell, aged 46, of Kiwi, met his death this morning Just before 9 o'clock under tragic circumstances, being shot with a .303 rifle, allegedly by his 15-year-old daughter. Mr Caldwell, wno was a well-known resident of the Tadmor district, was a returned soldier, having served with the A.I.F. He was gassed while at the war, and at times suffered lapses into depression. it being alleged by residents of the district that he frequently became rather violent. This morning, it is alleged, he was attacking his wife. His daughter became alarmed and, putting a cartridge ia a .303 rifle, fired it off, it is thought, to frighten her father; but the bullet entered' Mr Caldwell’s neck, killing him instantaneously. Mr Winter, who was staying at Kiwi with Mr B. Ricketts, the nearest neighbour to the Caldwells, heard the shot and a scream and went across the paddocks to investigate. The deceased’s daughter ran down to the railway line which runs just behind the Caldwells' house and informed linesmen who were passing on a trolley that she had shot her father. The police at Nelson were informed. Inspector F. Lewin, accompanied by Sergeant W. H. Simister and Constable Houston, of Wakefield, proceeded to Kiwi to make investigations. Kiwi is about 43 miles from Nelson.