DISTRESSING TRAGEDY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 16 June 1936, Page 5

DISTRESSING TRAGEDY

DAUGHTER SHOOTS FATHER WHILE HE WAS ATTACKING HIS WIFE SHOT FIRED TO FRIGHTEN DECEASED SAID TO BE SUBJECT TO FITS OF VIOLENCE (By Our Special Reporter) TADMOR, This Day. Mr Joseph Caldwell aged 46 years of Kiwi, met his death this morning just before 9 o’clock under tragic circumstances, being shot with a .303 rifle by his 15 year-old daughter. Mr Caldwell, who was a well-known resident of the Tadmor district, was a returned soldier, having served with the A.I.F. He suffered from the effects of, gas while at the war, and at times suffered lapses of 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 when the daughter became alarmed, and putting a cartridge in a .303 rifle, fired it off, it is thotight to frighten her father, but the bullet entered Mr Caldwell’s neck, killing him instantaneously. Mr Winter who was staying 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. Deceased’s daughter ran down to the railway line, which runs just behind Mr Caldwell’s house, and informed Mr H. J. Duncan and Mr J. Harris, linesmen, who were passing on a trolley, that she had shot her father. The police at Nelson were informed, and Inspector F. Lewin, accompanied by Sergeant W. H. Simister and Constable Houston, of Wakefield, proceeded to Kiwi to make investigations. Kiwi is about 45 miles from Nelson.