MURDER AND SUICIDE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7871, 5 August 1911, Page 1

MURDER AND SUICIDE

TUAPEKA WEST TRAGEDY MAN SHOOTS HIS ’WIFE AND THEN HIMSELF MARRIED LAST YEAR PRESS ASSOCIATION. DUNEDIN, August 4. A very sad tragedy occurred 1 at Tuapfeka West last evening, between 5 and half-past 5 o’clock. It occurred in a house belonging to Tltomas Colehan, situated on what is known as Balclutha Borough Endowment, inwards the lower end of Tuapeka West settlement, and a short distance from the Konini Post Office. About half-past 5 one of Colehan’s employees named Cowic came to the bouse for tea, and not noticing any signs of life had a look around and discovered Colehan and his wife lying dead in the sitting room. Mrs Colehan. was lying on her back on tho floor, with her head on the sofa, and a wound on her left temple, while Colehan was lying alongside with his head resting, on. his wife’s breast, with a pea rifle between his legs, his right hand on the trigger, and a wound on his right temple. So far as can be ascertained, the last to see the couple alive was a neighbour named Mrs Johnston, who was in. the house with them from S till 5 o’clock. She says she had no suspicion of anything being wrong, as both Colehan and his wife were, so far as she knew, on the best’ of terms. Colehan was about 31 or 32 years of age, and his wife, known formerly aa Miss Ritchie, was about 25 years old. They wore married 'about a year ago. Colehan came from AVaitati before settling at Tuapeka West, his mother having been for some years proprietress of tho well-known Saratoga Hotel. It is alleged that Colehan often, when the worse for liquor, was given to fits of temper, and it is feared that when in one of these fits he committed the deed.