EIGHT PERSONS SHOT

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11655, 20 October 1923, Page 5

EIGHT PERSONS SHOT

MASTER’S BRAVE A-CT PROTECTS THE CHILDREN. The most terrible tragedy in the history of the quiet little township of Waikino occurred this morning about 10 o’clock, when a middle-aged married man, John Higgins, firewood dealer and settler, of Wsitewheta, ran amok, and before finally surrendering to the police shot eight persons, two fatally. At the hour in question Higgins entered the public eebcolhouse and accosted the master (Mr R. T. Reid) with the remarkable statement that he proposed shooting all the children attending the school, at the same time telling him to go and inform the police. Mr Reid, recognising that tho man’s condition was not normal, endeavoured in the first instance to soothe him, but without avail. Higgins became excited, and, brandished an automatic celt pistol, and the master, with fine presence of mind, then called to the children and assistant teachers to run for their lives. He then continued to endeavour to claim the attention of Higgins. FEIGNED DEATH. As the latter then showed indications of bis intention, to open fire Air Reid, attempted to prevent him, hut was immediately put out of action by two shots in succession, one striking him on the jaw and the other entering at the neck. As Air Reid fell his assailant- turned him over, evidently to satisfy himself that he was dead, which the master feigned to he, otherwise there is little doubt but that he would again have been fired upon. Evidently satisfied that he had made an end of the master, Higgins immediately turned his attention to the children, who were now wildly endeavouring to make their escape from the building. TERRIFIED CHILDREN SHOT DOWN. Shot followed eliot, and amidst tho screams of the terrified children, two of them went down, fatally injured. The killed were : KELVYN MORRIS AIcLEAN, aged 13 years, son of Air Thomas Henry McLean, settler, of YVaitowheta. CHARLES ALLEN STEWART, aged 9 years, son of Air Charles A. B. Stewart, locomotive driver, of Waikino. Pools of blood in the dormitory and the classroom to the right of the main entrance indicated where the victims had fallen. MANY INJURED. Higgins apparently continued shooting as the children rushed for the exit, the firing evidently being indiscriminately done, as he could have, bad no object in selecting any particular scholars for destruction. Others shot included : Peter James McKinney, aged eight years (shot through right hand). Kathleen Sarah AlcGarry, aged thirteen years (shot in the thigh). Alexander Bustard, aged twelve years (shot in the groin). Peter Raymond Shaw, aged twelve years (shot in the hand). Robert Thomas Reid, headmaster (shot in the jaiv). Herbert J. Olsen, police constable (shot in the abdomen). 11l addition to those shot, two boys were accidentally injured when getting through the school windows. They were:— . James Cochrane, aged twelve years (right arm broken), Ashley Curry, aged thirteen years (sprained wrist). EVIDENCE OF A PANIC. That a panic prevailed was disclosed by the fact that bags, hats, elates, and school books were left littered about the classrooms, as the panicstricken children fled pell-mell from the building and down the steep incline leading from the school to the main road. Meanwhile tho shooting had been heard from the township, just on half a mile away, and battery workers and others set out in the direction whence the shooting .came. They met the fleeing children en route, and were acquainted with tlie terrible circumstances. On arrival at tlie school ground they saw Higgins standing at the window of the master’s room, flourishing a weapon. SETTLERS ARRIVE ON THE SCENE. “Come on; come on,” cried Higgins. “I want to get you closer up for a shot.” Tlie men were, however, unarmed, and naturally declined tlie invitation. Some, however, started back for tho township, where they got a service rifle, a pea-rifle, and two or three revolvers, with whioh they returned to the scene. In their absence, Higgins fired several shots, and although the bullets went unpleasantly close, no one was struck. Tlie YVaihi police wore immediately telephoned, and Senior-Sergt. O’Grady and Constable H. J. Olsen were conveyed to Waikino with all possible dis-

patch. Arriving at the school, they manoeuvred their way round to the western side of the building, and sought to make entry by a dormitory door, only to be met with shots from Higgins, who swung round from the window at their approach. When the man again turned his attention to the crowd outside, the sergeant took a couple of shots with a revolver at him from the fanlight over the door, hut from Higgins’s crouching position behind a big book cupboard the shots failed to reach him, though they went perilously close. “YOU’RE SETTLED!” Authority having been given by the police, armed residents with rifles and revolvers were brought into action from some distance back from a window in the playground, but owing to the difficult angle the shooting was ineffective. Higgins responded with his automatic without effect. Despite the fact that it was clear that the man had ample ammunition, the sergeant and constable entered the dormitory door, and dashed across to a point of comparative safety near the door of the master’s room, in which it may be mentioned AJtr Reid was still lying on the floor, within a foot or two of Higgins, in a pool of his own blood. Had he not had sufficient presence of mind to adopt this course he would certainly have been killed, as on the occasion when Higgins kicked him, he (Higgins) remarked, “You're settled; you can do no more damage.” HIGGINS ARRESTED. From round the corner, the sergeant called on his man to surrender, but Higgius continued shooting. Constable Olsen then stepped forward to glance through a break made in the door by n bullet, when Higgins wheeled round and shot him down. By this time Constable Trask had arrived and joined the sergeant, who had another shot or two at Higgins, without result. At this stage, either the man recognised the danger he was in or had cooled off. On being again called on to surrender, the man showed an inclination to parley, an-1 a few minutes later hurled his weapon through the window. The police chanced wliether the act was a ruse, burst open the door, and made straight for their man. Higgins was knocked down, handcuffed, and removed to the police cells at Waihi. INJURED SENT TO, HOSPITAL. The dead children were conveyed to the Aliners’ Hall at Waikino, and the injured were dispatched in an ambulance to the Waihi hospital for medical attention. CTiIAIE BELIEVED DELIBERATE. Pending the arrest the police were at a loss to account for the crime, but the mystery appears to have been solved by the discovery' of a letter in the possession of Higgins. This was from the truant inspector of the Auckland Education Board, and indicated that that official had just communicated with Higgins relative to his failure to send certain of his children to Bchool. The man appears to have set out deliberately to commit tlie crime, as, in addition to an automatic revolver, lie had with him a dangerous-looking pigknife and three large plugs of gelignite, together with a piece of fuse to which he had attached a detonator. The 'gelignite, fuse, and detonator were found lying about in the headmaster’s room, and had one of the bullets that were fired come into contact with the explosive, the headmaster and Higgins would have been blown to pieces. UNABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR HIS ACT. Immediately after arrest, Higgins was asked to account for the act, and although then rational, and apparently in his normal condition, the man could only say that he did not know why he had done it. IN DANGEROUS CONDITION. Inquiries at the hospital to-night show that Air- Reid, Constable Olsen, and tho girl McGarry, who were operated on, are in a dangerous condition.