DREADFUL MURDER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4, 19 November 1861, Page 5 (Supplement)

DREADFUL MURDER.

ENSIGN ALEXANDER SHOT BY A PRIVATE

SOLDIER.

(From the Wanganui Chronicle^ Nov. 7.)

" It is our painful duty to record an occurrence, fortunately the first of its kind here, which has naturally produced a deep impression on our community, and has called forth the liveliest sympathy with the unfortunate sufferers. The particulars of the case will be found in a more detailed form in the evidence given before the Bench of Magistrates. But it may be mentioned here that colour-sergeant Collins, the unfortunate man who has murdered his superior officer, was out with his company on the forenoon of Friday last, and, when coming down the Victoria avenue in command of the advanced guard, was directed by the bugle to take the nearest road to the barracks by Maria-place. Having, however, passed that road, he considered himself acting according to the bugle call in marching round by the Rutland Hotel, and was greatly irritated on being reprimanded in the barrack square before the men by Ensign Alexander for having done so. His indignation vented itself in the assassination of his superior officer by a shot fired from a rifle behind his back. It is said that the perpetrator of this very cowardly and disgraceful deed, acting as pay sergeant, had been somewhet behind hand in pecuniary matters. To make up his last month's balance he borrowed money from various persons. This deficiency had pressed on his mind and caused him to drink hard; and no doubt he was greatly under the influence of strong drink when the foul deed was committed. When the occurrence became known in the town on Friday, the consternation and sorrow were universal and deep. The deceased officer was very much esteemed by all classes of the community. He had by good conduct and great energy of body and mind risen from the ranks —having enlisted when very young as a drummer boy—to the position which he held, and as he loved and had a pride in his profession, which he made his constant study, and was only in his 39th year, he might, if an opportunity of displaying his ability in active service had been afforded him, have attained a much, higher rank. He was a strict disciplinarian ; and as the 65th men have lately had a larger amount of drill than before, which Ensign and Adjutant Alexander superintended, and as from his own intimate knowledge of what a soldier should be he was very rigid in his requirements, it seems that latterly he was a little unpopular with the men. It has even been said that they do not much regret this sad occurrence. This report we believe to be utterly unfounded, and are confirmed in our belief by a letter from one of themselves, intimating their disapproval of the deed, and their deep regret that any one of their number should have been so far misled by vindictive feeling. Among the strangers present at ; the funeral were his Honor the Superintendent and the Bishop of Wellington, the latter of whom was assisted by the Rev. Mr. Nicholls in reading the burial service. The deceased has left a widow and two young children with whom much sympathy is felt; and we believe Colonel Murray of the 65th intends making a representation to the Horse Guards, in order that if possible the pension, which a few years' longer service of her late husband would have secured for Mrs. Alexander, may be obtained for her.

Colour-sergeant Collins is a smart goodlooking man of about the age of 35. The following evidence was led:—

, John Drummond said:—l am a sergeant fri Her Majesty's 65th Regiment. Between the hours of 12 and 1 yesterday, Saw the prisoner; in the orderly-room of the Rutland Stocka.de* at Wanganui; at said time prisoner came into said orderly-room with a loaded rifle, and shot therewith Ensign William Alexander; I was in the room at the time, also the said Ensign Alexander, no one else was in the room. Pfi-; soner before he shot Ensign Alexander, said to him, " You'll never jaw me again," or wonte to that effect. No words took place between ; the deceased and the prisoner in the orderly- j room?; X dont think he heard or saw him comfe ■! in; he just got up from sitting down at the time. Prisoner had not been sent for; tbs i deceased when shot ran over to me, and I i caught him in the act of falling, and he said, ' " Oil God,! Drummond, I'm shot!" Deceased had not power to speak after, but sank down and died immediately after. I did not hea* any words that took place between deceased and prisoner that day. The bullet went right through deceased's lungs, and entered the wall. Prisoner had no occasion to come into the room at the time ; it is the custom always to knock before entering the orderly-room. It is contrary to regulations to have the pieces loaded. Edward Denham Tomlinson said; lam Staff Assistant Surgeon at Wanganui. I saw the deceased, Wm. Alexander, previous to his being removed from the orderly room of the Rutland Stockade ; he was suffering from a gun-shot wound in the chest, passing from the left side; on examining him I found he was dead ; he must have died in a few seconds; he died in a few seconds; he was dead before I arrived; I have no doubt deceased died from the effects of said wound. James Collins (the prisoner) said; If Mr. Alexander had not done me an injury, I should never thought of shooting him. This last 18 months he has been trying to make me commit myself by abusing me on parade, likewise oif parade, by saying I was a d d stupid ass, and that he'd have me reduced, or he'd know for what; likewise on the first of the month, in the Barrack Bquare of the Rutland Stock-., ade, after marching out he said he had a, d<—d good mind to put me on the shelf, meaning to place me under arrest; that I looked such a smart fellow; and "If I can catch you at any time, I'll place you in that guard room, yell be in it before long, If I can do anything in it, yon d—d smart chap ; I'll let you off by making you march out the same distance again;" " be off," says he, "I'll give you a chance to your barrack room," meaning a chance*of not marching out; and " before you are mucfo older, you'll not wear that jacket." That;;ia all that happened at that time. Previous to this 20 months, I had applied for my discharge; that was the sixth time from the 3rd June, 1859, which day I landed in Wanganui. I was acting Sergeant-Major to the detachment a.% the time. The application I brought myself to the orderly room. Mr. Alexander was sitting at the orderly-room table at the time; he was the only person that was in the orderlyroom at the time ; I laid the application on the table in front of him ; he said, " You send an application every week for your discharge; I suppose you are going to beg the same as the remainder to get it," meaning my discharge. I told him at the same time, I did not know what I was going to do. He tore the applies tion up and threwvit at me; he said I was more trouble than \ was worth; I made no answer, saluted him^ and left the orderly room. I go\ about ten paces from the orderly room door, when hk came outside, and ordered me back like a dog, saying, "I'll leafcn you a trick before I'm done with youxyet." I told him I did not consider Md committed any crime. He said, "If you don't think so, I do, and I'm d d if there will not soon be one

loaded.

against yon; be off out of the orderly -rooms, you useless member of the service." Ileft the orderly-room at the time when ordered by Mr. Alexander. About five days after, the acting Sergeant-Major went to his duty, I was passing through the barrack-square; Mr. Alexander was coming into the Stockade by the back gate. He called me over to him, and said, "sYou think yourself a d——d smart fellow, don't you ? You are everything but that in my eye;" and from that time to last Friday he continued just" the Jvery same. I could not go on parade without being checked, and whenever he met me he had something to say to me. He was abusing me some time afterwards in the barrack-square of the Rutland Stockade. He said he saw one of the men of No. 2 company drunk in town; that it was my place to look to all these things. I was not out of the barracks that day: this was be*

tween 11 and 12 o'clock. He would not tell

me the man's name, but said that if he was not confined by ( dinner time for being drunk, he would confine me ; and he said, " You may think yourself very safe that I don't confine you now, so off you go." This is all that happened there. On the day the accident happened, we were after marching out; after the abuse he gave me in the barrack-square, and several times before, it enraged me to such a degree that I lost all recollection of what I was going to do. I went to the orderly-room, and shot him. When I came to my senses after doing it, which was not for some hours, „ I knew I had committed murder, and it was too late to regret, at that time; only for hiff own tyranny towards me he'd be alive, and me at liberty; but then he could not expect anything else by the way he carried on, which all the men in the barracks are quite aware of. The prisoner was committed for trial at the next Criminal Sittings of the Supreme Court to be holdeu at Wellington*