TASMANIAN MURDER CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18747, 28 December 1922, Page 5

TASMANIAN MURDER CASE

CARPENTER EXECUTED. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright HOBART, December 27. (Received Dec. 27, at 9.15 p.m.) George Carpenter was executed at Hobart Gaol. [A triple tragedy, ‘which was surrounded by mystery, occurred near Swansea (Tasmania) in October last. An elderly man. named Edward Duncombe, who was living alone in the bush, was found in his hut fatally shot. The hut, in which the deceased was supposed to have a considerable sum, was rifled. Later the dead body of a second man, Thomas Carpenter, was discovered in the vicinity with a shot in the back of the head. Trooper Henderson proceeded to the' scene in a oar. Nearing Duncombe’s hut ha got out, leaving his revolver in the car, and telling the driver that he would not want it. Henderson, failed to return, and the driver went to the hut and found the trooper shot dead. The indications pointed to a terrible struggle. Later a man named George Carpenter was arrested. Ho was discovered seven miles from the scene of the murders by a policeman who was in one of the searching parties. The police surrounded a hut in which Carpenter had barricaded himself. The latter showed fight, and the police fired several shots. Carpenter then came out. He was badly wounded in both arms. During the firing Constable Dodd was wounded in the arm bv a bullet-from one of his companions’ rifles. The injured men were removed to the Hobart Hospital. Carpenter was formally charged with the murder of Trooper Henderson, whom he alleged he shot by accident. When the police surrounded the hut Carpenter was asked to surrender. Ho replied by firing several charges from a shotgun. He screamed when the police fire wounded him. The police then rushed and broke into the hut.]