SHOOTING CASE AT OHOKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1467, 13 February 1886, Page 2

SHOOTING CASE AT OHOKA.

This usually quiet township (says the Press) was thrown into a state of sensation and gloom by the intimation that Mr William Collins, farmer, aged about 36 years, who was known to everyone as a quiet, industrious man, had been found shot in one of the rooms of his own house. He occupied a 50-acre farnij rented from Mr Levi Jackson, situate on what is known as Jackson's road. For some time, the deceased's widow states, he had been ailing in health, and had been seeking advice from Dr Ovenden, at Kaiapoi. He was, however, following hl« vocation of farming till Tuesday last, when he complained of not being well, and remained about the house that day and Wednesday, without being confined to bed. Un Thursday he complained to her of pains in his body, and lay a good deal upon the sofa. She had gone out to milk the cows at the back, about fifty yards in rear of the cottage, and during the time she was out she says she heard the crack of a whip, as it appeared to her, but did not take any notice of it. A minute or two after her daughter Isabella informed her something was wrong. Jt appeared the latter was at the front door step, and heard the report of a gun fired in the house. Rushing to her mother she informed her, and they both entered the lean-to of the cottage—a comparatively small room—to find Mr Collins' body still warm, the top of his head above the eyes being entirely removed and blood and brains scattered about the room. The body was lying on its back, and beside it a gun as if the same bad been recently discharged. Thoy called a neighbor named Mr Sambrook, and then sent word to the police. Sergeant McDonald, who went out to make enquiries, found that the gun had one cap on it recently broken, and the dampness of recently dis. charged powder in one barrel. The last time the fire-arm was used waa to Hhoot a fowl at Christmas, and the of'er barrel of the piece did not seem to have benn used for some time. So far as could be gleaned the deceased had been somewhat desponding of late, and the act is supposed to have been committed in a fit of temporal y insanity.