WOMAN FATALLY SHOT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20783, 19 July 1937, Page 6

WOMAN FATALLY SHOT

HUSBAND FOUND WOUNDED SHOCKING TRAGEDY - AT OTOKIA By Telegraph ress Association DUNEDIN, July 18. A fatal shooting tragedy occurred at Otokia at 3.30 p.m. on Saturday, the victim being Mrs Jessie Richardson, aged about 48. She was shot in the abdomen and died shortly afterwards. Her husband, Arthur Richardson, aged 53, was discovered near the house where the fatality occurred suffering from a gunshot wound in the lower chest. He is expected to recover. The tragedy occurred at the farmhouse of Mr Lobb, Richardson’s son-in-law, which is about 50 yards off the Main South Road at Otokia. There is no other house in the immediate vicinity. Mrs Richardson who lived at Berwick, had recently been staying at Otokia looking after her daughter, Mrs Lobb, who is seriously ill. On Saturday afternoon Mr Lobb went to Dunedin to obtain some medicine While he was away Richardson visited the house and the occurrence took place in the room in which Mrs Lobb was lying in bed, Mrs Richardson being shot with a double-barrelled gun allegedly by her husband. She received the charge in the abdomen and was so severely injured that she died very shortly afterwards. Alarmed by the shot another man who was in the house rushed out for assistance and hailed some passing motorists When the party returned a search was made and Richardson w's found lying some distance from the house with a gunshot wound in the lower chest. Dr. Shaw was immediately summoned from Mosgiel, and Constable Southgate, of Outram and Constable Phillipps of Mosgiel, v.ere also advised and proceeded to the house. Communication was also made with the central police station and Detective-Sergeant Hall and Detective Taylor were despatched to the scene of the crime. After receiving medical attention Richardson was removed to the Dunedin Hospital by ambulance. Richardson is a labourer, and at present is on sustenance. He has a family of six or seven children, four of them living at home. Mr Lobb was unaware of the tragedy until he returned by train to Otokia and was met at the station He was accompanied by another daughter of Mrs Richardson, who had Just been discharged from hospital and was on her way home. An inquest into the death of Mrs Richardson will bp .opened at Dunedin to-morrow morning.