A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8672, 12 July 1906, Page 3

A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

Bridegroom shoots himself. ARRESTED IN THIS CHtIRCH. _ MISSED MARRIAGE BY ttfl* TIEN HOTTER A shocking tragedy occurred at Lin-' coin this morning. , A Noting ■»4 na.med Charles M'Gtitehedtt was to Have been married in the LiriColft Presbyterian Church at i 1.30 a.m.,. » n3 all the Arrangements had been made. i JYTGuteheoh was at the church walk ing for the bride* and ..*&«&«* was tiG hint of anything in th© »atuire of tragedy Ufctil at 11,16 Detetftivp Bishop and Ward arrested the. imn iti the fckmrcili on a chatf fee ef having forged a. cheque for £iSB at WeMngton^ A messago was Bent to the* f riendfe of the bride to take her ittttflßj aad pfe* pa-rations were made fo* feffiiovittg M'Cutoheon to the police ( gfeakion at Gfrfi6tcliuf£h. The detectives had | searched hifii jpaafefully jand had found : nothing siißpioiious on him. ' M'Outcheo-n blade no reSista-tice WHeti j arrest-ed. He remarked that he #OUld [ be able to <ileaf lilitiiself, arid .gate DetesctiV& Ward an account of fiifi nloV^ [ nletitgi witli the object of feh&Wing tha& h© had not been in Wellingboil. on" M«y ; 31, the date on which he fe alleged to : hayß cached a forged cheque. for £1^» in the name of life einployfeiv Mr A. Wj Andrews, or Greenpark. . Ho Seemed auite resigned to his position, and, in the words of one of. the detectives, was "as cool as a cucumber.". . • i Detecti^ WArd and Bishop searched their prisoner, more with the object of securing any incriminating documents than of finding a weapoti, but they discovered nothing At all fcUspicioufc. AH his pockets w<ere searched or felt from th© outeide without siieceee. A iBW miiiuteß after his arrest M'Cutcheon asked that lie might be al^ lowed to speak to the clergyman who Was to havb married him— the Rev W. Spends. The request seemed. a perfectly, feasofl&ble one, and the pffeonef waS ali«wed to go into a. front room of tie manse wl Mr Bpence. Detective Bishop had gone away h little distance, and Detective Ward relnained 6H the steps at the front doOi\ from wliere he could »Be the prisoner. In order to speak to hie compaaiion, however^ Detective Ward lost sight of M'Cutehetm for a few moments, and the pfiSonel 1 took advantage of the opportunity to «ecure Mr Spence's , permißsion to retire to a closet at the back of the manse. The detectives were at the door a few moments after he had eiit6redj but almost immediately a ishot waß heard. The door was opened and M'Cutoheon was found lying on the floor* With a smoking revolver in his hand, and a large bullet-wound in his forehead. . ." Dr Lyoii was Sosii 6)1 th« fepot, and found the man still breathing, but evi-. dently very badly wountted. Ho did wnat was possible und# the circum^. stances, and ordered that the wouncted man should be removed to the Ghristchurch Hospital. 'A start was mad© ac^ cordlngiy in a waggo-nette, th© two de^teotives arid the doctpT accompanying the prisoner, but M'Outcheoh died on the way. The body taui taken direot to tne Morgite, where it now ließ. _ How M'Cutcheon had. managed to secrete the revolver.wae sliown wnen an examination was made of the body. H© had a wooden leg, and there was a large cavity in tne side, which would, easily contain the weiapon. The trpuser leg ,ned been pulled. up, to enable him, to reach the hiding-plaoe. The revolver was a large One, nearly neWj and contained two exploded shells. The ©the* chambers were full. AS only one shot was fired by M'Cuteheon after; hife itrrest, it appears he had tried the weapon beforehand. . Efe geemed to have prepared for what he felt might happen. M'Cutcheon had been working for Mr A. Wi And.rews, at Gfeempark, and it was for forging his employer's name that he was arrested. This was not hie first criminal offence, but for somfc time past he seen. id to have beon "keeping straight;" .'. The. detectives went out to Lincoln this morning, with the idea of arresting him at Greenpark, but they found that if they went on they might miss him, and f a-il to> air^t him until after . his marriage. This seemed inadvisable, and they, therefore, waited at the church. After the marriage the bride and bridegroom were to have left on a honeymoon trip; A pathetic touch is given by the discovery in the_ dead man's pockets of a quantity of cigarettes and matches. Had the carefully hiddeii revolver not been rieeded, the newly-made husband would have' starts ed out on married life with, a good supply of nian'is never-failing ©olace. M'Cutchecwl was aged abotit thirtyfive -years. • . An inquest will be held, probably tomorrow. ' ... „ ...