WELLINGTON TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9019, 4 January 1908, Page 5

WELLINGTON TRAGEDY.

• A FATAL BLOW. ARREST OF A CARPENTER. CHARGE OF MURDER ENTERED. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, January 3. A tragedy which resulted in the death of a middle-aged man, said to be John McAnally, occurred in the city this afternoon. James Rickard, a builder's labourer, employed by James Trevor and Son, contractors for the erection of the New Zealand Insurance Com- ! pany's new biulding at the corner of Lambton Quay and Grey street, I states that he saw two men approach the vacant space at the rear of the building shortly after two o'clock. Or.e of them C".he deceased) was apparently drunk, and the other also appeared to be slightly under the inI fluence of drink. Rickard, who had occasion to enter Mr Trevor's temporary works' office, wondered what the men were about, and »'he asked them what they were doing there. He received a reply from one of the men (whose name is understood to be James Sheridan, and who has now been arrested) that he (Sheridan) wa3 "taking his companion away from the other men so that they would not get his money." Both men then sat down on a vacant space near the rear wall of Young's buildings. After they had been talking for some time one of the men endeavoured to get up, but his companion would not let him. They squabbled for a time, and Rickard alleges that McAnally then struck Sheridan, struggled to his feet, and commenced to make his way into Featherston Street. The eye-witness of the occurrence says that Sheridan followed McAnally, and when the latter turned round, apparently to remonstrate with him, Sheridan, it is alleged, struck him on the lace, and he fell to the ground, and quickly expired. At the time of the occurrence Constable Clay was coming along Lambton Quay on a tramcar, and when he saw Sheridan running he promptly got off the tram and chased and caught him. Sheridan was taken to the Lambton Quay Police Station. The ac- j custd is about thirty years of age, and is a son of Mr P. Sheridan, of Wellington. When the body of deceased was searched at the morgue nothing was found to identify it. The only writing discovered in any of the pockets was on a pawn ticket for a silver watch The clothing had no marks to assist the police. The deceased was a man of about middle age, medium height, wellproportioneri,. and apparently powerful His dark hair was close cut, and slightly turning grey. He had a dark brown moustache, but was otherwise clean shaved. The man alleged to be responsible for the tragedy (James Sheridan) has been charged with murder, and will be brought before the Court to-mor-row. An inquest will be held at the morgue at 11 o'clock, to-morrow morning, by Mr Ashcroft, coroner. LATER. Later particulars of to-day's tragedy show that the deceased was a wharf labourer, residing in Pipitea street. He leaves a widow, but no children. When his clothes were searched by the police £27 10s was found in the pockets. Sheridan is a carpenter.