THE FATAL ESCORT SHOOTING CASE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2115, 13 October 1864, Page 7

THE FATAL ESCORT SHOOTING CASE.

(From the Correspondent oi' the Southern Cross.) September 16. TunnuGFi the medium of the electric telegraph I forwaided a few brief particulars of this shocking tragedy ; and as your readers are doubtless impatient to receive the full particulars, I hasten to transmit them. In order that the circumstances under which this lamentable alFair to.ik place may be the belter understood, it will be necfi.ss.try to give a short explanation as to how the escort duty between Te Rare and Te Awamutu is performed. Your readers are probably already aware that the commissariat supplies, c'othing, &c, for the troops stationed at Te Awamutu, Kiliikibi, Ilangi.iwliia, and Ohaupo, are conveyed by steamer up the Waipa river to Te Ilore, and thence by caitige, under escort, to Awamutu. Bit as the distance between these p<'Sls is too far for one escort to traverse the whole distance and return again on the same day, the difficult) is obviated by u rery simple and equitable arrangement, an escort being detailed from each extremity of the line. The drays leave Te Rore with provisions on every alternate day, being escorted half-way by a party from Paterangi, and then handed over to the safe keeping of the escort from Te Awamutu, who protect the convoy the remain, ing half of the distance. On the following d«y the drays return to Te Ilore in a similar manner. On the occasion which forms the subject of my letter, the convoy was from Te Ilore, the escort from Te Awamuiu being composed us follows r — ] sergeant, 1 corporal, 1 bugler, and 30 rank and file, under U.e command of Ensign Gomez, 40th Regiment — the 40lh and (wth Regiments furnishing proportionate numbers. Tlic escort proceeded as usual to a distance of about four miles fiom Te Awamutu, and near the Maori redoubt marked Ngapo, on the excellent map of the W.iipa country published at your oflice some months ago. There Corporal Hammerton, of the 65th Regiment, who had charge of the rear guard, noticed that a private of the 40th, named Donovan, was lagging behind, until he had become separated from the column by a space of about thirty or forty yards, and ns be manifested no intention of rejoining the party, the corporal ordered him to do so. But instead of complying with this onier the man Donovan answered in a tone of dogged determination, " You had better go away or else I'll shoot you ;" and as if to show that lie was in desperate earnest, and would carry the threat into execution if the corporal attempted to enforce the command, he bad his rifle capped and at the fill I cock. Seeing that expostulation would be quite useless, Corporal Hammerton very wisely left the man and reported the circumstance to Ensign Gomez, who now ordered the column to halt, Sergeant Downey of the 40th, proceeding up to tbe man and ordering him to "fall in," to which the reply was, " I won't." " Why don't you fall in ?'* said tbe sergeant, "Fall in, man, on the left," but still Donovan refused to move on, holding bis rifle at the trail. Seeing that the man was bent on mischief, and that further commanda would be unavailing, a cunning stratagem was planned to take him prisoner without bloodshed. The column were to proceed quietly on, and on passing the Maori redoubt (Ngapo) four stout fellows were to hide in the ditch, Douovau being expected to follow the column, and arriving at the ambuscade, fall an easy uususpecling prey to the. men in the ditch, who would suddenly pounce upon and endeavor to seize him without bloodshed. But tbe best laid aud most beneficial schemes of mortals sometimes unfortunately fail. Scarcely had the arrangement for carrying out the scheme been made and the word of commaud " Left face, quick march," been given by Ensign Gomez, when the bugler, H. Hogben, of tbe 40th, on looking round observed that Douovau had his rifle at the " present," and was aiming deliberately at the column ; he immediately shouted" Look out," and almost ere the warning cry had escaped his lips, the scoundrel Donovan fired. The ball struck private John Smith, 65tb, in tbe right thigh, cut through bis groiD, and passed out, then striking private Richardson, 40tb, in the wrist, and finally strikiug private D. Rogers, 40th, iu the right thigh, aud lodgiugjustabore the knee joiut; and two of these men (the most sererely

d wounded) fell to tie ground. Tl-.eu Donovar e fixed his bayonet, and the officer in command, d knowing that the case required decisive action 0 in order to prevent the ruffian from re-loailinfj e and doing further mischief, ordered the escort 1 to form a semi-circle, and approach and disarm rl bim. The men rushed forward impetuously, i and one of them, a private in ihe 65 th, closed e with Donovan, but having in the excitement i, and confusion of the nr.iment, neglected to take - the precaution of fixing his bayonet, be was i consequently fighting at a tremendous disadfi vantage, and probab y the contest would not e have been of very long duration hut for the t timely intervention of another. The officer and sergeant bad shouted to the men to tike the wretch prisoner without injuring him, but in the confusion and tumult of the moment the command was unheard, a circumstance which need i not excite our sunrise when we consider the | suddenness of the attack ;md the feelings of . exasperation which such diabolical acts as those i of ihe infuriate ruffian Donovan would c.ill t forth in the breast of any men, however di.«- --[ cipline may have taught them cocloess in mo- . inents oi danger. Two unfortunate victims to | ihe villain's ferocity lay weltering in their blood, ; and still he stood ready to increase the number. The man of the 65th, who, with a courage approaching to sheer madness, rushed on Douovan, i without having even taken the precaution of fixing his bayonet, had just parried a weli-aimed thrust ami wasabout to receive another deadlier, more rapidly aimed, full in his breast, when a wild s!:out of "Shoot him, shoot him !" arose, ; and instantly a iifl.» Hashed and the wretch i Donovan fell upon his face — a ball from ihe lifle uf Private Thomas McCoy had penetrated i his chest, and the man was a corpse! A silence , now ensued— a silence broken only bv the moans of the wounded ; aud immediately step* were t»ken lo attend to their hints. Sergeant : Downey took prompt steps to have the men conveyed into Te Awamutu, and at the same tirue. applied such remedies as were at hand. By this lime part of the convoy bad corns upon the scene, and a quantity of fern having been cut and pltcud in the bottom of«n empty curt, the wounded were pi iced in this rough ambulance and conveyed te Te A.vamulu. An orderly had been pretionsly despatched hither for stretchers, and the camp, thrown into a state of excitement by a rumour that the convoy bad bte:i attacked by the natives; but this w.is soon set at r2st when the convey itself cui-.e into camp with the wounded, and the bo ly of the in.ii) Donovan, which was laid in a. dead-tent, until ihe sitting of the court of inquiry. The face of (he man Donovan wire in death an expression of grim ferocity mingled with despiir. The hands were stretched across ihe body, the fingers as though clutching the rifle. Stafl' Ashihiaiit-Surgeoii Dempster was in prompt atlendanee ou the woumied. A.i enquiry has since been held and a verdict of justifiable homicide returned against McCo;, who shot the murderer.