ANOTHER CALLOUS MURDER IN TIMARU.
CONSTABLE DORGAN THE VICTIM.
Another callous murder was committed in Timaru in the early hours of Saturday morning, the victim being Constable James Dorgan, who, while in the execution of his duty was shot by an unknown man who had committed a burglary in Messrs T. and J. Thomson’s drapery and clothing establishment.
Constables Christopher and Dorgan were on duty in the main street on Friday night. About a quarter to 12 Constable Christopher had a look round Mr Thomson’s shop, when all lights were out and doors securely locked. Shortly before 1 a.m., he noticed a light in the shop, and saw that some brown paper (which was not there on his previous visit to the shop) had been hung over the glass in the front door. He went into the street and signalled with his torch to Constable Dorgan and the latter signalled in reply from opposite the end of the Arcade. On Constable Dorgan joining Constable Christopher they went to the shop and saw the light still there, but they could hear no noise. They tried the doors, front and back, and on finding them locked, Constable Dorgan suggested that his companion should go to Mr Thomson’s private house (a few hundred yards away) to ascertain whether he had left a light burning or whether he or any of his hands were working in the shop, and if the reply was in the negative to get the keys so that they (the constables) could make a noiseless entry. Constable Christopher ran all the way to Mr Thomson’s house and all the way back, Constable Dorgan undertaking to keep watch while his companion was away. Constable Christopher got the keys of the shop, and, had just reached the northern end of it on his return when he heard four shots fired in quick succession. At the entrance to the night-of-way which leads from the main street to the back of the shop, he met Constable Dorgan, who was staggering, and said: “He fired four shots at me and ran up the back. I’m thirsty; get me a drink of water please. I know I’m done.” With that he fell against the iron gate of the right-of-way, and then to the ground. Constable Christopher endeavoured to hold him up, but the dying man was in great pain, and threw himself about so that his companion found it impossible to hold him. Constable Christopher immediately telephoned for Dr. Ussher and to the police station. Dr Ussher was in attendance a few minutes later, but could do nothing for the wounded man, who expired fifteen minutes after he was shot. Constable McCullpugh was on duty in Barnard Street (near the Post Office) at the time of the shooting, and he heard the four shots quite distinctly, and lost no time in getting to the scene of the disturbance. Mr Thomson, who had followed Constable Christopher down from his house. Senior Sergeant Fahey, Detective Abbott, Constable McCullough, Constable Taylor, and other members of the force were all on the scene a few minutes after the fatality, and immediately instituted a search for the perpetrator of the foul deed, but the miscreant had escaped. It is believed that while Constable Christopher was away for the keys of the shop, the burglar completed his haul and came out of a door at the back of the building to see if all was clear, and that Constable Dorgan then saw him and gave chase. There is a yard and a steep clay cliff at the rear of the shop, and in one corner of the yard there were marks of a scuffle, and the constable’s electric torch was found. It is presumed that the constable bailed up his man there; that the burglar then fired the four shots which were heard, and immediately made good his escape up the clay cliff, in which steps are cut. By so doing he could quickly get into Sophia Street, and well clear of the scene of the tragedy. The burglar was not after money, as no attempt had been made to interfere with the safe; and he confined his operations to the men's department of the shop. He had two bags with him, and these were found standing just inside the door through which he escaped, as though they had been placed there to carry away if the coast had been clear. In one of the bags a number of shirts, sox, ties, etc., were found, and in the other a box suit.
Though four shots were fired, two must have gone wide, as the deceased only bore marks of two of them. One went in the front of his helmet and out of the back of it without actually touching him, but the other — the fatal one — entered his right breast a little below the shoulder.
THE BURGLAR’S MOVEMENTS.
Mr T Thomson, proprietor of the shop which was entered, says that he left the building on Friday night at 10 o'clock when the doors, front and back, were locked, and everything was in order. A question has arisen as to how the burglar entered. When Constable Christopher first saw the light in the shop prior to calling Constable Dorgan, he tried all the doors, and found them locked. Though it is not known how the burglar got into the building, there were plenty of ways by which he could get out. There are three doors at the back of the shop, and a key was in each on the inside, and the two front doors could also have been, opened from the inside.
In undertaking to guard the building while Constable Christopher was away for the keys, Constable Dorgan took on a difficult task with so many doors to watch. He took up a stand at the top of the right-of-way, where he could overlook both the right-of-way and the backyard, and there are marks which show that when the man came out of the shop he was chased to the far corner of the yard, where the constable's torch was found. It would be possible for an active person to gain entrance to the shop by climbing one of the verandah posts in the front of the shop, and so get access to the balcony, opening on to which is a door, which it is understood could easily be entered, in which case all the intruder would require to do would be to walk down stairs.
It was, of course, difficult for Mr Thomson to say whether any goods had been stolen, but so far as he could tell on a cursory inspection made in company with the police, Constable Dorgan had so effectively interrupted the would-be thief as to make it impossible for him to get away with anything. A search was made for the torch which Constable Dorgan had carried, and, though it could not at first bE discovered, Senior Detective Cameron found it in the yard at the back of the shop.
POLICE WITHOUT FIREARMS.
A matter which has aroused indignation is the defenceless way in which the police are required to hunt down even desperate criminals — men who will not hesitate to shoot if they think they can keep their freedom by so doing. The regulations do not permit constables to carry firearms, and in dealing with a man with a gun they form an easy target, especially on a dark night such as last night was, when, as soon as the policeman flashed his torch to seek his man, the latter could see clearly where to fire, and the officer of the law having no weapon, could not return the fire. It is considered certain that a quick, fearless man like the dead constable was, would have been able to protect himself had he been in possession of a revolver.
By the first express from Christchurch this morning .Senior Detective Cameron and Detective BiCkerdike arrived here to assist in the search for the criminal.
THE DEAD CONSTABLE.
The deceased constable was 37 years of age. He had been nine years in the Police Force, and was transferred here from Christchurch seven years ago. He was a big and very powerfully built man and a very efficient and popular officer. While he carried out his duties well, he was not one who would needlessly annoy people, and he was not a man who made enemies. He had a wife and three young children, one of the latter being at present in the public hospital. Mrs Dorgan’s parents (Mr and Mrs Shine) live a few miles south of Timaru.
THE INQUEST.
An inquest concerning the death of Constable Dorgan was held this afternoon. The chief witnesses were Constable Christopher and Dr Ussher. No fresh facts were given in evidence. The coroner (Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M.) recorded a verdict that deceased died from internal hemorrhage as the result of a bullet wound inflicted by some person unknown. He expressed sincere sympathy with the widow and family and with the Police Force in the loss sustained. The family had reason to be proud of the courage of the husband and father. -Temuka Leader, 30/8/1921.
Timaru Cemetery.
THE TIMARU TRAGEDY
AN IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL.
The funeral of Constable James Dorgan, who was murdered on Saturday morning, look place at Timaru yesterday afternoon, and was one of the largest ever seen in Timaru. The Regimental Band, accompanied by all the police of the district and a contingent of twenty from Christchurch, representatives of the Defence, the public services, the municipality, and local organisations were present. Requiem Mass was said in the morning in the Roman Catholic Church, Father Bridey(?) officiating there, and also at the grave, where he eulogised the deceased. All other denominations were represented in the cortege. The pall-bearers were the members of the local force. Shops in the town were closed for half an hour to allow all proprietors and staff to attend. The weather was fine, though cold, and permitted a large attendance. The Commissioner of Police (Mr J. O’Donovan) would have been present, but the steamer failed to connect, and he telegraphed an address, which was read after the funeral service.
NO TRACE OF MURDERER. A Timaru message states that the search for the murderer is still resultless. -Evening Star, 31/8/1921.
DIED ON DUTY
CONSTABLE DORGAN’S FUNERAL.
COMMISSIONER’S ELOQUENT TRIBUTE.
On the occasion of the funeral of Constable James Dorgan; who was murdered while on duty, the following eloquent oration by Mr John O'Donovan, Commissioner of Police, was delivered at the graveside:
“On behalf of the New Zealand Police Force, on behalf of the widow and orphans of Constable Dorgan, I beg to thank this great concourse of citizens for their attendance at this funeral, to show their sympathy with us in the loss of a faithful comrade, and with the widow and orphans in their bereavement, by the death in such tragic circumstances of a good husband and kind father. Not yet quite two years ago it was my painful lot to attend a similar ceremony. Another comrade had then lost his life in circumstances almost identical with those of this tragedy. I hoped that I should never again during my term of office be called upon to attend a similar function. Fate has decreed it otherwise.
“With deep regret I stand here to-day to express my grief — shared in by every member of the force— that our comrade suffered such a painful, violent, and sudden death while in the execution of his duty. On my own account and on theirs I tender Mrs Dorgan, the bereaved widow, and her children, our deepest sympathy, in the hope that our condolences, sincere and heartfelt, may alleviate, even in the least degree, the acute anguish which they must feel.
“Constable Dorgan gave up his life for his country. That country, through me, expresses its appreciation of his sacrifice, and conveys to his bereaved ones its tribute of sympathy. Their care, as with the care of those of our gallant soldiers who fell upon the far-off fields of Gallipoli, France, and Flanders, becomes the concern of the nation.
“On a previous, sad occasion such as this; I felt it incumbent upon me to endeavour to state our case— to show where the police force stood in the scheme of civilisation. My statement that the police are always in the line of battle, always liable to fall into an ambush, has since been amply verified. Besides this sad and fatal instance, at least on three other occasions — one at Auckland, one at Wanganui, and one at Lyttelton — have lethal weapons been used against police officers while in the execution of their duty. Though, in each case, the officer narrowly escaped death, and was actually wounded in two instances, the offenders were captured without any injury to themselves. But what was the position of the police officer in such a case? If, perchance, in the struggle for mastery — or even to preserve his own life, already pledged with sacred bonds to cherish and maintain father, mother, wife, and children dear — with incautious force, not measured with precise imperial measure, he should inflict death or bodily injury upon his antagonist, he must stand where the felon stands — at the place of trial and the seat of judgment — to answer his country, there assembled, and to justify his deed or be condemned.
"We do not complain of this. Like the risk of death, it is a necessary incident of our calling — an incident that is founded in the charters of the liberty of the freemen of these realms. It is a condition of liberty which, while they are freemen, they will neither relinquish nor relax, lest the Crown, whose servants we are, or we, under colour of the authority of the King, our sovereign master, should oppress or injure his liege subjects.
"It requires men of exceptional calibre to stand up to these conditions. The qualities, physical, mental, and moral, required for the equipment of an ideal police officer are amongst the most precious elements in the composition of the human being. If these qualities are materially deficient, the police force must fail proportionately in the exercise of its function to protect society. Peace, which connotes civilisation, and which has been defined as ‘the tranquillity of order,’ must languish, the forces of disorder increase and prevail, and tomahawk replace the sceptre, and become at once the emblem and the instrument of government. The remnants of civilised peoples must retire once more to the caves, there to begin anew, like the geometric spider, the slow and laborious task of repairing the broken threads of the web of civilisation.
“The conduct of Constable Dudding, Constable Dorgan, and the other constables concerned in the cases I have enumerated is an assurance to the public that the men of our force possess in a high degree the essential qualities I have mentioned, and are prepared at all times to put their fidelity to duty to the gauge of death itself.
“Our duty here is done. You, my comrades, go forth from here to carry on unflinchingly the never-ending contest with the elements of social disorder. The hallowed clay from this graveside, to your feet, is a symbol and a pledge that you will adhere to the path of duty, and walk faithfully in it, even if it leads unto this end.
“Your first duty will be to endeavour to bring to justice, according to the law of the land, the perpetrator of this doubly foul deed against society and its executive organisation. No desire for retaliation, no feeling of vengeance against the culprit - no matter who he may be — must be allowed to have place in your thoughts, or to direct your actions.
“As for our fallen comrade, here tenderly deposited on this lowly couch, he rests from duty for evermore. He takes his place amongst the most honoured denizens of this still, unlighted, silent city of the dead where only deeds are vocal. The multitudes of citizens of his former abiding place —yonder city of warmth and life and light and motion — who beheld, with mournful mien, or joined in our pathetic procession to this place, concede his right and title.
“While life lasts his memory will ever be cherished by his comrades in the Police Force, as well as by those good citizens of Timaru who have honoured us to-day with their presence or their sympathy. And when life fails, in due time, the monument which I trust will be raised over this grave to perpetuate his memory will commemorate in everlasting marble the heroic deed whereby he sacrificed his life, and will pass on to future generations the tradition of the valour and fidelity to duty of the men of the New Zealand Police Force. -Otago Daily Times, 2/9/1921.
The Commissioner of Police has offered a reward of £250 for information which will lead to the arrest of the person, or persons, who murdered Constable James Dorgan at Timaru on the morning of August 27th. -Manawatu Times, 2/9/1921.
THE LATE CONSTABLE DORGAN
ASSISTANCE FOR WIDOW AND CHILDREN.
(By Telegraph — Press Association) TIMARU, this day. At a public meeting, convened by the Mayor, last night, it was decided to open a public subscription for the widow and children of the late Constable James Dorgan, who was recently shot by a burglar. Much enthusiasm was shown, and over £100 was subscribed in the room. -Waihi Daily Telegraph, 6/9/1921.
Timaru Items
The Dorgan Fund. The fund which is being collected in Timaru on behalf of the widow and children of the late Constable James Dorgan has now reach nearly £1000, and it was decided yesterday that it should be closed on September 30th. An offer has been received from the Mayor and Councillors of Cambridge to collect money there to augment the fund, and cheques have been received from Wellington, New Plymouth, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The committee in charge of the fund have decided not to seek outside assistance, but to thankfully receive any donation that may be sent. There is still no clue as to the murderer of the deceased constable, though the police are still working actively on the case. -Press, 16/9/1921.
ELUSIVE MURDERER.
THE TIMARU TRAGEDY.
DIFFICULTIES OF POLICE.
THE MOTOR-CYCLE INCIDENT
[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TIMARU. Friday. Day and night over a period of four weeks the detectives have been searching for a clue that would lead them to the murderer of Constable James Dorgan. Their efforts so far have been almost fruitless. When Dorgan was fatally shot at Timaru on the morning of Saturday, August 27, his beat companion, Constable Christopher, was returning hurriedly after warning the owner of the shop. While not far from the front door he heard four shots fired in quick succession. Then he ran, but the murderer had gone. The only person in the rubbish-strewn backyard was Constable Dorgan dying. He could give no description of his assailant. Constable Christopher never saw him though it was full moon. Footprints in the backyard gave no clues. Broken boxes, bundles of rags and paper, all the jumbled debris that gathers behind a draper's shop, operated against the search for a distinguishing mark. In the shop there were signs at first that the police might pick up the clue they wanted. Gradually these hopes died away.
The murderer certainly left behind him two bags packed with collars, socks, shirts, and a suit carefully selected to fit a man about 5ft. 6in., but by itself that fact led nowhere. There were no brands on the bags. Fingerprints, however, were everywhere — there were too many of them.
Friday evening had been a late night. Thompson's shop had been crowded with a busy stream of customers, and at closing time little attempt had been made to clear up the shelves or counters. All this brought the investigation to centre round the calibre of the revolver that fired the shot. At the post-mortem examination the bullet was extracted from the dead man's right chest and handed to the detectives, it afforded a very slender clue. The revolver used was of common make. It might have belonged to the murderer for years. It might have been rifled in a previous burglary. It might have been bought in a secondhand shop. In any case, it was not left at the scene of the murder, and no one has come forward to throw any light on the identity of its owner.
Baffled in these directions, the detectives turned their attention to one peculiar circumstance. While the ambulance was waiting outside Thompson's shop, having been summoned by telephone, they distinctly heard a noise like a revolver shot coming from further up Stafford Street, nearer Caroline Bay. Was it possible that the murderer had fired at someone else, or else that his revolver bad gone off as he threw it over a fence? As stated briefly in a telegram yesterday, investigation by Senior-Detective Cameron and Detective Bickerdike, of Christchurch, shows that the noise was very likely caused by a motor-cycle backfiring. That brings another mysterious fact into the crime. Somewhere between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on the Saturday morning, a motor-cycle with two men, either started from or passed through Timaru, going on to Temuka, Geraldine, Arundel, Ashburton, Chertsey and Dunsandel. Do these men know anything of the murder? The police are anxious to know who they were, and what their business was. Here again the investigation of the Timaru murder strikes a blank wall. -NZ Herald, 24/9/1921.
TIMARU MURDER.
A STATEMENT DISCREDITED.
That he might be able to give some information in regard to the murder of Constable James Dorgan at Timaru about two years ago was a statement volunteered to the Christchurch police by Samuel Robert William Smith, at present on remand on charges of vagrancy and the theft of a motor-car. Smith, who is twenty-eight years of age, made this statement when giving information regarding the alleged theft of the car. The police are making investigations, but they attach little credence to the story. People often make startling statements to the police which on investigation prove to be quite without foundation. On one occasion a man, who was arrested, asserted that he was the Timaru murderer, but after inquiry the police found that the statement was a pure fabrication.
Constable Dorgan was murdered at Timaru on the night of August 26, 1921. On that night, whilst he was on duty, he and Constable Christopher discovered that the premises of T. and J. Thomson were being burgled. Whilst Constable Christopher went to one of the proprietors Constable Dorgan decided to watch the premises. Evidently Dorgan went into the right-of-way at the back of the shop for when Christopher returned he found Dorgan lying there with a bullet wound in his chest. Four shots were fired. Christopher did not see the assailant. -Ashburton Guardian, 3/7/1923.
TRAGEDY RECALLED
SHOOTING OF A CONSTABLE.
Although diligent inquiries have so far failed to reveal the origin of a rusted revolver and ammunition unearthed by workmen here, there is considerable speculation as to the weapon's history, and there are some who think that it may have figured in some unsolved mystery of crime, says a Timaru correspondent. The revolver and ammunition were found by workmen who were excavating in connection with a block of flats on the corner of Nelson Terrace and Albert Street. The revolver was very rusty and had evidently been buried for many years.
The discovery has recalled to many Timaru's one unsolved murder mystery — the shooting of Constable James Dorgan in the early morning hours of August 27, 1921.
Shortly after midnight on this date Constable Christopher, who was on duty in Stafford Street, saw a mysterious light in Thomson's drapery store. He signalled to Constable Dorgan, and the two men arranged that Dorgan should keep watch while Christopher went to the home of the proprietor near by to get the key so that the two officers could surprise the intruder in the shop.
Heard Four Shots.
Christopher was gone only a few minutes, and on his way back to the shop he heard four shots. As he reached the shop Dorgan staggered out from a right-of-way leading to the rear of the premises. The stricken man fell in the gutter, gasping, "I'm done." Soon after he collapsed and never regained consciousness. Medical examination showed that the constable had been shot in the right breast at point-blank range. Footprints at the rear of the shop afforded evidence for a reconstruction of the crime, and it was believed that the thief was cornered in the yard and shot his way to safety when Constable Dorgan had penned him in the angle between the shop and a high fence. Constable Dorgan did not live long enough to give any clue as to the identity of his assailant beyond the fact that "He had gone out the back." No empty shells were found in the yard, showing that a revolver and not an automatic was the weapon used by the killer. Two small bags filled with men's clothing were found inside the shop. Evidently the thief had seen or heard Constable Dorgan and left these behind in his rush to escape from the shop. The murderer was never brought to justice, although some amazing suggestions as to his identity were made at the time. Whoever he was, there are many who believe that the rusty revolver now in the hands of the Timaru police was that which 14 years ago killed a courageous constable who met death in the execution of his duty. -King Country Chronicle, 21/1/1936.
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