MURDER ALLEGED.
TIMBER MILL TRAGEDY
DUNEDIN, Sept: 5. The Superintendent of Police received advice from Owaka, to-day, that a murder had taken place at Tahakopa, 24 miles from Owaka. A man was recently employed by a firm of sawmillers to replace another whose services were dispensed with, and it is alleged that the latter attacked the former this morning with a razor, cutting his throat, fatal injuries resulting. Further details are not yet available.
Later. Accompanied by a doctor, a constable left Owaka for Tahakopa at 11 o clock this morning to investigate the alleged murder. As it is a rough buggy ride, further details are unlikely before evening. -Ashburton Guardian, 5/9/1918.
The name of the man whose death, was reported at Tahakopa was Archibald McGill. He was married, and his home was at Dunedin. Late last evening. Constable Haywood, of Owaka, after a visit to the scene of the fatality, advised the Superintendent of Police at Dunedin that he (the constable) was quite satisfied it was a case of suicide. McGill was living in a hut with another man, and succeeded in distracting his mate's attention for a few moments, during which time he cut his throat, dying almost immediately. An inquest will be held.— Press Association. -Ashburton Guardian 6/9/1918.
The Superintendent of Police at Dunedin has been advised that at the inquest at Owaka on the body of Archibald McGill, who was found dead in his hut at Tahakopa on Thursday, the jury's verdict was that the deceased committed suicide by cutting his throat while suffering from mental depression. -Marlborough Express, 9/9/1918.
The annoyance caused on Thursday night on account of there being absolutely no authentic information concerning the Tahakopa tragedy and the supposed murder cannot be attributed to any action on the part of Constable Hayward or Constable Turner. The position was that the former was on Thursday evening at a sawmill where the suicide occurred, and this was three miles away from the nearest telephone, while Constable Turner, who was in Owaka, had no reliable information to give. The young lady at the Tahakopa bureau evidently misunderstood Constable Hayward's instructions when she declined at first to give us the least bit of information. -Clutha Leader, 10/9/1918.
Deaths
McGILL — On September 5, 1918, at Tahakopa, Archibald Leckie, beloved husband of Allison McGill. Deeply regretted. -Otago Witness, 11/9/1918.
When the curiosity of Balclutha public was at fever heat on Thursday evening over the rumoured murder at Tahakopa, and many men were running about in quest of details, a local resident saw an opportunity for keeping a friend pretty lively for an hour or two. He told a man that "George ..... knew all about it." That was enough to set the chain question in motion till the 'phone exchange closed. "Hulloa! Can I get l31." "Engaged, three waiting," were the words which seemed to carry incessantly over the wires. Being a conscientious business man, the harassed one did not care to take his vengeance out on the instrument, because somebody might ring up on business, but ever the words following each ting-a-ling-a-ling were "Do you know about the murder?" And the worst of it was he did not know a thing beyond what the perpetrator (of the joke) had told him. -Clutha Leader, 13/9/1918.
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