John Coulthard - killed in the mine payroll robbery. with sister ,Sadie Boddy. 1917

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DescriptionSadie Boddy and brother John Coulthard.John was killed in mine payroll robbery.He was the only boy in the family,with 7 sisters.

Paymaster William Hall was delivering wages to the local coal mines when his motor-car ran into a large box at a cutting on the Seven Mile Road, just south of Runanga, nowadays the Greymouth-Runanga Road.

The driver, John Coulthard, got out to clear the obstruction. Suddenly, a masked man leapt from the cover of bushes by the roadside. With revolvers in both hands he began firing towards Mr Coulthard and the car. Like a true, blue highwayman the robber grabbed the wages bag, which contained £3659 in notes and coins, and disappeared back into the bushes. As people arrived on the scene it was found that Coulthard was dying from gunshot wounds, Hall was mortally injured, and a backseat passenger, Isaac James, had been shot in the backside. Just six days later, McMahon was arrested in Christchurch when his steel trunk was found, with the stolen money inside, at a boarding house in Gloucester Street. He was duly charged and evidence gathered, before his trial began several months later.

Date of Photo1917-11-09Map^[1]External LinkNZ PlacesContributor Bill Johnsen

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Location (city or town)RunangaPersonSadie BoddyJohn CoulthardEventSadie Boddy and brother John Coulthard - killed in the mine payroll robbery.November 9, 1917

From Facebook

Date Created23rd April 2020CommentsRoger Gardiner Folklore, I understand, that followed this sad event is that every payroll administrator that worked at Dunollie afterwards passed away whilst in office.
The job was a poisoned chalice.
The last person I remember in the job was Kevin Fisher.

Richard Gardiner Roger Gardiner I think your dad, Arch, was involved in payroll delivery wasn't he? I think I remember mum or dad telling me he used to keep a hand gun under the seat of his car during the deliveries

Roger Gardiner Richard Gardiner . Yes Richard I remember my Dad carrying a revolver,Police approved, when he did the payroll run to Stockton and Millerton mines in the late 1940’s early 50’s.
I also remember him carrying a revolver in the pay bag in Benneydale 1953-56. This was part of the job. I doubt whether he would have ever used it.

Richard Gardiner Roger Gardiner we will never know whether he would have used it or not but it always made an impression on me that my uncle needed a gun to carry out his job

Roger Gardiner Richard Gardiner . I believe that all emanated from what occurred from the Greymouth tragedy in 1917

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John Coulthard - killed in the mine payroll robbery. with sister ,Sadie Boddy. 1917

Editing is temporarily disabled