The shooting of a policeman

Henry Funcke was insane and it took a jury only 15 minutes to agree.
Angry at being denied what he wanted he pulled a gun and fired it, and although he wasn’t aiming, shot to death Constable Neil Mcleod.
Mcleod had been on board the steamer Minnie Casey with his wife and family heading to Auckland - he had recently been appointed there after being in charge of the Dargaville district.
Also on board was Henry Funcke, a gumdigger from Mangawhare. He had boarded at the very last whistle and was drunk.
And he was armed, very armed. Along with a gun, he had a revolver and a sheath knife.
Funcke entered the main cabin carrying the gun. He was loud and obnoxious and when another constable spoke to him, a tussle started.
The steamer - only just underway - returned to the dock and Funcke - minus his gun, was put ashore.
As the steamer pulled away Funcke shouted at it, wanting his gun. Then he pulled the revolver and fired at the steamer.
The first two shots went wild but the third struck McLeod through the heart.
A couple more shots fired hit the wall of the women’s cabin.
Despite getting help, McLeod had been killed outright.
And when armed men arrived, Funcke was found still on the wharf firing his revolver.
He looked as if he would fire on them but was shot instead.
After an inquest he was sent for trial.
Neil McLeod had been born on the Isle of Rona, Invernesshire on June 15, 1846 and come to New Zealand with his family in 1865. Initially the family went to the goldfields but Neil went to the Waikato where he joined the police.
He had been married twice, once to Rebecca Henry ( who died having their fifth child) and then to Elizabeth Williams.
He was the first police officer killed in the line of duty in New Zealand - his police number was 91.
Neil is buried at Waikumete Cemetery.
Funcke went to trial. It was not the first time he had been in front of a court, he had been arrested for breaking into a post office.
At trial the medical evidence that Funcke was insane was strong. So much so that the jury had no difficulty finding that conclusion.
Funcke was sent to an asylum where he lived out the rest of his days, dying in 1897. He is also buried in Waikumete Cemetery.​