Colda Police Report Script for Radio 4BH, Sunday 19 February 1956 Colda Police Report Script for Radio 4BH, Sunday 19 February 1956

Peter Best

I am a plain clothes constable of police attached to the C.I. Branch, Brisbane. At about 2.40pm […] in company with my two small daughters I entered the building in Wickham Terrace known as Ballow Chambers. I took the lift to the second floor and went to the rear of the building to the rooms of Dr. P. A. Ernshaw where my children were being treated. I was off duty at the time.

Clyde Friederichs

At 2.30 pm on Thurs 1st Dec, 1955 with my wife I went to Dr Meehan's rooms in Ballow Chambers, Wickham Terrace for consultation with the doctor in respect of that operation. At 2.55 pm my wife and I were admitted to the doctor's surgery. I was sitting on the right hand side of the door coming through the vestibule. Dr Meehan at that time was across the table from us. When I sat down the doctor appeared to be examining some X-rays photographs. I saw somebody coming through the doorway behind me. He leaned across the table past me and put his hand up. I did not see what was in his hand at that time. I heard the sound of a shot. Dr. Meehan made some muffled sound like 'uff' and he fell to the floor. The man then backed out of the door. I did not see the gun but I knew he had one and I looked at his face. He did not speak at any time.

Peter Best

At about 2.55 pm I entered the consulting room of Dr. Ernshaw and whilst there I heard what I now know were shots. I left the consulting room and went into the waiting room and I then heard a loud explosion. I looked out of the window of the waiting room into the court yard below and saw Dr. Lahz running across that courtyard. He got into his car and swiftly drove off. I then left my children in the care of Dr. Ernshaw's nurse and ran along the corridor to the lift. I identified myself to the lift driver and he told me that an armed man was in Dr. Lahz's rooms and had just left a bomb in there. I went down in the lift and Dr. Lahz's rooms I could see that the only entrance was by way of a set of batwing doors at the end of the corridor. I saw that smoke and dust particles were issuing from below and above these batwing doors and there was a heavy smell of cordite. I ascertained from others nearby that the armed man was alone in Dr. Lahz's rooms. I also ascertained that the only exit from these rooms were through the batwing doors. I then place two large forms outside the doors.

Detective Sgt. John McIver

After entering Ballow Chambers Kast apparently made his way straight to the first floor, where he entered Dr. Lahz' waiting room off a passage way on the Wickham Terrace end of the building. […] At this time there were several people seated in Dr Lahz' waiting room including William Davies and Thomas Grasmeder. Shortly after Mr Davies had seated himself in a chair in the waiting room at about 2.50pm that day, Kast entered the waiting room carrying a leather satchel which he placed on the floor alongside the chair on which Davies was seated. Kast then left the room. A few minutes later Davies heard what he thought to be a shot coming from the other end of the building. It was followed soon afterwards by a second shot that also came from within the building. This second shot was not as loud as the first one. After the second report, he heard a female screaming somewhere in the corridor and he then heard someone say 'There has been a murder.' He then shut the door of the waiting room leading onto the passageway at the request of a woman who was seated in the waiting room.

Davies told me that he had his left hand on the door which he had about half closed when Kast came running along the hallway and stopped [...] Kast was carrying a revolver in his left hand and he pointed it towards Davies and said 'Get back, get back, this is none of your business.' Davies retreated into the waiting room and sat on the chair he had previously occupied. Kast continued to point the gun at him, entered the room, picked up the satchel in his right hand then retreated backwards out of the room into the hallway. Davies then heard a shot fired in Dr. Lahz' rooms and this shot was followed almost immediately by a loud explosion.

After Kast lef the satchel in Dr Lahz' waiting room he apparently walked down the main passageway on the first floor of Ballow Chambers down the flight of stairs at the rear of the building and then along the passageway on the ground floor to Dr. Meehan's consulting rooms. This room is adjacent to the waiting room and there is a connection door between the two rooms. Clyde Friederichs and his wife Alice were in Dr Meehan's consulting room. The doctor had been treating their daughter Judith aged 15 years and they were having a discussion with the doctor concerning a contemplated operation on their daughter. Mr Friedrichs was seated on a chair just inside the door leading from the waiting room [...] his wife occupied another chair in front of the Dr's desk [...]. the Dr got up from the desk [...] where he picked up an X-ray photograph and commenced to examine it. At this moment Mr F became aware of Kast walking into the room [...]. He walked up to just in front of him, pointed a revolver at Dr. Meehan and fired. Dr. Meehan immediately grasped himself around the stomach and collapsed on the floor. Kast backed away a couple of steps and hurried from the room [...] Shortly after Mr F heard a loud explosion which he estimated coming from the next floor of the building.

Dr. John Lahz

On about midday on 1st Dec , 1955 I arrived at my surgery. At before 3 pm I was in my surgery room when I heard a woman screaming outside my rooms. My secretary spoke to me saying 'Dr Meehan has been murdered.' I left my patient and rushed out through the swing doors. As I was going out Kast met me. He had a gun in his hand which was pointed at my chest. He said 'get in there'. He spoke to Mrs Wilson and Miss Kelly who were present at the time and told them to 'get out'. Kast held the gun and forced me back into the office into my consulting room. My two female staff members went in too. Kast again told them to get out and he still held me there with the gun at my chest. As he forced me from the consulting room he ordered me to the examination room, pointed the gun and I opened the door entered the examination room.

Mrs Wilson and Miss Kelly followed me. The door closed behind me. It was either the nurse or the secretary [who] slammed the door and Kast was left in the examination room and we were in the consulting room. […] After some time the secretary and I tip toed our way out into the circular way back to the office. It was empty and we hurried out through the passageway out of the building. I went to 113 Wickham Terrace to phone the C.I. Branch but the phone was engaged and I entered my car and went to Roma St. Police to report the matter.