SHOOTING CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 94, 22 April 1931, Page 8

SHOOTING CASE.

TE AWAMUTU SENSATION ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE GERTRUDE WEST'S INJURIES. CARPENTER BEFORE COURT. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. Frank James Kerr, aged 41, carpenter, of Te Awamutu, was charged before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., at Hamilton yesterday afternoon, with attempting to murder Gertrude Edith West, 19, by shooting her on January 24 at Te Awamutu. After the evidence of the principal witness had been taken the hear- . ing was adjourned to Te Awamutu today. As Miss West is still an. inmate of the Waikato Hospital, the court was held yesterday afternoon in the patients' reception room at the institution. Prisoner was represented by Mr. J. F. Strang. The evidence was led by Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson. Gertrude Edith West said she was a single woman. She was 19 years of age on January 5 last. She had lived with her mother and stepfather at Te Awamutu for about ten years. She had known Kerr for about nine months. Kerr was employed on carpentry work at her parents' home for a time. After this he paid her attention, and on several occasions he invited her to . accompany him to the pictures. He had not proposed marriage to her, although he had professed his love, and had, on several occasions, attempted to kiss her. He had paid visits to the house for several weeks, and finally her parents told him to discontinue his visits. He did so for a time, but resumed them. Witness said Kerr's attentions to her were unwelcome. On the morning of January 24 she accompanied her mother to help to clean out gome banks. She returned home at 9.30 a.m., and on her way she saw Kenin a taxi car near her home. Asked For Another Chance. Witness said she noticed accused leave the taxi near the Gospel Hall. He approached her and asked if she would give him another chance. She replied "No," and walked on home. He made no rejoinder. She saw accused later that ' morning when he called at the house and asked her if she would like a young : rabbit. He had then entered the kitchen. ( Her stepfather was in the milking shed • ' a-t the time. She did not notice that Kerr was carrying anything at this j juncture. No reply was made to the ; question, either by witness or her ; mother. Her mother told her, however, j to go out and tell her stepfather that l accused was there. She had to pass accused to go to her stepfather. She did , not speak to Kerr, and he did not say , anything to her. He then had nothing i in his hands. She went to her stepfather j in the dairy, and having told him of Kerr's presence, she commenced to < return to the house. As she did so she ] was shot in the right side by Kerr, who i was standing near by. Accused had a ] gun in his hands and was pointing 1 it towards her. When shot .she fell, and t her stepfather rushed up and relieved Kerr of the gun. ] The Magistrate: Did you see it i happen ?—Yes. ' ( Detective-Sergeant Thompson: You were quite conscious?— Yes. The Detective: Had your stepfather . any trouble in getting the gun?— Yes. 3 Witness said her stepfather, on getting c the gun, went off to the police station. ' Kerr then came over an knelt beside " her and said something to her. She did c not know, however, what he said. I Accused was still there when the police c arrived. A mnttaHa o.U/i tt„ i_l -i \

drnvea.. .a constaDle asked Kerr how it happened, and he replied that it was an accident. She was subsequently attended by a • doctor and sent to the Waikato Hospital. Knew of No Reason. The Detective: Do you know of any reason why he should have shot you?— No. Had you ever seen him with a gun prior to this?— Only once, at our house one Sunday. The Detective: .Has he ever brought rabbits to you before? rabbits to you before?— Once or twice. In answer to Mr. Strang, witness said she heard her stepfather speak to Kerr, but she did not know what he said. Mr. Strang: With which hand was Jierr holding the gun when he shot you? —With both, I think, but I am not certain. Mr. Strang: Was the gun by his side at the time?—No, it was pointing > straight at me. 1L superintendent of the Waikato; Hospital, gave evidence relative to Miss West's admission to the hospital and' to her injuries. She had a deep wound in the right side. It was four niches wide and involved all the muscular layers of the abdominal wall. The anterior superior spine was broken into fragments. He recovered a number of pellets and two complete cartridge wads in the outer part of the wound. . Asked if Miss West was still in danger of death, witness replied in the negative. He thought she could be discharged within the next fortnight. She was likely to- suffer permanent injury as she had lost a considerable portion of the wall of her abdomen. (Proceeding.)