INQUEST AT INVERCARGILL

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 58, 6 September 1905, Page 3

INQUEST AT INVERCARGILL

[BY TELEGRAI'H. — I'RES3 ASSOCIATION.] INVERCARGILL, sfch September. An inquest on John M'Kenna, who shot himself at Gore yesterday, opened to-day. Inspector Mitchell said all he proposed was to call evidence of identity, and adjourn to a future occasion, when ho would bo in a, position to show the' probable cause of suicide. Walter M'Kenna said that deceased, was a brother of his. To Mr. Bowler— Had given no information to papers as to suicide, and did' not know how the account in that morning's Standard had been /obtained. i\lr. Bowler objected to the account of the occurrence published by the paper, and to the matter being placed before the public as ib had been. Inspector Mitchell had said ho would lead evidence to show what was tho cause of the suicide, but the jury should have been leit to draw their own conclusions from the evidence. Tho report referred to had been so mixed up with sheep-stealing that it would tend to bias not only the minds of tho public, but of the jury. He had been instructed by deceased's relatives to make objection, and ho thought it was a valid one, as the report practically connected deceased with the disappearance of sheep which had occurred in the district. It was most unfair to tho family, and they had ju&t reason to object. The Acting-Coroner (who is publisher of the Standard) said the jury were sworn to come to a conclusion upon the evidence placed before them, and not upon what they might hear in the streets or read in tho papers. Inspector Mitchell said he did not intend to go further into the enquiry at that stage. It would be necessary to make enquiries at a considerable distance, and if sufficient time were not allowed, it might be necessary to ask for further adjournment. Mr. Bowler said it was not necessary to do any more than prove the cause of death, and a lengthy enquiry into sheepstealing was not requisite. The Inspector said it was incumbent upon tho polico to show motive. The inquest wua then adjourned till 15th September. One of the jurors said it seemed to him that all the jury had to do was to find how deceased came by his death"', and not to go into an elaborate enquiry upon, sheep-stealing. Mr. Bowler — 1 am very pleased to hear you say so.