DRINK AND DANGER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7820, 12 June 1909, Page 2

DRINK AND DANGER.

" MEN OF TEMPERATE HABITS."

Per Press Association. WANGANUI, June IP. A very singular case has occupied the Supreme Court during the past ; two days. The circumstances are to the following effect: On February 22nd Amos Chatfield and Frederick Garlick left Ohutu for Taihape, a couple of miles ! distant. They were intimate friends and Garlick accompanied 'Chatfield at the latter's request. They, intended to return home m time to do the milking at 8 o'clock at night. .Garlick led Chatfield'e horse home and declared that ho had thrown Chatfield into the Hautapu river. He was evidently drunk and his actions during the next hour or so were of an exceptional nature. He reiterated that he had kill ed Chatfield and threatened to kill Mrs Chatfield, whom he wanted to come m a cart and look for her . husband. Eventually Garlick got his gun and about 10-o'clock was shot through the shoulder, the bone being shattered and the flesh torn away. Witnesses declared that the wound was self-inflict-ed;; While Garlick was terrorising the village a party had gone m search of Chatfield and found him lying amongst some shrubs some fourteen, feet down the bank of the river; the shrubs had stopped his fall over a precipice seventy feet deep. He was dead drunk and didn't wake till.after he waspulled on to the road. The hats of both, men were found lying on the road and there were marks as of a man having been dragged across the road to the edge of the bank. ' ;.■.-• In Court Chatfield stated that when he and Garlick reached Taihape they had some beers but left for home quite sober, both being of temperate habits. Garlick bought a bottle of draught whisky and this they drank going along the road. Chatfield had two drinks and then lost consciousness, knowing nothing more till awakened by his rescuers. Garlick m giving evidence on his own behalf said that Chatfield got so drunk that he fell off his horse; Garlick pulled him to the side of the road out of danger and Chatfield then rolled over the cliff. Garlick tried to pull V, m „v?,,b ut Colllc* not and th«i at | Lhatfield's suggestion he went for the cart and Mrs Chatfield. From that point his mind was blank and he knew nothing of his subsequent actions at Ohutu. The jury retired at 10.15 to-night and after half an hour returned with, a verdict of not guilty of attempted murder Later ..the jury found Garlick not guilty of intimidation and attempted suicide, holding that he was not m a rational state. Accused was then disonarged.