ARUNDEL TRAGEDY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 143, 30 March 1931, Page 3

ARUNDEL TRAGEDY

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.

JEALOUSY REVEALED AS CAUSE.

(Special to "The Guardian.")

TIMARU, March 27

The" inquest on Kathleen Mary Rose, aged IS, and Charles Graham McPherson, aged 22, was opened at 1 p.m. at Arundel Hall, before Mr C. R. Grr-Walker, Coroner. Hugh Alexander Rose, father of the girl said he was at present unemployed, and resided with Mr Alex. Gould, his brother-in-law, at Arundel. McPherson was a farm labourer, who had been living with Mr Kelman, Geraldine Plat. Witness had come to Arundel from Redcliffs with his family a month ago. They knew McPherson there, and he was a frequent visitor to the house, coming in just as he liked. McPherson, was very friendly with witness's daughter. After witness's family came to Arundel, McPherson got employment in the district, and visited his daughter at Mr McMaster's place, where his daughter f staved. Witness had no reason to think his daughter was engaged to McPherson.

Too Young. Senior-Sergeant Mathieson: Are you aware that she had become friendly with another young man named Pratt ? . „ Witness: I know she was friendly with him. She was friendly with three oi them for all that. "Did you see your daughter last night:-"' "At six p.m. She was on horseback, and stopped near my gate to say 'Hullo,Dad.' " Continuing, witness said that it was intended by Mrs .McMaster and his daughter to go to a send-off at Peel Forest, either with the Lewis's or Pratt. The Senior-Sergeant: Was he very fond of her? • "Well, he was infatuated with her. I told him about a year ago to come as a friend, but not as a sweetheart. They were too young. The Coroner: Did he make love to your daughter that you knew of? — No. The Coroner: The letter addressed "My Dear Darling Boy" indicates that they were without your knowledge?— Yes. Senior-Sergeant Mathieson : Alter you had told him not to pay attention to your daughter, did he make and serious threat ?—No. Loft in a Car. Katherine McMaster, widow, of Arundel, said that -Miss Rose was related to her by marriage. She slept at witness's" place, occupying the same bed. The girl slept at her place because there was not sufficient room at her father's home. McPherson, whom she knew slightly, had visited her three times at her house. Witness was always present. He came last night at 7.30 o'clock, and Miss Rose spoke to him at the gate for ten minutes. The car in which Kathleen, was going to the social arrived and the girl went away in it. The car was driven by Harry Pratt, of Arundel, the rest of the Pratt family beiug with him. McPherson and the girl seemed in good spirits at the time. The former stayed behind and. did not go to the social. Miss Rose danced several times with Pratt and came home in. his car. Witness left the social at 1.20 o'clock this morning and the gill arrived ten minutes later. They retired at the same time. The front door and window were left open.

Did Not Hear Shot. The first thing that awakened her about 4.30 a.m. was a gurgling sound. Witness spoke to Miss Rose, and received no answer. She lit the candle and saw the wound. The girl was still alive. Witness then heard another gurgling sound from outside and went put and found McPherson lying at the side of the house. , Continuing, witness said she nitormed Mr J. Lewis, a neighbour. McPherson was lying on his wack with a rifle between his legs, with the muzzle painting toward his head. Witness was a heavy sleeper and was lying in bod with her back to Miss Rose, who was facing the door. It was possible for anybody in stockinged feet to get into the room without hen being aware of it. She knew Pratt was friendly with Miss Rose, but to her knowledge it was just friendship. A letter-card addressed to Miss Rose came yesterday aiternoon She had no idea whether the letter-card was now in the house. Senior-Sergeant Mathieson: Do you know whether they had any quarrel?— No/ Constable's Evidence. Constable D. Callanan, of Geraldine, said that at 5 o'clock this morning he received a telephone call from Arundei informing him of the tragedy, and with Dr L. C. Mail arrived on the scene at 5.30 o'clock. He went into the bedroom, facing the verandah, and found Miss Rose lying on a double bed. She was on her left side with her right arm extended over her breast. She was lying in a pool of blood, with which the "bedclothes were saturated. He found a small circular wound two inches above and slightly behind the right car. She was dressed in night attire. Dr Mail pronounced her dead. The window of the room was open ami there was dew on the sill. Examination showed impression of hands, as though .someone had been looking through. At the end of the verandah witness found McPherson lying on the flat of his back. He endorsed the previous witness's experience regarding the finding of the rifle, which was a .22 in. bore. There was a spent cartridge in the breach, and this was the asme as three others found in deceased's possession. Deceased was in stockinged feet, and lying in a pool of blood. There was a shot wound in the centre of the forehead, surrounded by powder. From marks, McPherson had evidently been standing about for some time. A search of his belongings revealed a letter-card, already produced, and other letters from Kathleen Rose, obviously love letters, which showed the pair were on friendly terms. There was also 17s 2d in cash and a torch. About a mile from Arundel, on the back road, he found a five-senter car belonging to McPherson. . 1 James Lewis (farmer), Arundel, said that at 4.15 a.m. Mrs McMaster came to his house and told him of the tragedy. Witness got a doctor and the police to the scene, and the girl's parents. The man was dead a minute or so after he first saw him. When lie went to get the girl's parents she was still alive, but was dead when he returned. McPherson's father, Robert McPherson, farm manager at Raincliff, said his son would be 23 on, October 1 next. He last saw him alive on March 1, when he drove him down to his new employer, Mr Kelman's place. He also drove'him down to Mrs McMaster s. where he left his gramophone. The girl and the boy were very fond of

each other as far as he could sec. To his knowledge his son had no rifle, nor had he ever seen the pea-rillc produced before. He had been away from homo working for four years, mostly working for Mr Talbot at Fairlie. The Senior-Sergeant: Was it your opinion that he had made up his mind to marry Miss Rose?—Yes. If she had transferred her affections to another, would it have made a difference to him? —-Not if it had been done in a straightforward manner. The Coroner: lie had had no disease in his early life that might have affected his mind?—No, In; was a very even-tempered chap, and inoffensive. It seems plain that he shot the girl and himself. Can you give any explanation?— 1 would like to know how he p;ot the rifle. I am not insinuating that anyone shot them both, however. The Coroner: The rifle can be traced. Continuing, witness said that his son's mother had. died when he was a schoolboy. He now had a step-mother. He did not know his son had a car.

Pratt's Evidence. Henry Edwin Pratt, labourer, aged 23, said he knew Kathleen Rose, but did not know McPherson, ' even by sight. He first met Miss Rose early in January, when she was staying at McMaster's on a holiday. He next saw her when she returned to the district a month ago at Mrs McMaster's, where he visited her twice. He also saw her at Mayfield and Winchester Shows. He did not see her at the Timaru races. Last Sunday evening, about 7 o'clock, he arranged with her to go to a social on Friday. This was as McMaster's, and it was there he called for her last night at 8 o'clock. He saw Mcpherson's car outside, but not McPherson. Miss Rose drew his attention to it. His family were in the car, too. He had four dances with her and they left at 1.30 a.m., with his family. He dropped Kathleen at McMaster's, but did not see Mcpherson's car. The Senior-Sergeant: Did you know that McPherson went with her for some years?—She did not mention it to me, but my brother told me that she used to keep company with a man named McPherson. She did not speak of him.

Did she say anything on the way to the dance which would lead you to believe that they had quarrelled?—No. The Coroner:'Tell us candidly anything you know. We want to clear it up. Witness: One night I called at Mc-Ma-steiis and Kathleen's brother said to me. "Charlie has been here todav; one of Kathleen's old boys from Raincliff." The Senior-Sergeant: Did the deceased explain to you why McPherson did not take her to the dance?—No. He must have been aware that you took her to the dance?—Yes. She left his car to get into ours to go to the dance.

That would not tend to make him very kindly disposed toward you oilier ?—No.

The Coroner: Did you never mention McPherson to her or ask her who Charlie was?—l asked her if McPherson would be annoyed if I took her to the dance, and she replied that she did not care.

Did your brothers discuss the matter,- and whether McPherson had fallen out with the girl?-—No. I had an idea

that she had fallen out with him last night. Were you fond .of her? —Only as a friend. I had met her just a few times. Knowing that there had been an end to the courtship, were you aware that the way was open for you to pay attention to her?—Yes. The Coroner: Where were you last night?—At our house, half a mile from McMaster's.

You did not leave your bed or come out again?—No. Was McPherson at the dance? —No. You've not seen the rifle before? — No; 1 haven't one. The Senior-Sergeant: Did you see any other young man with lier at Winchester show? —No; she was with me most of the time.

Did you know McPherson was at the show, and went there to see her? —No.

Medical Evidence. * Dr. L. Carrington Mail, Geraldine, stated that at 5.25 a.m. he went with Constable Callanan to Mrs McMaster's house. In the bedroom he found the body of a young woman covered in blood, as were also the bedclothes. The body was still warm. Death must have occurred within an hour previously. There was a small circular puncture wound on her head slightly above and two inches behind the right ear. Blood was oozing from the wound. There were no other marks of injury. 'Death was due to laceration of the brain, caused by a soft bullet. The wound was consistent with injury by a .22 calibre bullet.

He then saw the body of the man by the house, and he was quite dead, but the body was still warm. It would remain so for two hours after death. There was a small circular gunshot wound in the middle of the forehead similar to that of the girl. The skin was blackened and burnt with powder, indicating that the muzzle of the gun was probably in contact with the forehead when it was fired. Death was due to laceration of the brain due to a gunshot wouftd. It was obviously, from the attitude of the body and the position of the gun, a case of suicide. The Coroner: Is it likely that he was shot by someone else and the gun placed in that position?—No. Had this been so there would have been signs of a struggle. The Senior-Sergeant: In your opinion was the girl shot in. the room, or from the window or door?—From her position I would think the person who fired the shot was in the room next door. The Verdicts. The Coroner brought in the following verdicts: — 1 ' That Kathleen Mary Rose died from laceration of the brain caused by a bullet from a pea-rifle fired by Charles Graham McPherson. "That McPherson died from laceration of the brain caused by a pea-rifle bullet wound.* self-inflicted." The Coroner said:* "The evidence makes it clear that McPherson was actuated by a feeling of jealousy, and, after murdering the girl of his affections, shot himself."