THE SHOOTING AFFRAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 84, 17 April 1885, Page 2

THE SHOOTING AFFRAY.

STEWARD OIT OP ftAN(JEIL

Is yesterday's issue we weto give brief particulars of the shoot" '" that took place at Mrs Benzines hß "^ house, Customs-street. AbonUsr" 6" ■Mrs Benzine was observed to c l; m u the front window oxelabing ujjo"'?l been a man shot in my house " a '"^ speedily collected.news , vac conv.iolo^ Police Station, and several forco soon appeared on the J thß reporters were also early on ne- °«( tho tragedy, and elicitedl th7fT De °f particulars regarding thn dm \ °^ thoaflair:- ° " np Clrcumstan«, o k f

The House in Which too A ff, ay Is a two-story double tenom Vr 10** situated in LWor Zrtl T *W* doors beyond Gleeson'sHotl^' a « portion of the building i 8 occn Ji^"" Benzine as a boarding-houW^ «"» of .several living rooms on tie el "ft* and bedrooms on the upp?r S? 4 1? aliray took place in the )ZU , Tbe situated at the back of the \ m^ apartment is also used « „T> Tkis and contains table snh TS-nok cnairs. A door leads M?eS the kitchen into the btk t? >* staircase to tho bed-room above k *? d * at th IS apartment was sufficient to A, somo sanguinary occurrence hm'^ happened. The floor was buf' L1?*""? biood.andontheupperp^S^ door a revolver buUet was emffl6^ persons mthe room at the timeofnn % porter's visit were Mrs Ke*,\L °M» Franklin, both of wh om \e "?> great excitement. In resZ " t? We ol porters' request, the fb£Ss£«> ; were made :— ■» statemtnta

Mrs Benzine's Statement Mrs Benzine said : I am a marriJ and occupy this house, in S^ my husband, who is employ^ SttV» land Timber CompanyCf "i £&*- ---lodgers, one of whom was Them*fatS a seafaring man about 51) years ofe had known him for eight or ni c' ' during which he h 7^U%?l^ About 3.30 p.m. I wa^ «hL- • H kitchen alon| with Mrs W»h g? "» Steward. Tile latter Sfeft The front door of the housei w»= i ?* but the back door steodo^ ffl' Kelvie come to the front door H. i L * and asked if boardew were &' Mrs Wade replied, "Yes" UP V McKelviewell andldeclinedtooSS man then left the house, and I bfffl had gone away for good. A few tlriT later McKdvie suddenly m%ls± back door, which was oL I, iS Steward Closed Witt MeKtiflJi Tom rose, and went to catch kWyi McKelvie, to prevent him dokrW?" injury McKelvie, who hadhife hind his back, then produced « 3!s fired at Torn. I did not see S shot took effect. I .was afraid thatttE would Bhoot me also, and I raibaS the kitchen. I entered the «! locked tho door, and got outintotoS through the window. Isawa6hiu«S side, and I said to him, "There IuTS a man shot in my houee. WiHyoijX: the police •>" Ho never made S» and declined to move. After I left tkl kitchen ...™

I Heard Three Shots Hnt I know McKelvie well. I first nude fciiii. quaintance in Ireland, and cams to Aidland with him about two yeare W VB« is a man about 60 years of age, and be iii labourer by occupiition. I lived with lit for soveral years, and bore a son In t but eventually 1 had to leaveUa-'alxt-sequence of hie bad temper. Hefutf i jenlous disposition, and very qiisiwl«oit, I left him one year and ten mimtajfa On moro than one occasion ~

McKolvio Threatened to siMt He. On tho night beforo I left him he cuntinto tho bedroom and holdatomaiairkortfw while lie threatened mo, eaj^iiig, "Yoosill bo 'no moro' after this hour,". IftdidH touch mo then, andonthofoliimngmming I left the house. Sines that, thai yesterday I have never seen ilcKel^a bii onco—that was about twelve months ig» Ho came to the door, asked for aiwsm, and on being refueedjis used erne raj bad language and then wmttway, , i W hoard that iMcKelvieiad 'purchasedapk for tho purpose of siooiing'ms, and tiaiihas frequently madd b'fetli&B'tofais my lifo. Cause of tit Fiwas. I beliovo it was mplf that McKelrii intendod to shoot, bat tint) 'is I sacceedeS in escaping, he set upon Stewait, trhplid risen to interpose, and fired upon-hia (Steward and McKelvie, sofc as Itpm, were complete strangers to each oM' Another Statement. Mrs Mary Franklyn,a widow sho tali with Mrs Benzine, made.1 the folknns statement:—l was in Mis Biiflne'a tot yesterday afternoon about3.3o. Iffllipstairs in a room at the top of ths ;itaii> leading to tho kitchen. I IeMWJj scuflling, and then some' exclaiatiooß, is a shot. The exclamation 'ntt W> Steward, who exclaimed "I am A*1 I rushed to the front window and bswm Steward go out of the,frontTijtfcW (lowing from his face.' JfrTOjWjj quickly towards Gleeson's Hotel. 'Hen nnt stagger, About ttiMMMta* the man McKelvie came but ofJ»W door, and proceeded towards the Anew* Timber Company's t^hiim manner. When I got to thelM* »» again saw McKelvie going upatfeliW towards the back of HawkeswoodiffH when I lost sight of him.;"..»uf know, ;.■■• . ' Mrs Wade's Statement Mrs Wade, who was also .prejsept £■ timo of the shooting, was 'sabseqiiw terviewed at her residence, <«£»? street. She made the foUowingitsffl* I am the wife of Bertram W«jT by the Auckland Timber tojMMf day afternoon I was visiting W- m ■ who is a shipmate of my hmto»s'T ■ round about 3 o'clock, and '.'off KB house Mrs Benzine, Tom Bteir»4,««|B Franklin. The two former-wreli," kitchen, and Mrs Frackba <*' stairs. I sat down m me »£ Tom Steward was lyingonthesoJa8.30 McKelvie came to the baci m" Mrs Benzine said to Steward, »f him out." Tom roso to do »,«»'; Benzine and I ran outof thetaßW' shot Mas tired. I did noteetitto m myself. When I got outaW door I heard a second Mrsßenzine wentoverto McDm*« rooms, Mrs Benzine being afw»» would be shot also. ' Otter Facts, v The prisoner's son, of which H»*JB| is the mother, is 15 years oi^.j^BJ ployed as a grocer's «**<*«. X^M that ho was cognisant of tnoM^^Bj had beon made by bis iotner i»P»»" M mOthen L AT E ST PAHTICUU*. ■ McKolvie appears to h»v?"X~.« of tho timo at bis disposal. j%» at largo when wo weut to V^ JM tho police wore leaving no fr.Jm to effect his capture. A foil f<*Sm him has beon sent by ST^^M all out-stations, while two d«^S*l| ted ConstableKelly.and «e«™S itM men aro all engaged ln , th? jTS^HI Bond and Knight succeededj D «^B| the bullet which bad lodged ",,,(« breast, whilo the other W'^^H carefully dressed. Upon Hospital this afternoon, ™ m sm Stewart is out of danger aad«W H