POLICEMAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 95, 21 April 1906, Page 13

POLICEMAN ARRESTED FOR MURDER.

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A Dublin policeman named- Joha Ivearas ahot his wife an* Ms brother-inrlaw, John, Dunne, butcher,, oa Saturday afternoon, February 25, under sensational circumstance*. Mrs Kearns and; Mr» Dunne were Bisters, and on. Saturday the formei? went to Chatham-street to- -»isit the latter, whe was seriously 111. While, she was engaged m a back parlour in. conversation with. Mr Dunne heir linaband entered and demanded a private interview with, her, Mr Dunne, with- whom lie had evidently had some quarrel pre?ionaly r retarte<J r *T dun's want to. see. you coming- in Tea had better get out." At the time Mr Dunne was sitting at the table having a cup' of tea, whi'e Mrß Ttearna was standing at the other end: of the table, near the window. Kearns was meanwnlle standing at tte door, and , without fnrther remark he produced' a revolver from. Bi9 pocket, and, it is said> shot Bunne through the heart. Dunne made a rush forward, apparently with the intention of matins an effort to escape by the window. The siiot. however, took fatal effect almost immediately.

Mrs Kearns, who had been a horrorstricken spectator, made an. attemgt to escape from the room. Before she had time t<j rush past him. however, her husband i» alleged to have turned the revolver upon: her and fired, hitting her in the face. la her agony of pain and fear sha rushed Into., the street and fell. A erawd soon collected, hut Keerris, showing remarkable coolness, made his way through the people almost unnoticed. Walking rapidly in. the; direction of Georges-street, he hailed a. car, and. instructed the driver to take him with all speed to- Kingabridge. A few minutes, later aa aJarm was raised, and Constable 100 R. -who a&w Kearns driving through Damestreet, started in hat pursuit. He was joined in the chase by another nonstable, tliey- aFFITed at Kingshridge station to find that Seams had purchased a ticket for Newbridge, and was seated in a thisd-claes compartment of a train just about to start. It was no easy matter to arrest him. JKearns resisted violently, and in. the struggle made a desperate attempt to draw the revolver from his hip-pocket. Fortunately, his design was frustrated, and he afterwards quietly entered a cab, in which he was driven to College-street Police Station. Some hope is entertained that Mrs Kearns will recover. Mrs Dunne, who was npstaira while tlie s&aorting was going on below, haa not been informed of her husband's death. Kearne was on duty tn the early part of the day, and is described by persons whosaw him as dazed-looking. He was known ac a deeply religious man, and was tor soma time in a monastery ig County Wajerford, after which he rejoin,ed the aoliee. His wife had. a hoardinghouse in .Lower ilountStreer, where they both, resided. Ie is said that he was worried by domestic differences and that when ac was leaving his house aboar 2 a'eiocfc. he said to- the servant girl, **'Sett--wiU never see mc again." When he was arrested, he had in his pockec a sixehambeied. lefolver, of. which; fauv chambers were- leaded, and a sounds of ani munition. • 6ti Monday prisoner was brought before the magistrates; and foceal evidence having been jlTea, he mm lemandetL Ue* pan* m