THE FATAL SHOOTING ACCIDENT.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10674, 5 June 1900, Page 2

THE FATAL SHOOTING ACCIDENT.

MR SKELTON BEFORE THE COURT.

At the Police Court, yesterday morning, William Skelton was charged with having, on June 3rd, at Lake Ellesmere, slain and killed one Alfred E. Cooke. Sub-Inspector O'Brien detailed the facts of the occurrence as already published. . An inquest was to be held in the afternoon, and he would therefore ask for a remand till the following day. Their Worships consented to the remand as requested. In the meantime Mr Skelton was liberated on his own recognisances, THE INQUEST. The inquest on the- body of A. E. Cooke took place yesterday afternoon, before Mr E. Beet-ham, coroner. Dr. W. H. Syraes, who had examined the body, said there was no doubt that death occurred from a gunshot wound. W. Skelton, having been cautioned in the usual way, stated that he and Cooke remained in the cylinders all Sunday, with, but little shooting. Towards evening, about 4.30 or 5 p.m., Gooke called witness s attention to a bird coming from his left. It being his turn to ehoot, the bird came straight for forty or fifty yards, and then swerved to Cooke's left, thereby presenting a broadside shot to witness. He fired, and at the same instant Cooke sprang to his feet in an upright position. was then in the line of fire. He received the charge in the head.. Their arrangement was to shoot from a sitting position, and they carried that out, often shooting over one another's cylinders when it came to their separate turn to shoot. After the discharge of the gun witness saw the deceased fall forward. He sang out "Alf," but got no reply. Witness got out of his own cylinder, and saw that a portion of Cooke's head was blown away. He heard deceased breathing till they got half-way to Lincoln. When they got to Dr. Cooke's the doctor examined the body, and. pronounced life extinct. The deceased never spoke after they left the Lake. He had been shooting with deceased four or five years, and had always shot under the same arrangement. He thought deceased must have thought that witness was not going, to shoot. This was all the evidence. The Coroner said that the matter was in a nutshell. The men had been in the habit for years of shooting together, and there was no suggestion of a quarrel. _ circumstances of the case pointed to an UC The°ury returned a verdict of "Accidental death." SKELTON DISCHARGED. \t the conclusion of the inquest, Mr Beethant, W the application of the pobce, discharged Mr Skeltonjorthwith.

THE FUNERAL. The funeral of tie deceased will take place at 2.30 p.m. to-day.