COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 108, 8 May 1937, Page 14

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

DISCHARGE OF GUN

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED MURDER

CASTLECLIFF HOUSE AFFAIR

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WANGANUI, May 7.

Charged with attempting to mur-1 der Ernest de Tourret at Castlecliff on April 19, Charles Henry Bourne pleaded not guilty and was committed by Messrs. J. Morrison and J. Williams, J.P.s, for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Wanganui. Following on his evidence to the point where the gun was discharged, de Tourret said a tussle then took place for its possession. He upbraided the accused for using the gun and the accused promised not to give any more trouble if he let him up. While witness was removing the-cartridges from the gun Bourne attacked again, and after another fierce wrestle he v/as again overpowered. After a promise to behave himself, the accused was let up once more, but again he attacked witness, trying to hit him over the head with a chair. During the fight the accused knocked witness's head on the door repeatedly.' Witness reasoned with him and said he was foolish to go mad and fight. There was blood on the accused's face, which was probably from witness's cuts. The accused said that if witness did not report the matter he would not trouble them again. The accused then left. | Mrs. de' Tourret arrived later, and when they were talking outside the accused returned in', his own car. He appealed to witness and his wife not to report the matter, but Mrs. de Tourret said she was going straight to the police. Bourne then ran up to the house and asked for the gun, and when told it was hidden he went away in the car. Witness gave the accused no provocation to fire the gun. When it was fired it ' made a hole in the window in front of the p^orch. After Royce Harry de Tourret, stepson of the previous witness, had given evidence. Dr. G. H. Robertson stated that he examined de Tourret at 1.45 p.m. on April 19; he was suffering from a superficial wound on the left side of the head. Witness also examined the accused, who' had abrasions. ' Detective-Sergeant J.K. Robertson stated that the' accused was told he would be charged with attempted murder. Bourne laughed. He was then locked up. Later he made a statement to Detective Murray, in which he said that de Totfrre.t had began to talk' wrestling when the others left- on April 19. De Tourret demonstrated several holds on him, and then asked if the accused knew how to disarm a man with a gun. The shotgun was produced, and in the following scuffle it was accidentally discharged. The shot did not go near de Tourret, but straight out the window. De Tourret did not want to report the matter, but his wife had become excited and reported it He had not explained how the gun went off when asked for a statement as he thought the prosecution would build a case on this. - Senior-Sergeant G. Kelly, arms advisory officer of the Police Department, stationed at Wellington, stated that, he could not get an . accidental discharge of the £un, ■ . . V, An application for reduction of bail, which was fixed'at self'£4oo, and two sureties each of £200, was refused.