THE WELLINGTON TRAGEDY

Evening Star, Issue 14308, 5 March 1910, Page 6

THE WELLINGTON TRAGEDY

A VEEDICT OF WILFUL MURDER. [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 5. At tho inquest concerning the death of i Christopher Smith, the victim of last | night’s eliciting affray, he’d to-day evi- > donee, was given by one wilnert! to tho j effect that" saw Smith seemingly hitting | Gorkill, who fell on to the footpath, whore i he, remained a minute or in. When Corkill rose, ho put his hand in hie pocket and drew out a revolver, which he fired. Smith stood a. second or so, and spoko to | Corkill, and then walked away. Witness, 1 next saw Smith lying dear! in a passage of ; tho house. The- jury' returned what the , coroner interpreted, with the jury's nhi- 1 mate consent, a, verdict of wilful murder, i Corldll tvas formally charged, and re- j manded till Wednesday. j COPiKILL’S ST A TEM EN T. WELLINGTON, March 5. Inspector Ellison’s ovidenco at the inquest on Smith showed that. Corkill informed him that he only drew tin l revolver j in self-defence, as Smith threatened his j life. Corkill apparently did not know Smith was dead, for when told so he said : “Oh, God,- I did not intend to kill him. What 1 did was in my own protection. He. Gruclc mu on the jaw, I fired at random. I was on the ground when I fired. - ’