MURDER AT WEDDING

Evening Star, Issue 19522, 1 April 1927, Page 6

MURDER AT WEDDING

BULLET MEANT FOR BRIDE ANOTHER WOMAN THE VICTIM SUICIDE OF PERPETRATOR EIMV OF MAD INFATUATION JPeb United Press Assocunon.J 'GISBORNE, March 31. About 8 o’clock to-night, while Mrs Queenie Eleanor Pettit, about 35 years of age, was talking in the dining room of a friend’s house in Hirini street, where a wedding celebration was in progress, she was shot by a man outside the window, two shots being fired with an American magazine rifle. She collapsed into the arms of Dr M'Swecney, another guest, and died at once. One bullet, a flat-posed one, tore the muscles of the left arm, and the other entered under her right breast. Immediately afterwards the startled crowd heard a third shot, and the victim’s husband, rushing outside, met the murderer at the front door. Blood dripped from his forehead, and he had a gun in his hand. He was muttering words to the effect; “I’ll fix them; I’ll shoot them.” Mr Pettit took the gun from the murderer, who ran on to the road and disappeared. The police were communicated with, and they searched the scene of the tragedy. Ten minutes later a fourth shot rang out in the locali.y. Two men coming down Harris street found the murderer with his brains blown out and a shotgun beside him. The man was identified as George Edward Nowells, aged twenty-five, an Englishman, who had been in the dominion for two or three years, and who had a farm at Waikohu. but who during the past two or three months had been living in a town boarding-house. Nowells was a married man, with a wife and child living at Auckland. It seems that Nowells intended to attack the young woman who was married that day, but shot Mrs Pettit in mistake. The victim was the wife of Mr Michael Pettit, a well-known stock agent residing at Wainui Beach.

VICTIM RESEMBLED BRIDE MAD THREATS TO LATTER GISBOBNE, April 1. The inquest opened this morning before Mr Bevvey, S.M. (coroner), and after identification was adjourned. That the murdered woman was not the intended victim appears clear, for Nowells had previously threatened another member of the wedding party—the bride of a few hours. This young lady had been acquainted with the murderer, who had conceived a mad infatuation for her, which led him to threaten her life should she carry out her intention of marrying another man. The victim bore a striking resemblance to the bride, and it is supposed that in blind rage the man did not wait to assure himself of the identity of the victim. The murder took place in a small modern bungalow in Hirini street occupied by MisseS Alma Faulkner and Reno Holmes, with whom the bride, Miss Winnie Bennett, had been staying.

After the wedding of Miss Bennett to Mr James Oman the party dined at the Masonic Hotel, and then adjourned to the bungalow. Those present at the time of the crime were Misses Faulkner, Holmes, Mr and Mrs Pettit, Dr M'Swecney, Messrs Pitt, Langlands, and Fred. Martin.

Shortly after the arrival of the party at the house'Dr M'Sweeney, Mrs Pettit, and another were chatting in the dining room within a yard of a window opening on to a vacant section at the side of the bungalow, when without warning a shot was fired through the window pane, striking Mrs Pettit just below the shoulder, passing through her arm, and entering her body.

The victim was killed almost instantly. She swayed forward into the arms of Dr M'Swecney.

Almost immediately another shot was heard, and a third a few seconds later. Mr Pettit, who was not in the dining room, ran to the front door to investigate the occurrence, and confronted the madman, who was endeavoring to force his way into the house. Pettit closed with him and wrenched the gun from him. Nowells had a slight wound in tho forehead, from which blood was flowing. An hour laler ho was found lying dead on the footpath in Harris street, tho top of his head blown away. Pettit did not become aware of his wife’s death for some minutes, for, having secured tho rifle from Nowells, ho walked round tho house to investigate tho matter.

Nowells was a. native of England, tho husband of an English girl. Ho came to New Zealand three years ago taking up a station property in Waikohu district. The venture, however, proved disastrous, tho losses amounting to some thousands. His wife left about three mouths ago with the intention of proceeding to England, whither ho was to follow.

Mrs Pettit leaves a family of three young children.