ALLEGED SHOOTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1940, Page 2

ALLEGED SHOOTING

“JEHOVAH WITNESS” MEETING EX-SOLDIER ACCUSED [•PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] OAMARU, December 10. William Meehan, aged 42 years, an employee of the Waitaki Electric Power Board, appeared in custody before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., at the Oamaru Magistrate’s. Court today. He was charged with attempting to murder Frederick Henry McAuley at Oamaru on October 13. Mr F. B. Adams (Crown Prosecutor) conducted the prosecution. Mr J. E. Farrell appeared for the accused. Evidence was given by Dr. E. E. Butler that, at 7.45 p.m. on October 13, he received a call and went to the Oddfellows’ Hall, Coquet Street, Oamaru, where he found McAuley lying on the floor with a wound in the right thigh. He was pale, and was shocked, and bleeding. Witness applied an improvised tourniquet, and took McAuley to the Oamaru Public Hospital. He described the nature of the wound, and the operation performed. A great deal of damage had been caused to the structure of the thigh, and McAuley was given intravenous fluids and a blood transfusion. On leaving the theatre his condition was poor, and his life was in danger. McAuley subsequently received blood transfusions and other appropriate treatment, but on October 19 the whole leg had become gangrenous, and it was necessary to perform disarticulation of the leg through the hip in order to save McAuley’s life. Further blood transfusions were given and his condition improved. The wounds were consistent with a .303 rifle shot. Witness saw accused at the Police Station after the first operation, and told him McAuley was seriously hurt. The accused seemed to be surprised, and he said that he did not mean anything like that to happen. He appeared sober, but excitable. W. I. C. Steenson, architect, Oamaru, produced a plan of the Oddfellows’ Hall, and Lionel Harry James, Government analyst, Dunedin, produced a report on a chemical examination of an overcoat, two pieces of soiled flannelette, and a bayonet. Sergeant-Major H. M. S. Bradbury deposed that accused was a member of the Oamaru National Reserve. The rifle and bayonet produced bore the same numbers as those issued by witness to the accused on August 8, 1940. No ammunition had been, issued. James Hubbard, train examiner, Oamaru, gave evidence that, on October 13, he saw accused in Reed Street between 7.40 and 7.45 p.m. He passed within two feet of witness, and carried a military gun over the left shoulder. He was coming from the direction of the power house, and going towards the Oddfellows’ Hall. Frederick Henry McAuley said he was a returned soldier and was a preacher of the Gospel, residing at 98 Otipua Road, Timaru. On October 13 he attended the meeting of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Oddfellows’ Hall. He was acting as usher. The meeting had been in progress half an hour when he heard shuffling in the lobby of the hall. He had just opened the inner door when a shot was fired. He saw the flash of a rifle, and staggered back, and lay on ■ the floor. He received a wound in the right thigh, but he did not see who shot him. He was in Oamaru Public Hospital for eight weeks. As a result of the wound, his right leg was amputated.

RIFLE AND BAYONET. George Robert Edwards, who also described himself as a preacher of the Gospel, and one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, residing at 98 Otipua Road, Timaru, stated he attended the meeting. with McAuley and Ridling. They were ushers. He saw accused qt the door about 7.15. Ridling invited him in. He refused, and said that he would go and get a couple of cobbers who, he thought, would like to hear the lecture. He saw the accused coming down the street a second time. Accused appeared at the hall door with a rifle and bayonet. He said: “I’ve got the wood on you b now! Put up your hands!” Accused said he would shoot them if they disobeyed. He also commanded witness to open the door. Witness did so, and cried out “Harry!” The accused came at him with the bayonet. He warded a blow off with his hand, receiving a wound on the back of the hand. He then got the end of the barrel of the rifle, and tried to wrest it from him. Accused pulled him towards the outer door, and then shoved him towards the inner door, which opened and the rifle went off. Witness was still holding the barrel of the rifle when it went off. When Meehan appeared the second time with the rifle, he had it presented as if he meant business. Meehan did not show signs of excitement when he appeared. After that witness was too busy protecting himself to take notice. He did not notice any smell of liquor. After the shot, Ridling struck Meehan a blow in the face, which had the effect of Meehan releasing the rifle, and staggering him. Witness also struck Meehan. Meehan fell out on the footpath. Witness fell on top of him. Witness secured his hand and put his knee on Meehan’s throat. „ T , , , Hallett Ridling, one of Jehovah s Witnesses, residing at 18 Foyle Street, Oamaru, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. He said accused ordered Edwards to open the inner door or he would blow his brains out. ~ Ronald William Arnold Worsted, a mechanic, residing in Foyle Street, Oamaru, stated that he was at McAuley’s side when the shot was fired. McAuley spun around and fell on the floor. He did not see who fired the shot, as it was dark in the lobby. Corroborative evidence was given by -William Lang Brown,_ a carpenter, employed by the Railways Department at Oamaru. Witness went with a constable to get accused, who said: “It was some of these b Left Wingers,” and “I did not fight in the war for that sort of thing!” George Herbert Christianson, a preacher of the Gospel residing at 18 Foyle Street, Oamaru, gave evidence that he found four pieces of metal near where McAuley was lying, and on a curtain there were pieces of raw flesh and a number of holes. David Jackman; at retired linesman, of Oamaru, stated he gave the accused .303 soft-nosed sporting ammunition about seven or eight years ago. Senior Sergeant G. G. Kelly, Arms Advisory Officer, in the Police Com-

missioner’s Office, Wellington, produced a report on the examination of the rifle and cartridge shells. Constable A. D. Buchanan, of Oamaru, who attended the meeting under instructions, described what happened at the hall. The accused was highly excited, and he smelt liquor on him. Meehan said that he knew what he was doing, but he was excited and he “would do it again.’ He said: “Fifth Column b I That’s the way to get rid of Fifth Columnists!” At the Police Station accused said “I would do it again! “That is the way that France and Belgium went down, by Fifth Columnists.” He said he hoped he had hurt no one else and that the rifle went off by accident in the struggle. A charge was preferred against him for attempted murder of McAuley, and he was duly warned. Evidence was also given by Senior Sergeant T. J. McGregor, who assisted Dr. Butler at the hall. The accused was sober, but very excited and agitated. Witness corroborated the constable’s evidence, and. stated he found a discharged shell in the breech of the rifle, eight soft-nosed cartridges in the magazine, and 78 rounds of ammunition in accused s private cupboard at the workshop at the power house. Accused pleaded not guilty. Mr Farrell made application for the case to be heard at the Timaru Supreme Court. Counsel also raised the question of bail. It was intimated that the. accused would be committed for trial, Mr Bundle formally remanding him till the' morning to enable consideration to be given to the applications made by counsel. BAIL REFUSED. OAMARU, December.!. William Meehan was committed for trial at the next session of the Dunedin Supreme Court. The Magistrate (Mr. Bundle) refused bail.