THREAT TO SHOOT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20570, 2 June 1941, Page 9

THREAT TO SHOOT

INQUEST ALLEGATION REFUSAL OF MARRIAGE YOUNG MAN'S DEATH The statement that deceased had threatened to shoot her after she refused to marry him was made by a woman at an inquest into the death of Sydney Gordon Howe, aged 26 wood turner. Manurewa, held before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in Auckland. Howe died in the Auckland Hospital following gunshot wounds inflicted on March 19.

The woman said she had known deceased for about four months, and six weeks before his death she had refused to marry him. Subsequently he drove her in his car to the Waitakere Ranges against her wishes and threatened to drive the car over a cliff unless she married him. On the evening of March 19 at her home she again refused to marry deceased, who took a gun from under his overcoat and pointed it at her. He then put a bullet into 'the gun and placed the muzzle at her temple. She did not know what happened next, but the gun discharged and the shot went through deceased’s hat. She then -nanaped to leave, and later heard a second shot. Another woman said when she entered the room after the previous witness had called out she saw deceased shoot himself. A verdict was returned that deceased committed suicide by gunshot wounds self-inflicted.