COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 29 April 1932, Page 5

COURT NEWS

SON CHARGED With Murdering Parents (Per Press Association/. PAHIATUA, April 28. The hearing and the inquest into tho murder was opened at the Magistrate’s Court, before Magistrate J. Miller and Coroner E. G. Eton, of Masterton. John Dillon Corrigan, aged 23, was charged that on March 28 last, at Mangamahoe, he did murder his parents. James Donald Wilson, architect, pro- ! dueed a ground plan of the Corrigan’s house. Lewis Joseph Corrigan, sheepfarmer, Mangamahoe, 20 years old, brother of the accused, said that on Sunday night, March 27, witness went to bed at about a-quarter to twelve. His parents were in bed. Witness had been asleep a little time, when the noise of two gunshots fired in the house awoke him. He did not take much notice of them at the moment; as he was very sleepy. Just afterwards, accused walked into the bedroom and said: “I have shot mum and dad. You had better get up.” Witness did not believe accused at the time, so later went into another room, and woke his sister Agnes. The lat-! tor then spoke to witness, as a result' of which he took a candle from her; and went to his parents’ bedroom. He could see his father had been shot, 1 but he did not see his mother then. : Witness, terrified at the sight, turned and ran out of the house along to Dirnie’s, a neighbour’s place. As he was running out of the house, he hoard accused ring up the police. Birnie also phoned to the police.

Evidence of Relatives ACCUSED'S SANITY QUESTIONED. WELLINGTON. April 28. In the case of thc alleged murder Lewis Joseph Corrigan, continuing his ' evidence, said that he knew his brother had a shotgun. He understood him to say that he got it from a T’ahiatua firm two weeks before, to shoot rabbits. His brother was normal in his disposition. He showed no accentricites. Only a week before, the accused told him that he had never felt better in his life. On the day of the- tragedy, the accused was in his usual spirits. Witness did not notice anything strange about his behaviour at any (time. Tho accused hud some fads regarding food. He did all tho cooking. He would not not eat anything cooked by anyone else. The accused offered no excuse for this. The accused seemed to bo on good terms with his parents. Wit ness had never heard the accused quarrelling with them. Asked if he could give any reason why his brother should shoot theii parents, witness said: “Well, I don’t think he liked them, himself! I don’t know, why he disliked them, but 1 think he did not like them.” Agnes Elizabeth Corrigan, aged 16, said that at about half past two in tho morning she was awakened by her brother John calling out to her to get up, as he walked up and down the passage carrying a light. The accus ed said that there had been a tragedy, and that their mother and father had been shot. She was too scared to ask him who shot them. She just thought herself that John had done i f - She went into their parents’ room, and found her father dead and her mother unconscious. Her mother looked as if she had tried to get out of bed. One leg was partly out. Thu accused came into the room after her. She said to him: “What are we going to do now?” He answered: “Just keep quiet until the police come!” He telephoned for the police immediately. He then made a cup of tea, after lighting thc fire. He seemed to bo very cool. They just waited quiet, ly until the doctor and police arrived. Witness was afraid to speak to John. Nothing was said at all. The accused was usually very quiet. He was not an excitable man. “I myself (said witness) thought he was a bit mad generally, but my parents thought he was all right.” Witness confirmed the previous evidence as to accused being eccentric about food.

Other members of the family gave evidence regarding the accused’s movements and behaviour after the tragedy. 'The accused, replying to his brother Patrick, said that he did not think that his gun had been handled. The accused phoned for the pol ice and the doctor. He afterwards lit a firo boiled tho kettle, and gave them a cup of tea, and washed his hands and face. Subsequently he tohl the police that he had heard a shot, followed by another. There was nothing unusual about him, but his c.ook ing was pretty peculiar. It was feared that he might do some damage with the gun. John Bernie said that for the last two years accused had been rather melancholy. J. G. Cooper said that the accused discussed farming normally, but he has been informed that the accused was supposed to be mentally deficient.

Doctor H. T. Dawson, of Pahiatua, said that in December 1930, he ex amined accused, He then advised tho parents that he should be sent to a mental hospital. He formed the coir elusion' that he might be dangerous, or might commit suicide. He told the parents to put away razors and firearms. Mrs Corrigan would not hear of her son being sent away. Witness issued instructions for the accused to be sent to the Pahiatua Hospital next day for observation, as a palliative; but he was not sent. At that time he was prepared to certify that the accused was insane. The aecilsed was afraid that something might be done t.o his food.

J. H. Lister, employed by a local firm, deposed to selling accused a shot gun on March 12. Wm. March. hardware merchant, .‘-aid ho sold the accused smokeless cartridges. Dr. Simmers, of Eketahuna, said the accused was perfectly calm when wit '-rrived on the scene. The wounds dieted at short range There

was no possibility that they had been self inflicted. John Corrigan’s skull was cracked in every direction. Mrs Corrigan had apparently sat up in bed when the husband was fired at, and thew up her arm to ward off the next shot, and screened her body halt way. Dr. Hoskin (Masterton), Win. Donovan (Government analysist), Detective Russell (Palmerston North), Dr. Lynch (Wellington), Constable Fade (Eketahuna), gave evidence. Detective Russell said the shots must have been fired at very , close range.

The Magistrate committed the accused for trial at Palmerston North in the Supreme Court. The Coroner gave a verdict that the deaths were caused from shots fired by the accused. The courthouse was crowded. The accused maintained a perfectly calm demeanour. He took an intelb gent interest in the proceedings. Tomahawk Tragedy FOURTEEN YEARS SENTENCE. DUNEDIN, April 28. At the Supreme Court, Lewis William O’Connor was sentenced to 14 years’ hard labour, for the manslaughter of Findlay D. Buchanan, of Tomahawk. CAR CONVERSION. WELLINGTON, April 28. Senior-Sergeant Scott stated in the Court to-day, that a car a day was reported as being unlawfully converted. This was in the case against Robert Andrews, aged 32, steward, who was sentenced by Mr Page, S.M., to three months’ imprisonment on a charge of this kind. Accused was caught in the act of getting away with the car of Palliser, a member of the Wellington Automobile Club Executive, who stated in Court: “Day after day, we are receiving telegrams from automobile clubs, all over the North Island, asking us to broadcast descriptions of cars that had been unlawfully converted.” He asked that the Magistrate treat the offence as serious. It was stated that accused had just been discharged from gaol, after serving a three months’ term imposed at Wanganui.