THE WEDDING TRAGEDY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 14 April 1927, Page 3

THE WEDDING TRAGEDY.

INQUEST AT GISBORNE. NOWELL STRANGE IN MANNER. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) GISBORNE, April 13. At the inquest into the death of Mrs Pettit, the victim of the Gisborne wedding party murder ease, Mrs Oman, who was lie murderer’s intended victim, said that Nowell, the man \yho committed the crime and who afterwards took liis own life, was a man who made few friends. He suffered from violent headaches. FLe joined, the Navy at an early age, and served during the war. He liad been worried over a mortgage on his property falling Hue, next year. At first she was very terrified at Nowell’s auger when -she told him she would have nothing more to do with him. On one occasion he threatened to run the. car over a bank. Witness was always afraid Nowell might do something serious if put out. It was partly fear that made her keep the marriage quiet. Inspector Eceies: Don’t you think you would have been wise to have held the wedding away from Gisborne? Witness: I don’t think it would have made any difference. The coroner: Was there __ anything in> your conduct to -lead Nowell to think you were encouraging him and to make him break as he did. when you got married. Witness: No; I don’t think so. I gave him the best of my friend-sihp. Dr. G. P. McSweeney, a neighbour who went to the bungalow to see Mrs Pettit, was talking to her when the shot- was fired, Mrs Pettit falling towards him. He attempted to staunch the blood, but in less than two minutes {die was dead. He considered it feasible l that an excited man might mistake Mrs Pettit for Mrs Oman. During his acquaintanceship lie l had found Nowell a curious type. He was difficult to talk to and was -seemingly abnormal mentally, though witness never examined liim. Percy Arthur Pettit stated that Nowell was morbid, broody and impulsive. When the shots were fired witness rushed to the 1 front door, encountering Nowell with a rifle in his hands and blood dripping from his forehead. He closed with him. During the tussle for the gun witness said: “Good God, man! What are you doing?” Nowell replied: “F killed Win. I’ve done myself in.”

After witness wrested the gun from Nowell the latter ran out of the gate. The hearing was adjourned till tomorrow.