THE GISBORNE TRAGEDY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 14 April 1927, Page 9

THE GISBORNE TRAGEDY.

INQUEST TER Ml NATF.D. MURDER AND SUICIDE. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) GISBORNE, April 14. The inquest into the Hirini Street tragedy was resumed this morning. Henry John Langlnnds, continuing his evidence, stated that two firearms lmd been in Noweil’.s room for three weeks. Nowell appeared wild and upset on the night he went out to the station to get them. Questioned by the Coroner regarding the nature of Nowell’s brooding, witness said, the fact that the girl was out of his reach was ever in his mind. Knowing Nowell was of rather a peculiar temperament, witness took him tor a drive on the day of the wedding, thinking he might make a fool of himself. Witness did not want him to know that Miss Bennett was being married. *

Delivering bis verdict, the Coroner said he was satisfied that, while the man Nowell meant to kill, he made a big mistake, and slew an innocent unoffending woman. He was labouring under stress and mental agony, hut it remains that he meant to slay a woman with whom he had been infatuated, and by whom he had been repulsed. Sympathy must go out to Mr. Pettit and his children. “I find that Queenie Eleanor Pettit died from gunshot wounds from a. gun fired by Nowell. and that George > Edward Nowell died from gunshot wounds selfinflicted. while suffering a temporary mental breakdown.