THE MASTERtON MURDER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 10012, 10 June 1895, Page 4

THE MASTERtON MURDER.

FULLER -PARTICULARS. Tbe special correspondent) of the Post ias supplied the following particulars ,bout the recent mmder at Masterton :— E When the hearing of the civil case in »hich Somerville claimed £19 from Her- T lert was at an end (about a quarter to 12) Somerville left the Court, and It is alleged nade some remark about settling with I lerbart. Ha then went with a friend to i hotel aud had a driuk, afterwards proceeding to the b.ardinghouso iv which he vas stopping (Street and Crowder's) and laving dinner. At the dinner table there appeared to be nothing strange in his , xianner, altbongb some who saw bim say c _c looked aa if he was troubled ln his mind, c When dinner was over Somerville went r .ut, and at about a quarter past 1 was ". seen by Sergeant M 'Cardie and others f walking down Chapel-street in the direc- J tion of the Walpoua river. The sergeant J remarked to a friend that the man bad a j strange look in his face. I It would appear that Somerville was I then on his way to the shop of Mr A. \ Bradford, gunsmith. Three days pre- ( vionsly he had been into Mr Bradford's 1 shop and enquired for a revolver. At that £ timo he said he contemplated leaving for . Coolgardie, and wanted something lv the shape of protection. He looked through i an assortment of pistols, ond at length j selected one with an ivory handle. He told Mr Bradford to uut it aside (or him, > saying be would call again, as be was not ' going away for a week. .-- When he entered the shop the gunsmith, of courae, knew for what he bad come. They again looked through the revolvers, and Someiville, instead of taking the small one he had previously chosen, selected another. This contained the usual six chambers, Somerville asked Bradford bow to load the weapon, and the latter showed him, charging it with six cartridges. Somerville then expressed himself satisfied, and tendered a £10 note ln payment for tbe weapon, whioh cost 30s. He was abont to take it away, when Bradford asked him if he wanted any more cartridges. .He replied that he did not. Bradford then drew his attention to the fact tbat the revolver was loaded, and pointed oat that for safety's sake it wonld be better to remove the cartridges. The man, however, objected, stating that there would be no danger as he was going to pat the weapon away In a box. He then left. The movements of Somerville after he left the gunsmith's shop are somewhat nncertain. About 2 o'olock, bowever, he was seen la the Courthouse, where he remained for some time. At 4 o'clock Mr M. Cronln, who has known him for years and has worked with him, came into tbe Court. Somerville beckoned him to come out. The two went ont, and Somerville said, " Come and have a drink." Uronin, who is suffering irom an injury to his arm, at first refused, but whon Somerville appealed to him as an old acquaintance he consented to go and have v cigar. Accordingly the two proceeded to ohe Empire Hotel. On arriving at the hotel Somerville called lor whiskey for himself, and asked all in the room to have a drink, which they did, Cronin then took him aside, and reproaohed him for his undue liberality. After a few minutes' conversation, Somerville again called for drinks. Cron in objected, but Somerville remarked, "You may not see me again." "Oh, yes, I will," said Cronln, " I'll see yoa In the morning." Somerville retorted, "No, yoa won't." They had their drinks and parted, Somerville walking in the direction of the Club Hotel. This was abont 20 minutes to 5 o'clock At this hour Mr Arthur Herbert and Mr A. M'Hutcheon (clerk to the Akitio Road Board) were standing together on the footpath just ao the corner of tbe Club Hotel leading ou to the verandah. Mr Herbert was leaning back on the rail, and Mr M'Hatcheou had his arm over his shonlder. They were talking about various subjoots, when Somerville came upon the scene and stood iv front of them with both hands in hia pockets. " Well, Herbert, will you have a drink 7 " said he. " _feg, I don't mind," was the reply. " Yoa shouldn't go against me," said Somerville. *' I never went against you," replied Mr Herbert. •• Oh, yes, you did," said Somerville. "Bat didn't I work for you like a man ?" " Yes," was the reply, " and didn't I treat yoa like a gentleman?" "Then why didn't you pay me my money?" retorted Somerville. Mr Herbert paused for a second, and then replied, " Because there was no money in the job," Hardly had the last reply fallen from the lips of Herbeit than Someiville drew from his pocket the revolver, and with the remark, "Take that, yon ."discharged one barrel right into the breßst of Herbert. Mr M'Hutcheon, who with others was standing near, jumped out of the way. Mr Herbert threw up his hands at once, and staggered towards bhe edge of the footpath. Somerville then fired a second sbot, with the exclamation, " Take that." Mr Herbert, who was mortally wonnded, ran shrieking into the middle' of the street crying, " Oh God I Oh God 1 As if not satisfied that his fearful work was finished, Somerville followed his victim, and when he had reached the middle of the street fired a third shot. Poor Herbert then staggered to the side of the road and fell Into the gutter, Somerville following him a few yards distant, and watching him steadfastly, as if to ascertain if he was really dead. As soon as the first .report of the revolver was heard Constables Collerton (of Tenni and Neetor (of Eketahuna) rashed to the scene, and, brave men that they were, made a dart at the murderer, who appeared to be oblivions of the faot that they were approaching. Collerton rnshed for the right arm of tbe man, which held the revolver, and Neetor, catching bim by the body, threw him to the ground, The man seemed dambfoaoded, and offered no resistance, relinquishing his grasp of the weapon at once. Somerville, after rising to bis feet, said, "I have been working for him for two years and have got no money," and said something about " m*»aning to do it." He then east his eye oo his victim, and asked " Is he dead 1 " A reply being given in the affirmative, he said, " Then I will go with you," and he was taken to the cells, followed by a large crowd of excited spectators. As soon os the police had arrested Somerville a rush wos made by several terrified bystanders to the body of the victim. Mr A. Reside, Mr Cullen, Mr W. Balrymple, of Featherston, and others who had witnessed the tragedy, but who had not time to interfere, were quickly on the scane. The poor man was then dying. He did not speak, but after his head was lilted he gave a few long groans and died. Drs Butement and Douglas were promptly summoned, bat their services were of courso of no avail. The body of the unfortunate man was removed in an express to the morgue, where an examination was made. It was found that there wos only one wound in the body, this probably having been caused by the first shot that was fired. The bullet had entered the right Bide of the breast bone, about tbe Junction of the second rib. It had passed through , a large vein and an artery, touched a portion of the right lung, and lodged in the bone of the spinal column. , On being taken to the police cells Somerville appeared to be quite calm and I collected. He spoke very littlo, but , seemed anxious to know whether Herbert ' was dead. When informed that he was ! he said, " Woll, he deserved it." The man was handcuffed and placed iv i tbe cells. He was subsequently inter- i viewed by o solicitor, In the presence of tbe police, and again asked, "la he ' dead ? " On being told that he wns, the man burst ont crying, ond said ho \. onld 1 not be robbed by ony man. [BY TELEdRAPH.] Masterton, Saturday. Somerville was brought before the Court to day charged with tho murder of Herbert. No new evidence was adduced. 1 Accused was committed for trial. Pri.oner 8 throughout maiotained an indifferent 2 ispeot, keenly watching the evidence, i .specially that of Mr M'Hutcheon, who _ad been talking to Herbert when tho c [atal shot was fired.] c Wellington, Sunday, The man Samerville, the Masterton G nnrderer, was brought) down by last light's train, and lodged iv the Terrace r > ;aol, where he is watched day and night, r Fie appeared to be quite ca ra and reierved. It is said be complained of the routment he was subjected to in Master- *■ on ofter his arrest, and that ho was landcuffed all the time with his hands L leblod blm, L _ . r,