ATTEMPTED MURDER

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1929, Page 5

ATTEMPTED MURDER

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, October 1. Russell George McCarthy. 23. charged before Magistrate Levvey with attempting to murder Theresa Alary O’Neill, a domestic, on September 25, and with carrying a firearm for an unlawful purpose, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

This was .the sequel to the Empire Hotel incident.

A Detective gave evidence that in a statement accused said he only intended to give .the girl a flight in order to induce her to return. He admitted . putting a bullet in the breach of the gun, •

“I did not intend to hurt her. I loved her too much for that. I know now I let jealousy get the better of me.”

Detective-Sergeant O’Brien said he found a cardboard box containing twenty-six live cartridges under the •bed in McCarthy’s room.

Tliersa Mary O’Neill, a single worn an, gave evidence that she was a wait ress at the Empire Hotel. She had known the accused for ten months. They had been living together for tlie past four months, and after a quarrel on Sept. 25th. she returned to the hotel. McCarthy followed and produced a rifle in two pieces. He put it together and then said: ‘VII shoot you.” He worked the magazine of the rifle and she said: “I’ll come home ! I’ll come home 1”

With that he gave her a push. She rushed outside and cried for help. T. -.E. Robinson (licensee of .the hotel) came and struggled with accused, who was terribly excited.

Robinson’s evidence was to the efEect that when he picked up the rifle it was cocked ready to fire. He later saw a police sergeant take a cartridge out of the breach and another out of the magazine. -Witness saw accused struggling with the girl and trying to get •the rifle round her head. Police evidence coroborrated that of the rifle being loaded.