THE EDENDALE SHOOTING AFFAIR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14736, 15 July 1908, Page 9

THE EDENDALE SHOOTING AFFAIR.

[Per Pkess Association - .] INVERCARGILL, July 14. Thomas Stott charged at the Police Court to-day that he did, on Juno 20, at Edendalo, discharge a double-barrelled gun at Mary Browne, with intent to do grievous bodily harm. Accused was not represented byj counsel. Inspector Mitchell said he would not call Miss Browne's parents because on the night of the occurrence they wore both under tho influence of liquor. Mary Anne Browne, aged twenty, who is still an in-patient at tho hospital, was extremely nervous in Court, and the inspector said that she was in great fear of Stott, and it was deemed advisable to seat her with hor back to accused and almost hidden from him. by tho witness-box, while a constable stood at her side. She said that sho resided with her parents at Edendale, teaching at Invercargill School during tho week. For a few days before the shooting sho had been home on account of ill-health. On the day in question she first saw accused at the house at about dinner-time. Witness went out because she did not wish to stay there with Stott. Later in the day her father and mother left for Invercargill and Stott remained, having fun with witness's brothers and sisters. Sho left the house again. Accused was hack at the house after tea, her father, mother and brothers with him. They were talking but not quarrelling. All witness said to accused was to ask him a few_ times to go away. Accused said that if it had been any of the other young men sho would not have been hunting him /away like that. She did not remember what sho answered to that. She told him that if he would go home he could come back the next day (Sunday). Her father and mother had both gone to bed when sho kept asking Stott to go away. Both her father and mother had had some drink. "When she told accused to come back next day he got angry and said that ho would not come back. Ho then went away, but witness did not know what time it was. It was in the kitchen that the accused was sitting. After ho went away sho and her brother had some supper and were preparing to go to bed when somebody rapped hard at tho' back Somebody called out " Dolly, open the door." She knew it was accused's voice, and she told him to go away home. Accused said lie would come in and witness got up and opened the door. As soon as sho opened the door sho saw a gun with him and raninto her bedroom. She had just got into her bedroom whon she was shot in the upper left arm. Sho thought sho called out to her little brother that,sho was shot, and accused said, "That's all right. I'll do for myself." She waited a minute till accused wont out and then ran out by the front door and across to Mrs Foster's. That evening Dr Baird came and attended to her arm. Accused was away a. good while before ho came back and shot her.

Constable Bogue, who arrested accused, said that Stotfc had said, "Did I shoot her? If I did, I'm very sorry." Next morning, when having breakfast at the lock-up, Stott asked if witness had hoard how the girl was. Witness said, "No." Accused said, "It is a bad affair, and I do not know what possessed me to do it. Drink, I suppose." Accused resoryod his defence and was committed for trial at the next sitting of tho Supremo Court at Inveroargill, about Hhe end of August. Bail was not allowed. The Bench took the opportunity to publicly compliment Constable Boguo on the pluck lie had shown in tho exercise of his duties under trying circumMr Cruickshank, S.M., "who would go out alone and tackle a raving lunatic who had a gun."