THE SHOOTING AFFAIR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15042, 9 July 1909, Page 5

THE SHOOTING AFFAIR.

* THE INQUEST. An inquest was held before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, District Coroner, yesterday afternoon, touching the death of Robert Woddhouso, who was killed by a gunshot wound on tho previous night. Frederic Hare said that tho deceased had worked for him in a land agency hiisine?.?. He was at work on Monday, and during the afternoon complained of nouralgia, and witness let nun go home, telling him not to return on Tuesday if he was not better. He did not return until Wednesday morning. He then said that the pain was a little easier. He worked all day and left at the usual tine. Witness knew of nothing that would lead to his taking his own life. 'Joseph Cook, an engine driver for the Tramway Board, said that he had known the deceased for about six years. He saw the deceased enter the engine-shed at about 11.30 on Wednesday night. He spoke to witness, asking who would be next to come in. After receiving a reply deceased went away from witness and spoke to the man who next entered the shed. He then said "Good-night," and witness noticed nothing until he heard a He walked out to the gate and discovered Woodhouse lying across tho footpath. A bicycle was leaning against the wall noar-bv, and a gun was lying parallel with him. the muzzle pointing to his feet. Deceased was lying on his back. There was a string on the gun, and deceased had a wound on the left side above the heart. He saw no one about at the time. Witness thought that from the position of the gun the wound might havo beon accidental. William Coles, a oar-cleaner, said that, he saw deceased in tho shed at about 10.15 p.m., and he remained there chatting He told witn«B3 that he had a gun and bicycle, and was going to New Brighton. The gun and the r hicvcle were left by him at the shed on" tho previous evening. He said he was going, and about seven or eight minutes afterwards witness heard a phot. When Cook called him out he saw deceased lying on the path. Witness thought the occurrence accidenCon stable Markham eaid that at about 11.16 on Wednesday night a cabdriver told him that a man had phot himself in Cathedral Square. Witness found deceased lying across the tootpath. Witness found nothing in the deceased's effects that, would lead to the supposition that he intended suicide.

The Coroner examined the gun, which had been lent to Wcodhouse. It was an old weapon, which went off very easily.

William ThompeoD, resident at Gebbie's Flat, said that he had known the deceased, who went to his place shooting. The gun produced belonged to witness, who lent it to the deceased. The gun was fifteen years old and was worn out. It went off very easily, and had gone off accidentally with witness. The Coroner returned a verdict that deceased met his death by a gunshot wound, but. that there was no evidence to shew whether it was accidental or net.