PHOENIX PARK AFFAIR.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1712, 31 December 1919, Page 5

PHOENIX PARK AFFAIR.

A MYSTERIOUS OCCURRENCE.

CAPTAIN BOAST SHOT BY A

COMRADE. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. Received December 31, 8.55 a.m. LONDON. Dec, 29. Military witnesses at the inquest at Dublin on Captain Boast, who was killed in tin affray at the Vico-Regal Lodge, gave con flic-ting evidence regarding the hearing ol .shots behind the rose garden. Captain Boast led out the guard, a corporal and three privates, and encountered Kennedy with his bandaged head and ordered him to halt. As In* did not do so, three soldiers grappled with him. • One of the guards declared that Kennedy drew an automatic pistol with which lie shot Captain Boast. Another witness stated that he shot Kennedy while the latter wgs clutching Captain Boast’s throat and attempting' to secure the latter’s revolver from his pocket Another witness deposed tliat shots from six civilians some distance away killed Captain Boast. A soldier gave evidence ' that he fired another shot at Kennedy because ho moved while lying on the ground. The civilians disappeared after the guards had ft red six shots.

The Coroner drew attention to the fact that a mililaiy bullet killed Captain Boast. The jury found that C.’uptain Boast was killed by a comrade while on patrol duty and expressed sympathy with the relatives. The throe civilians arrested in Phoenix, Park were released to-day. DUBLIN, Dec. 29. Correspondents agree that Kennedy was unarmed and harmless. He appears to have wandered, perhaps intoxicated, into Phoanix Park, and to lave grasped Captain Boast when challenged, with the result that the excited guard, reconnoitring for a supposed gang of assailants, fired several volleys, killing both. The verdict was that Kennedy, while going homeward, was killed by the military patrol. The jury added: “The military acted in the most heartless manner.”