GIRL MURDERED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 30 March 1931, Page 5

GIRL MURDERED

SHOT WHILE ASLEEP YOUTH ALSO FOUND SHOT TRAGEDY AT ARUNDEL (By Telegraph—PreßS Association) . TIMARU, 28th March. A double tragedy is reported from Arundel, near Geraldine. It appears that Charles Graham Macpherson, aged 19, shot Kathleen Rose, aged 19. The parties agreed to attend a sendoff. but when the man arrived at the house the girl had gone off with another. She returned home in the early morning and went to bed in a room in which another woman slept. Macpherson left his boots at the gate, entered the house, and shot the sleeping girl through the temple. The other woman in the room did not hear him, as she was very deaf. Later Macpherson’s dead body was found outside. The cause of his death was a shot wound.

EVIDENCE AT INQUEST

TIMARU, This. Day.

An inquest was held at Arundel Hall before Mr C. R. Orr-Walker, S.M., into the Arundel tragedy. Hugh Alexander Rose, the father of the girl, stated that the young couple had been friendly for a long time and were on the best of terms. A year ago lie warned McPherson not to pay attention to the girl but the latter persisted in coming about the place. He had never heard McPherson make any threats after being warned to keep away.

Robert McPherson, father of the deceased youth, could not account for the tragedy as his boy had always been of a quiet disposition. He was not aware that the youth possessed a rifle. The Coroner: “It is pretty clear that McPherson shot the girl and, then himself.” 4 Henry Edwin Pratt, son df Samuel Pratt, said lie met the deceased girl early in Jahuary, when she was spending a holiday at Arundel. He did. not pay attention to her then. Witness saw deceased a month ago and visited her at McMaster’s house twice. He arranged to go to a dance with her on the Sunday prior to the tragedy. He saw tire girl four times during the dance and returned home with her in his father's car. McPherson was not then about the place. The girl did not say anything to indicate that she and McPherson had quarrelled. Witness also said that McPherson had seen the pair leave for the dance. The Coroner: “How do you know that?” Witness: “Kathleen told me.” Tire Coroner: “Had you reason to believe that the girl and McPherson had fallen out?” Witness: “Yes. I thought the girl had transferred her affections to me.” Katherine . McMJtster gave evidence concerning a conversation with McPherson and the girl at her house on the evening prior to the tragedy. She said there was nothing to indicate that the couple had quarrelled. The girl left for the dance in company with Pratt. Early next morning she was awakened nnd found the girl lying dead in her bed. She did not hear any shot. Investigating outside she found Me-, Pherson shot through the forehead and a rifle was between his legs. It would be possible for someone in stockinged feet to enter the room, the door and window of which were open, without awakening her. Dr L. C. Mail, of Geraldine, gave it as his opinion that the shot which killed the girl had been fired from inside the room, probably from a position near the door.

A verdict was returned that the girl died from laceration of the brain caused by a bullet from a rifle fired by McPherson. In the latter’s case the verdict was one of suicide.