INQUEST AT TAPU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1312, 30 January 1868, Page 3

INQUEST AT TAPU.

An inaueat on the bod_r of Catherine Brown, -who shot herself on the 14th. instant, was held at Mr. S>';eat's marquee, before Alan Baillie, Eeq , J.P., and a jury, on the 27 th inetunt. The jury, being eworn, proceeded to view the body, attended by Dr. Hoopo?. The following evidence wae taken :— James Tale, sworn, stated: I came to Tapu Creek on Friday, the 10th met., in company with a man named Taylor and deceased, whom he told me was his wife. I knew Taylor and deceased by having boarded with them at the Blue Post, in Auckland. Had nevor seen them before. They seemed to live happily together. James Sutherland depoied to hearing Taylor say to another man in passing bis tent, " So help me God what I am telling you now I never told any one else in NTew Zealand." Witness, when he heard the shots fired, ran over to the tent, and saw Taylor run out the tent. He was much excited, and said hie wife had shot herself. Taylor seemed to have been drinking. Was at the tent before Dr. Hooper, and saw deceased lying at the front of the tent, with her head on the ground, and a qnantity of blood about.

Mary Smith, stated: I know a person of the name of Taylor, who wa9 living with the deceased, and supposed he was her husband. Taylor has since told me he was her husband. He eaid she was a Mrs. Brown who had been living with Gardiner, the buuhranger. He also stated ho was a married man himself, and had a family. He eaid he came with deceased in the s.s. Auckland, from Bydney, and had been here about one month. They had been having some words, which were not of much consequence, being about his opening a butcher's shop, when sh« jumped up, saying, " I will Boon put an end to this," and put the revolver to her mouth and ehot herself. A few minutes after she shot herself, Taylor said to her, " Mind, there is a five pound note somewhere." She took a porte-monnaie from her pocket, and threw it towards him. Bha said Taylor had driven her to commit the act. At other times she said mental anxiety led her to do it. Said she had kept an ho'el on the Banban (?) Said she belonged to New South Wales. (Witness here handed in to the coroner three photographs, two of them being deceased brothers, tbe other that of her sister, which deceased had given her requesting tbey might be buried with her. The Coroner directed them to be placed in the coffin. At this etage of the proceedings the Ooroner read the confession of the deceased, made voluntarily to him in the presence of Dr. Hooper, shortly after the occurrence. It was as follows:—"My name is Catherine Brown, I am a married woman, a native of Sydney. I committed the rash act with my own hands—of my own free will. (Beckoning to Taylor) I do not blama you. God bless you." When questioned as to what caused her to do it, she placed her hand first on her head, then on her heart. Dr. Clarence Hooper, deposed : I consider the cause of death to be injuries received by a pistol-ehot wound to the spine and epinal cord, ending in extreme debility and fatal paralysis. At one time deceased|stated that he (pointing to Taylor) had driven her to it, at another time that extreme trouble caused her to do it. I believe the de eased to have been perfectly sane at the time her deposition was taken, her answers were quite rational. During my attendanoa upon her I noticed no signs of any mental derangement.

This closed the evidence, Taylor having gone to Auckland with a view of getting the deceased admitted into hospital, could not be examined, and it was thought that the confession of the suicide rendered his evidence of no moment.

The following verdict -was then returned by the Jury, viz.: " That the deceased, Catherine Brown, died from injuries received from a pistol-shot by her own. hand, on the 14th January, 1868, at Tapu Creek, while labouring under mental anxiety, caused by reasons unknown to the jurors."