SINGULAR SHOOTING CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7975, 15 June 1887, Page 6

SINGULAR SHOOTING CASE.

Ok the Sth instant the Sydney City Coroner commenced an inquest at the Royal Standard Hotel, Bathurst and Csstlereagh streets, touching the death of a woman named Eliza Borsboom (formerly of Auckland), who was found dead in her bed at the Great Australian Coffee Palace, Castlereagh-street, at an early hour the same day. Henry Borsboom, restaurant-keeper, residing on the premise?, situated Nos. 276, 278, and 2SO, Castleresgh-street (after being duly cautioned by the coroner), gave evidence that the deceased was his wife. She was 32 years of ace, and had been married to him 12 years. They had one child, three years of age. On Tuesday morning he purchased a " bulldog" five-chamber revolver and some cartridges at an ironmonger's in Park-street. Upon going home shortly afterwards, he placed these articles on a chest of drawers in his bedroom. There was no one else in the room at the time. He did not then load the revolver. At about half-past two p.m. he went again to the room, and found his wife there. He at once asked her why she had not been downstairs to take cash at dinner time. She replied that she had had enough of taking the cash, and that she did not wish to take the money any more. On asking her to explain what she meant, she replied that she would mind her awn business, and that snc- was going to leave him. Eiriier in the diy also she had told him that she wa3 going away. It was when she bad told him this that he went out and bought the revolver. On her telling him in the afternoon that she intended to go away, be said to her that if she went he would take his li:Ee. His wife replied that she did not care, and that she would go her own way. On that occasion he showed her the revolver and loaded it. He replaced the revolver in the drawer. When he purchased the revolver he fully intended to kill himself if his wife left him again, as life was worth nothing to him without her. He had hoped that his wife would be frightened by him telling her that be intended to kill himself, and that she would consequently not go away. When he purchased the revolver at toe shop, be first asked to be shown two of these articles ■which were in the shop window ; he Xhkbd the shopman it the weapon he eventually boughj would kill a dog or a cat; the shopman answered, "\"es, or even more than thathe and his wife did not live happily together ; when he once went to New Zealand his wife took oat a warrant for his apprehension for deserting her; that was three yetra ago ; on Tuesday morning hie wife found a glove in a pocket of one of his coats ; it was after this that she commenced to pack np her boxes; he and his wife went to bed sober, and no harsh words passed between them ; at five a.m. yesterday he got up and went and told his men that it was time for them to get into the kitchen ; he was away from his room about five minutes ; on his return he went to bed again ; he then asked her to forget their quarrels, but she said she would not; on asking what she would do she replied, " Wait and see at a quarter to six o'clock ho again left his bed in order to call a boarder; when he returned to his room a few minutes afterwards, he found his wife lying down in bed with a revolver in her right hand ; as soon as she saw him at the door she said to him, "You don't want to shoot yourself now he immediately ran towards her, and at that moment the revolver went off; when his wife shot herself she raised her head slightly ; on going up to her he raised her head ; he called out for help, and some of the boarders came upon the scene ; his wife went to bed about half-past eleven o'clock on Tuesday night; he retired at about a quarter past twelve a.m. on the following morning ; the police arrived at the house about ten minutes after th? revolver went off; when lie looked at his wife after the occurrence, her eyelids were closed. Alice Wade, sister of the deceased, deposed that she resided at tho Great Australian Coffee Palace ; during the past month the deceased had occasionally quarrelled with her husband ; she had never heard the husband threaten the deceased ; she had never heard her sister threaten to take her own life. At this stage the inquiry was adjourned till half-past nine a.m. on Monday next.