THE SHOOTING FATALITY INQUEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10428, 28 April 1897, Page 5

THE SHOOTING FATALITY INQUEST.

Ah inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Alexander Roger McKellar, who shot himself at Glenalvon,

Symond-street, on Monday morning, was held yesterday before the Coroner (Dr. Philion) and a jury of six, of whom Mr. George Meachem was chosen foreman. The evidence, in the main, corresponded with the account of the fatality published in yesterday's Herald. Franz Scherff, residing in Symonds-Btreet, said the deceased was 32 yean of age. He had known deceased for the last seven years, and during that time he bad been in delicate health. He complained of neuralgU and also suffered from weakness of the chest. He was usually attended by Dr. Mackellar of Auckland. Witness last taw deceased alive on the night previous to the fatality. He was then in excellent spirits. _On Monday morning witness heard the faint report of a rifle, but as deceased had expressed his intention of shooting cats no notico was taken of the matter until witness' daughter informed him that Mr. Mackellar had Deen found lying dead. Deceased was an enthusiastic sportsman, and frequently went out shooting. On a previous occasion he had shot at cats in the garden, and on the morning on which he was shot he said he intended killing a cat that had kept him awake, and asked the housemaid to come and watch him, Witness believed that

deceased came by his death accidentally, and that he had no intention of committing suicide. He had not been pressed for money, and was in no financial difficulties. Lena Lucas, who last saw deceased alive said that on Monday morning deceased said to her: "Don't say a word. I am going to shoot a cat in the gully." He was quite sober and in excellent spirits, and there were no signs of wildness about him. He did nothave the rifle with him then. He had slept in his bed the previous night, and there was nothing disturbed in his bedroom. Dr. Lewis said the last time he saw deceased (a few days before his death) there appeared to be nothing wrong with him. Some months ago he consulted witness professionally, and he then complained of dyspepsia and insomnia. When witness saw deceased on Monday morning he was dead. His skull was fractured, and the wound on the forohead was blackened as though with gunpowder. The direction of the bullet was oblique from the forehead backwards. If deceased had stumbled while holding the ride, and it had exploded, the injuries which deceased had received could have been so obtained. Charles Schroeder, gardener, gave evidence as to finding the body on the footpath, which, owing to the rain that had fallen during the night, might have been slippery, Tho Coroner, in Bumming up, said there was no evidence to show in what manner deceased had come by his whether he had committed suicide, or whether the wound was accidentally inflicted. That being the case, he thought the verdict should bo an open one, After a short retirement the jury returned the following verdict:— " That deceased came by his death from a gunshot wound in the head, but that there is no evidence to show bow the injury was inflicted."