ACCIDENTALLY SHOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17337, 8 December 1919, Page 11

ACCIDENTALLY SHOT.

CLARENCE RIVER TRAGEDY. | JUDGE DISCHARGES ACCUSED. A cablegram from Sydney recently gave details of a singular fatality on the Clarence River, when Mr. and Mrs. Long, who were driving in a gig, were shot dead from the steamer Tintenbar, the captain of which had been shooting shags from his vessel. The sequel was reached at the quarter sessions in Sydney recently, when Sidney Hannaford Drew, master of the steamer Tintenbar, Was placed on trial on a charge of having, at South Grafton, on October 15. feloniously slain Henry Long and Agnes Long, his wife. Mr. Ralston prosecuted and Br. Brissenden appeared for the defence. • The case for the Crown was that the accused, in shooting at shags from the deck of his steamer on the Clarence River, fatally shot Mr. and Mrs. Long, who were driving in a sulky along the Glen Innes Road. The rifle had been supplied loathe accused by the naval authorities# for * the purpose of sinking any floating mines he might come across, and the prosecution alleged recklessness, in its use in such a neighbourhood as the South Grafton Wharf, where the 4 steamer was lying. Sergeant F. A. Swan, of Grafton, who .found the dead bodies on the road, stated • that when he arrested accused he exclaimed : " Good God,. Sergeant, that's an awful charge ! I can only say how very .very sorry I am!'' Dr. Henry, of Grafton, said it wa possible for both deceased to have bee; killed by the one bullet. He extracted bullet from the body of the woman. Accused admitted firing several shot all of which hit the water. He did n< know the rifle was sighted for 2800 yards. Dr.* Brissenden, at the close of the ev : deuce, suggested that if Judge Schole thought a nominal punishment wou'c meet the case, the accused might be treatei under section 24 of the Crimes Act. Judge Scholes said he felt justified, ii the circumstances, in -withdrawing the cast from the jury. Accused, he said, felt his position keenly, and had been sufficient!} punished. V Accused was accordingly discharged.