FARMERS FALL OUT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18017, 16 February 1922, Page 9

FARMERS FALL OUT.

FEUD REACHES CLIMAX.

ONE USES A SHOTGUN.

FINE OF £50 IMPOSED. [BI TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] DDNEDIN, Wednesday. George Devennoy was charged in the Supreme Court yesterday with attempting to murder William Griffon Dow ling on December 28, and on a second count of attempting to do him serious bodily harm, Mr. Hanlon appeared tor the accused.

'the Crown Prosecutor said the parties lived about five miles from the town of Ranfurly, their houses were about threequarters of a mile apart, but the properties adjoined. It seemed that there had been some liule feeling. On December 27 Dowling iouud a coat 011 the fence beside the dividing road, and as he thought it might frighten his horse he took it down and put it o\er the fence on the other side of the road. Oil December 28 the coat was on the fence again, and Dowlr.ig then went to Ranfurly for tho police. Ho returned with ConUible Bandy, and Dowling removed the coat. Devennoy then raised a gun and fiicd at Dow ling. The distance must have been about 120 paces. Dowling ran for his house and was pursued by Devenney, »iio was loading h:s gun, and he fired again at a distance of about <10 paces. Constable Bandy then fired his revolver over tho accused's head, but the accused fired a third shot at a distance of 45 paces. Constable Bandy fired closer at tho accused, and he then allowed the policeman to disarm him. There was a charge of attempted murder, or in the alternative of discharging a gun with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

I William Griffeu Dowling said he saw 'a coat on Devenney's lence. He took i the coat off and put it down in Devenney's paddock. On the next day the I si>n happened to go to RailflU'ly with crrani, driving a trap, and he discovered I that the coat was iig.iin there oil a I dangerous part of the road. Witness I divided to report the matter to tho police, I and went ior Constable Bandy m his motor-car. About 150 yds. from the coat he showed the policeman the coat and told him to get in the trap with his (witness') son and drive past, and see if the horse shied. The horse shied slightly. Witness came on in his motorcar. He then took the coat again and put it down "nice and gently." The accused was 120 pares away from the coat in his own paddock. As soon as witness removed the coat from the fence accused called out and fired a shot. Ho did not hear what accused said, but he thought it wis "Dowling, I'll shoot you down." He did not know where tho shot went. Accused ran toward hiin, loading the gun, and fired a second time. Accused was then about 40vds. awav, and was still calling out. Constable 'Bandy called out and told the accused to put the gun down, and the constable fired. Accused fired again. The constable was between the accused and witness when the second shot was fired, but not in the line of fire. Accused was about 45yds. away when he fired the third shot. The constable fired again, and D.evenney !a:d down the gun. Before this he had quarrelled with the accused about 1915. It was two or thrpe vears since they had spoken to each other". He had stepped out the distances with the constable. The whole | thing tovk about two and a-half to . three minutes. I Constable Bandy also gave evidence. He said accused "was a bachelor, about 63 vears of age. The jury retired at 2.25 p.m., and returned at 4.35 p.m. with a of not cuiltv on the first count, but guilty on the s'econd count that he did with intent, to do grievous bodily harm discharge a shotgun at Dowling. In findir,] the accused guilty on that count the jury added that it was under great provocation, and recommended accused to mercy. Accused was remanded for sentence. He was placed in the dock this afternoon for sentence, when the Judge said that in view of the prisoner's previous good character and the jury's recommendation he thought he would be justified in imposing a pecuniary penalty. Accused was fined £50. Accused is an Orangeman, and Dowling a Roman Catholic.