MAN WITH A GUN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18296, 12 January 1923, Page 9

MAN WITH A GUN.

,'■ — '■ —♦ : EXCITEMENT ON SETTLEMENT. POLICE COURT PROCEEDINGS. A strange story of wild happenings at, a soldiers' settlement, arising out of the alleged illegal firing of a gun, was unfolded when Richard Derwent Hollingsworth (Mr. Matthews), appeared at the Police Court.; yesterday before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., charged with attempting to commit suicide, discharging a firearm without reasonable cause in a public place, and presenting a loaded firearm at John H. Edgeriey. | It was stated that accused, who was living at the Woodcocks, near Warkworth, -was seen on December 8, under the influence of drink, with a loaded gun in his possession. When he fired the gun the charge passed close to the head of one of the witnesses. The man's condition, apart from drink, was not normal, and the settlers were alarmed about his condition. He was secured and the gun taken from him and handed to the police. | Albert G. Lewellsaid he heard two shots fired, the reports coming from accused's place. Witness, with Mr. Edgerley and Mr. Wright, went toward the house, and on the way met accused. Before meeting him they heard accused ! laughing. Edgerley went up to the man, who either fired the gun or else it went off. He did not hit anyone. The accused ! was not drunk when witness last saw , him that night. John H. Edgerloy said that accused was , laughing and muttering in the road. Witi ness considered he had had more drink ■ than was good for him. When the shot was fired the gun was not pointed directly at witness, but he felt the heat from the charge. .'"■'' :,, ,1 In reply to counsel, witness said he ' was of opinion the gun went off by mis- ■ ! take, or uy pressure of the man's hand. ■ He did not think accused" had any inten- '< tion of hitting him. nor did he think he ; Jhad anv intention of pulling the trigger. ' Thomas Wright, a share-milker, said ac- ' cused showed signs of liquor, but was by ' no means drunk. 1 James Dennis; who. entered accused's ■ house, said he found on the table there a letter addressedHo a woman in Auckland, ; in which the accused stated he intended to 1 take his life. Frank Matthews said he went inside ' accused's house and found him in a chair ' in a deep sleep. A double-barrelled gun > was on the table. ' Constable Snow said accused was a ■ widower, living alone, and that fact, lie ! thought, had a good deal to do with the ■ matter, coupled with financial worries.. • Counsel said that 12 months ago the ■ accused lost his wife after a long illness. > Prior to that there had "been no trouble. > During the war he had suffered from a I severe illness, and was unfit to touch alco- ' hoi at all. The Government had fbre- ' closed, or was just about to foreclose, on ' his farm. He' had no money and no means. ' The man's whole actions were those of a man mentally unbalanced; his mind was an absolute blank. The magistrate dismissed the three , charges.