THE CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 770, 3 December 1886, Page 19

THE CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED MURDER.

(united press association.) Hawera, November 25. ’The hearing of the attempted murder case against McLean has been adjourned for the production of more definite evidence as to whether Iredale was within range of the gun when McLean fired. Hawera, November 26.

Prosecutor’s statement in the case of attempted murder was to the following effect : I know'fprisoner, John David McLean. He lives on a part of my property, situated near Hawera. There are two dwelling honses on the property —one is occupied by myself, and one has been occupied by prisoner. He was in our employment when he first went into occupation of the house. He has been out of our regular employment for a month or more, but has assisted in shearing. The house he occupied is about half a mile away from McLean’s. On Thursday, 18th inst., 1 saw prisoner about 8 o’clock in the morning. Prisoner came up in an excited manner, and took me by the arm and said I had seduced his wife. I replied that he must be mad. He then said he would shoot me or I would shoot him, and that he would give me two days to live. He said his wife had told him I had done so. I then offered to go with him to his wife, and said she must be mad. He said if I went over I would not leave the place. I inferred from that that he meant he would shoot me. He told me that he had my gun loaded. He then went away. He was very much excited. He. had borrowed my gun five or six months previously. I saw him coming across the paddock in the evening, about 5 or 6 o’clock, with a gun. He was on foot; I was on horseback. He came into the paddock where I was. I kept out in the paddock. He proceeded along the paddock a little way and then fired at me. I was just about turning when he fired. He was about 60 yards off. I rode away. He lay down then, and I slackened my pace and rode in the direction of his home, with the intention of going to town. I thought I would go to the police. I did not see any more of him. I changed my mind about going to town. It was getting rather dark, and I turned round and went out of the paddock by the gate I had come in at. I observed the accused going toward my home, still having the gun with him. As I had seen him near my house, 1 thought it better to keep away. I did not come back to my house at night. Witness positively denied that he had acted as the prisoner alleged. Evidence was also given that later the same evening the latter challenged the prosecutor’s brother in mistake for the prosecutor, and said that he told the brother that he would shoot Iredale. When arrested [he admitted to the police that he intended to shoot Iredale, and said that if he had seen Fred Iredale on the evening of the 13th he would have shot him, and then committed suicide. He waited about Ire-

dale’s homestead till late on the 18th, and the next day his gun was found loaded in one barrel with ball. The case was not coneluded yesterday when the telegraph office closed. • , _ There is another development in the Iredale-McLean case. McLean has sworn two informations against Frederick Iredale, charging him first with rape on Mrs McLean, and secondly with perjury. The cases are to come before the Court next Wednesday.