ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4881, 13 November 1876, Page 2

ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE

It is not often that newspapers in Wellington have been under the necessity of heading local articles as above. Fortunately, we have experienced less of the most serious class of crimes than other large centres of population in the colony, as the various criminal calendars will show. It is not surprising, therefore, that the news of an event so extraordinary and terrifying should create astonishment and consternation in different parts of the town. It is a common expression, and one in.which there is a great deal of truth, that ill news flies quickly ; and an illustration of this was given yesterday, when a report was spread in town that a fearful and deliberate murder had been committed, and that the murderer had added to his guilt by taking his own lifeThe report was not strictly accurate, but it was neverthelesss too near the truth. A murder had undoubtedly been attempted, and the principal actor in the scene, a man named Thomas Coleman, had made a show at killing himself, but did not succeed, and is, in fact, perfectly well. It appears that between nine o’clock and half-past yesterday morning, some one knocked at the door of the house occupied by Mx\ John Aplin, who lives about two miles from Kaiwarra, on the old Porirua road. Mrs. Coleman, who is the victim of i the attempted murder, was engaged as attendant upon Mrs. Aplin, who has been in a delicate state of health. When the knock on the door-was heard, Mrs. Aplin said to Mrs. Coleman, “ Go and gee who that is at the door and in obedience to this instruction she went to the door prepared to answer the summons in the ordinary way. On opening the door Mrs! Coleman saw her husband, against whom she obtained a protection order on the 3rd of March last, and from whom she has been separated ever since. - He addressed her by her Christian name, saying, “ Flora, I have a score to settle with you.” Mrs. Coleman who, it may be assumed, saw something in the demeanor of her husband which, together with his words, led her to fear him, retreated into the front room. . He followed her immediately, and on entering the' room deliberately took from his pocket a six-barrelled revolver, and fired at her, the bullet penetrating just below the right breast, and coming out at the back. He discharged another barrel, and the bullet went through her arm, which she had instinctively raised in front of her breast to guard herself. 1 She then ran from the room into the kitchen, situated at the rear of the house, and there fell to the ground exhausted and .unconscious. It is indeed ,a Wonder. that : the unfortunate woman, was able to bear up against the murderous assault for so long. Before losing consciousness, however, she heard another shot fired, and it would seem that Coleman had attempted , to destroy his own. life. ‘ At least, he discharged a third barrel at his own head, although he did not succeed in doing himself any particular mischief. The revolver mush have been pointed at the head below the'right ear, but the bullet did not penetrate the skull; it simply grazed the skin. News of this event was conveyed to the police by Mr. Christopher Aplin, who rode , into town, and arrived at about, halfpast ten o’clock, and saw Sergeant Price, who communicated with Sergeant Monaghan at the station. . The latter at once instructed Price to proceed to Kaiwarra and to obtain the services of Dr. Diver. He acted in accordance with these instructions, and ■ he and Dr. Diver, at once went to Kaiwarra. On arriving there, they found Mrs. Coleman in a precarious condition ; the first bullet had gone right through her body, piercing one of her lungs. Dr. Diver then went into the room in which the scene above related had occurred, and there found; Coleman lying on his back, apparently insensible. ; He saw, however, that there was more sham than reality in the appearance of the man, and ffejsdiore suggested that . he should terminate his theatrical performance, ■ get up in fact. Coleman then sat up, and asked for a drink of water. He, was quite unhurt, save for the graze which has been already mentioned. Dr. Diver did what was necesary for the womiu under the circumstances, . but from what our reporter was able to ascertain grave doubts are entertained as to the probability of her recovery. Such being the case it was deemed advisable to take a statement from her before a Justice of the Peace, as she stated that she believed herself to be dying. Accordingly Major Paul, accompanied by Mr. Baker, Clerk of the Resident Magistrate’s Court, went to Kaiwarra, Inspector Atcheson also being there, and Mrs. Coleman then made a declaration, stating that her husband had no cause to act as he had done. ■ Coleman was searched, and in one of his pockets was found a letter, addressed to his wife. Omitting parts of the letter unnecessary to publish, the following is a copy, bad spelling being corrected: — [COPT.] Wellington, June sth, 1876. False deceitful wife,. I write you this for the last time. I dare say you think you played your cards well, you and your nephew and his mother. Since I proposed to go up to the Hutt, you told me you would never leave Kaiwarra, and you made your Words come true. You then formed a plan to 'get rid of me ; you then got all the valuables out of the house on the sly : you then went on a visit to see your nephew.. When I went at ten o’clock to tell you to come home your ’nephew brought a sword to me. Ha and his mother abused me, and called me everything that was bad, to try and get me break the law so as to get a- court job. . You remained’ there for three days and three nights, and on the 3rd of January I.met you and your nephew. He told me he was going to take me ;to court. I asked was it for ill-using you. He isaid no, it was for abusing you? He then wanted me to take the children, and let you Itake the child where you liked. I told him no, I would- not consent.to it. He thennext wanted me to go to Brandon’s office and sign a paper* that .1. would say nothing to offend my wife. I would not consent to that Your nephew and you then walked to one side, and !had private conversation. He then came to ime and' said that he did not want to stand between me and my wife.. He isaid he would give me an advice, if:

I wanted to be happy with iny wife. Whatever I heard or saw I was to take no notice of it, and say nothing about it when you found that you could not make a court job of it. You then came home. I forbid you then to go to your nephew’s house. I told you that if you did I would empty my stomach. You told me X could preach it for all you cared. You told me that I could not bring no one to prove it but myself. You continued to be very disagreeable every day, and tried to get up rows. 1 knew you wanted a court job. I was aware of it, and used to leave the house. On the 26tb February you completed your object. When X got a little beer you got up a tow, and tore my face to pieces. I told you X would not strike you as I know you wanted n court job; you riled (?) my blood to your face, and showed it to the neighbors, and then took me to court and brought some of your sister’s hair to swear that I tore it from your head, and those that saw it says that you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You wretch, you know I never struck you or pulled hair out of your head. You deprived the children of seeing me, or me to go and see them. If I go to Kaiwarra, you tell them to run away from me or I will kill them. On last New Year’s night, when I went to ask you to come home, I found that they wanted a row to take me to court: when your nephew found that he could not manage it, he then began to tell about the night I was married, and if I remembered anything particular happening. I told him yes, I remembered seeing you crying at the foot of the stairs, and your sister Jessie scolding you and told you that you ought to be ashamed of yourself. He then said he was but a youngster. He said that he saw something upstairs from behind the curtain. I had a suspicion of what he meant; but IVXr. Jones, of Fahautanui, interpreted it to me in the presence of Mrs. Rivers and others that you were the talk of Porirua-road for months afterwards. I knew you wish me dead and beyond the seas, and then yon would throw my daughter Jessie away on your nephew, but' that won’t happen whilst I am alive. Since you have been my wife I have proved you to be a rogue and a liar. You have broken a better heart than ever belonged to you or anyone belonging tr My death will lay on your soul and all them that advised you in your evil doings,— I remain your husband, Thomas Coleman.” Mrs. Coleman is Coleman’s second wife, and came out to this colony in the year 1842. She.is about fifty years of age, and from what we have been able to learn, would be quite incapable of giving her husband cause for serious annoyance. Coleman was for some time at the Kumara rush, and returned about a fortnight ago. He will, we understand, be brought up at the Resident Magistrate’s Court this morning, charged with attempted murder and suicide.