"I'M BUFFALO Bill!"

NZ Truth, Issue 443, 13 December 1913, Page 5

"I'M BUFFALO Bill!"

Invercargill Tragedy.

Silly Youth Shoots a Woman.

(From "Truth's" Dunedln Rep.)

Yet another sad example of. youthful tolly and the indiscreet possession of firearms has resulted m the death of a married lady named Mrs. Martin, at Evew, a few miles from InyercargtU, under, distressing circumstances. Mrs. Martin was killed at her own door bjr a revolver shot fired l»y a youth named George McDermott, who rushed up to her, exclaimed, "I'm Buffalo Bill!" at the same time covering- her with a pea -rifle and revolver! Vith the traffic result mentioned. An inquest was* held on Saturday, m the course of which Dr. J. G, Crawford said he was called by telephone at 9 p.m. on Friday to go to Mrs. Martin's residence at Kew. On arriving there he discovered the unfortunate lady lying on her. back on the floor of the j kitchen. He made an examination, and ,■ . ■ FOUND SHE WAS DEAD. The olotbing, on the upper portion of the body which had booh loosened, was completely saturated with blood. He located a bullet wound In the chest slightly to the left of the middle line, and on a level with the second rib. Death, which must have beon almost instantaneous, resulted from hemorrhage of the aorta as the result et a bullet wound. George McDermott, who fired the fatal shot, tendered his evldeace with much emotion, and to all appearances was very much distressed with the painful part ho filled m the tragedy. He said he had been employed by Mr. Martin for two months. On the night of the fatal affair he had been out' on the edge of the bush with a pea-rifle shooting birds and rabbits. Ho returned to the house, at about 8.30 p.m. and commenced firing »it a target erected near the corner "»f tho house. He then asked Mrs. Martin if she knew where the revolver was, and she suit! it was m her son* room. A little girl went m and fetched out tho revolver, and lie fired more shot* from It at the target; the revolver took the mime ammunition as the pea-rUIe. He sould not say how many shot« ho fired, but tocfore ho finished ho pulled tlio trigger about ten times to so* if there were any live cartridges toft m the chambers. There were NO DISCHARGES and he felt fully satisfied the weapon was empty. He also picked up tho poa-rifle and went through tho samo performance with it to satisfy himself It wus empty. Mrs. Mariln and a IHUe girl namod Elsie Buck were standing mi the door of the house, jyhen he ran up nnd *aUd, "I'm Buffalo Bill!" At the Kaino time he pointed the xevolver and the riflo from the hips nt them, puMing both hummers. The revolver instantly exploded and shot Mrs. Martin. She never said a word, but gave a loud scream, and turning round stagBorfed into tho .kitchen and foil. Terribly excited, ho threw the weapons away and rushed for assistance. An far as he knew the revolver had never missed fire. He loaded twlco by Inserting six cartridges each time. All exploded tho first time, jut apparently one missed fire on the second occawlon. George ftlnrlfn, draper, said he was the deceased lady's husband. Me waa out ma meeting on ;ho night of the irag«dy, nnd when >io rct.irn.'d home at 0 p.m. he foun<! hi* wK<? 'Jwicl. Tho | weapons belonged to UotJi hla *u>m<, oml McDermott had fre> u«o of them. Having' regard u> nil tho clrcumntnncc« ho fell «atl(sf>el tlirt; the unfortunat« affair w»i« purely nt. accident. Sergeant Himpsyn staurd ilie revolver hud been examined, und li wa« found that on« of t\\o c<t«ml)er« mitssed ftrc. In rcturnlnar ti v«t'Hc». that rtoewn^nd met her tleiuh accidentally by ti nhai fnim n revolver, the Coroner pointed on! i\,r <Jnn{?«'r of an indl«cr<t?; nnv of lircarmM l>v irm*po««|bi t > j^»-«Mtw. IJ<> j .*•••» id hi« would h;lve pror^r roprewmn|tlonH mai.'o to the fMuciUlun lt«v,tr<l, jj-t'ominuhii-rs, nnU i«*rrHorl.k) orn<:.<rs i that tuu-nUon >»«• iimwn u» tho tswi-i*. jsity of Kr<*jiter i-ar» In «!>•• iim< of nr«?--«niw. It wan ih,> t(iU(o«t tuiw^Otlo thm« for anyone to tlo io point « r<?vylv*-r fit uny porson.