THE ROTORUA TRAGEDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13449, 24 November 1905, Page 7

THE ROTORUA TRAGEDY.

(Peb TJurixo Par.ss Association) m' j • i 4L"OIvTiANT>. November 23. I ho trial of Andrew Campbell, hoardingpopse keepc-r at .Koiorua, on a. charge of murdering I»ob.?--l Hislop, formerly a lodger, by shooling him outsido Campbell's boarding-house at Itotoma,' was be?un before Mr Justice Edwards at the Supremo Oourt to-day. The case for Ihe prosecution l va ,?, , when Hislo l' rn ppcd at Campbells door upon Ihe night of the 26ih of October last Campbell imswercd Iho knock, and some words ensued. Campbell, according to tho evidence, then went inside, procured a pea-nfle, and wont outsido again, demanding that Hislop should leave tho premises. Jack ilaydon, a. witness, who was talking to the. deceased at this sta.ge, said that Hislop refused to go. and that; after some more words Campbell shot him. Deceased was conveyed to the hospital! where he died two hours later, and the accused gave himself up. Tho witnesses were unanimous in testifying to accused's good character, and from several of thi m Mr Martin; the prisoner's counsel, obtained statements saying that. Oamplxdl and his wife, especially the latter, \Voro subjected by deceased to frequent insults. Tho prisoner, in giving evidence upon his own behalf, said that when tho deceased had been at his boarding-house for nino weeks lie (accused) asked him for two weeks' lioard which was overdue, Rnd as the man had no means offered to allow him to stay on on condition i hat lie worked about tho place. Hislop agreed, and continued in Campbell's service until March last, when ho was dismissed on account of his conduct towards Mrs Campbell. Tho accused said that from this onwards Hislop continued to pester both himself and Mrs Campbell, following them round, insulting tht-m, sending filthy and disgusting letters by post and by hand, etc. Upon the night of October 26 when be went home Mrs Campbell informed him that Hislop had insulted her that afternoon. sho then told him that Hislop had nut his fingers to his nose and said that she was "only a, and convenience to the boardinghouse." He got up from the table in a rage, and had barely done so when ono of the children came in and said someono was knocking at the front door. Ho imme-i diately went, to sen who it was. It was the deceased, who again made an insulting remark. Witness said " Get out of this." Ho replied, "I'm —- if I will," at tho tame time stepping in front of me. I dosed the door, wont to the kitchen, took down my rifle, and went to tho door again. When I opened the door I found that lid wa3 on the front step. I said, "Do you sco this?" holding up tho rifle." T said. "Now are you going to got out of this." Ho said, "I'm if I am." I said if you don't go I will put this through you. He replied, "You oan put it through me." The next tiling I knew was the report of tho rifle, Mr Martin: Are you conscious of having raised the rifle to your shoulder or of having pulled the trigger?—" lam not." But if. is obvious that von must have done so?—" Yes." The court then adjourned.